As jewellery “’chief’ at Christie’s, I am often asked how the tastes and trends differ among our clients in different regions.   Very generally speaking, in Europe and America we see clients preferring vintage jewellery, along with larger, more extravagant pieces.  The Asian market, on the other hand, tends to favour exquisite but rather discreet jewels – be it the finest diamonds, the rarest coloured gems, or exquisite jadeite, the common dominator is that they are attracted to extreme quality.  And as is the case across other sale categories, our Asian clients scour the catalogues for our sales around the world on their treasure hunt for the very best.  In fact, Asian buyers took home seven of the top 10 jewels in our last sale of the Spring season in New York in mid-June.  And a Taiwanese collector bought the most expensive jewel in our April sale in Dubai.

Ruby and diamond ring by Wallace Chan

One trend that reaches across regions: contemporary jewellery.  It’s a category that is simply thriving… just like contemporary art.  This is part of a general trend that transcends borders and artistic fields; jewellery is no exception.  And collectors are now more than ever showing confidence in acquiring jewels as works of art.

And three of the top names in contemporary jewellery design are right here in Hong Kong: Michelle Ong of Carnet, Edmond Chin of Etcetera, and Wallace Chan.  Their jewels, like those of other ‘artist jewelers’ such Viren Bhagat in Bombay, Lorenz Baumer in Paris, Michele della Valle in Rome and others, often sell at auction for more than the original retail price.  This is mainly due to the fact that the pieces are one-of-a-kind creations that are difficult to acquire because the production is limited and there are so many takers. And indeed, their designs are essentially only available in the city in which they live.  In other words, unlike the larger jewellery houses with locations in cities around the world, to secure a gem from these contemporary designers, you have to make quite an effort – and possible travel a great distance.

Jadeite ear pendants by Wallace Chan

What further unites these contemporary jewelers is that they approach jewellery as an art form – their unique, graceful, and sensual designs are considered exceptional not just as precious jewels, but as objets d’art.  If you’ve never had the pleasure of seeing their work in person, I highly recommend stopping by their showrooms here in Hong Kong.

Photos: Christie’s Images Ltd 2010