Hidden gems: Bonhams to put rare jewels under the hammer later this month

Bonhams, the privately owned British auctioneer, will put rare jewellery from renowned houses of Harry Winston and Cartier, and highly sought-after gems under the hammer on 30 November.

The Rare Jewels and Jadeite Auction will feature beautiful gems such as an 88-carat diamond (D/IF, Ex, Ex) single-stone ring, by Cartier and a pair of diamond (D/IF) pendent earrings, by Harry Winston.

One of the highlights of the auction is a rare 10.21-carat Kashmir sapphire and diamond ring, by Mouawad that will set you back a cool HK$6.8 million-8 million.

Kashmir sapphires were only mined in the late 19th century and they are deemed to be the king of all sapphires.

Graeme Thompson, Director of Jewellery for Bonhams Asia, spoke to Gafencu about his role at the auction house, the jewellery market in Asia and the upcoming auction, among many other things.

All of the items in the auction can be viewed from 26 November at Bonhams.

Venue: Bonhams Hong Kong Gallery, Suite 2001, One Pacific Place

Date: Wednesday 30 November, 2016

Time: 3:00pm

Discover how a discrete diamond or an occasional opal can zhoosh up the finest frock

The Cartier Magicien Collection diamond Incantation necklace has a 22.84-carat sapphire; Cartier’s Oracle necklace holds emeralds from Colombia and diamonds.

Big girls need big diamonds” was Elizabeth Taylor’s take on the subject, while Coco Chanel famously asserted that “a woman needs ropes and ropes of pearls.” Despite their slightly different preferences, it is safe to say that both were firm believers that jewellery can make or break an outfit, particularly when dressing for a gala event or a high society soirée.

The key to achieving the requisite sophisticated look is balance. Ideally, a dazzling sequin dress, for example, should be complemented by small, dainty earrings and very little else. Simple, classic dresses, meanwhile, can be spruced up with a jaw-dropping statement piece, such as Piaget’s Sunny Side of Life pink gold necklace, complete with an oval-cut Paraiba tourmaline from Mozambique, all surrounded by diamonds, pink sapphires and yet more blue tourmalines. As a rule of thumb, if one item is overstated, the remainder can be a little more demure.

A prime example of the former, courtesy of Piaget, is a stunning pair of 18K white gold dangle earrings, fetchingly adorned with 460 brilliant-cut diamonds in a cascading circular design. These were recently modeled to great effect by Jessica Chastain, the US actress and Piaget brand ambassador. In a similar vein, white gold cuffs emblazoned with blue sapphires or Piaget’s emerald and diamond jewellery sets all add a touch of glamour to any gala gown.

“As a rule of thumb, if one item is overstated, the remainder can be a little more demure”

Cartier is also clearly in the “go big or go home” camp, a commitment underlined by its diamond Incantation necklace, an accessory that can be transformed to suit any occasion. This choker-style necklace can be easily elongated, while its detachable Ceylon sapphire pendant can also be worn as a ring. Even more playful options courtesy of Cartier – and just perfect for complementing a cocktail dress – are its desert-themed collection of cactus-shaped rings, earrings and necklaces.

For those looking for a bold splash of colour, Bulgari’s Ispirazioni Italiane necklace dazzles with an array of pink tourmalines, amethysts, emerald beads, red spinels and diamonds. Chopard has also chosen to forefront diamonds in its Temptations Haute Joaillerie collection, with the range boasting a sophisticated set of earrings with oval-cut, marquise-cut, pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamonds.

While earrings and necklaces in vibrant colours are very much in vogue right now, any budding Ms Taylors and Ms Chanels – with a distinct penchant for classic gemstones – will still surely find something to catch their eye in this season’s jewellery collections.

New York-based jeweller offers an engaging ring

With yellow diamonds said to represent hope, friendship and joy, when set on an engagement ring, they truly stand out thanks to their unique sophistication. With that in mind, Sophie’s Creations, an upscale New York-based jeweller, has unveiled a dazzling new ring complete with a 5.9 carat radiant-cut fancy yellow diamond. This precious gem comes surrounded by 20 pointer heart-shaped diamonds and a ring of smaller round diamonds. Sophie’s Creations’ website allows online shoppers to search for a specific loose diamond, one tailored to their exact preferences.

www.sophiehk.com

Van Cleef & Arpels go for gold with latest collection

Gold doesn’t have to be worn in just two dimensions. That, at least, is the intention behind the latest additions to the Van Cleef & Arpels’ Perlée collection, a range featuring the brand’s iconic beaded gemstone design and pearls of gold in pink, yellow and white iterations.

Three new Between the Finger rings all feature a unique semi-circle design, complete with gold band in one of three colours, topped with a carnelian, malachite or turquoise gemstone. The rings can be paired with a gold and diamond pendant or matching earrings.

www.vancleefarpels.com

Qeelin celebrates 10th anniversary of Bo Bo the panda

Qeelin, the Hong Kong-based jewellery brand, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Bo Bo the panda, its iconic mascot, in truly luxurious fashion. This has seen the release of a limited edition, 18K white gold pendant emblazoned with 479 white and black pavé diamonds and 77 rubies. Two bejewelled masks included in the set allow the Bo Bo pendant to be transformed into Sun Wukong, a Chinese mythological figure also known as the Monkey King, which made its first appearance in the classical Chinese novel, Journey to the West. Only 28 such pendants are available, each retailing at HK$208,800.

www.qeelin.com

Tiffany & Co unites with charity to try to save the elephants

The Elephant Crisis Fund has teamed up with Tiffany & Co to raise awareness and money to try and put an end to elephant poaching and stop the global trade in ivory.

Models and actors including Miranda Kerr, Cara Delevingne and Adrien Brody helped to launch the #knotonmyplanet campaign in September at New York Fashion Week.

The Elephant Crisis Fund is a joint initiative of Save the Elephants and the Wildlife Conservation Network.

The #knotonmyplanet campaign pays tribute to the adage “that an elephant never forgets” and we should be thinking about them.

And what better way to show your support for the elephants than to tie a knot and then share the photo on social media with the tag #knotonmyplanet.

Tiffany & Co has also released an elephant clip in 18K yellow gold and platinum with diamonds, gemstones, and Pallioné enamel in a bid to help save the elephants.

If you would like to donate to the fund, visit their website here

Jewellery inspired by the stars

Walking hand-in-hand with your lover along a promenade under a bright starry night is a scene straight out of a Hollywood movie, or your dreams. And only the luckiest of people will get to experience that scene in real life.

With that in mind, jewellers and purveyors of women’s fashion have been using scenes like the one mentioned for years to invoke images of romance and love to sell their products.

Carat London’s new Stella collection is no different. Inspired by bright starry nights, the jewellery brand’s latest collection includes earrings, bracelets, necklace and rings.

The collection is handmade using uniquely created hand-cut and hand-polished gemstones.

So pieces of jewellery like the Celestial Bracelet with an adjustable chain ball set in rose gold finish in sterling silver and the Mimosa Drop Necklace with its shimmering encrusted pendant which dangles from a chain of an adjustable lariat necklace have a classic look.

Bonhams to auction off antique jewellery

Bonhams is holding a second-hand jewellery sale next month, but it isn’t your typical sale of pre-owned goods. And it definitely isn’t one for bargain hunters.

The auction house is bringing a set of rare pieces into Hong Kong for collectors and connoisseurs to bid on this autumn alongside their biannual Rare Jewels and Jadeite auction.

Antique jewellery is slowly gaining popularity in Hong Kong as collectors start to see the value of owning a collectible that is over a 100 years old.

The auction will feature 17 pieces, which include brooches, rings, bracelets, necklaces and a hairpiece, along with other items that date from 1880 to 1925, a period known as La Belle Époque.

Collectors can bid for a rare Edwardian emerald and diamond ring, circa 1910, which will set you back HK$1,300,000-1,800,000.

If that price tag is a bit rich for your wallet, then there is a late 19th century ruby, natural pearl and diamond necklace, circa 1895, for HK$70,000-100,000.

All of the items in the auction can be viewed from 26 November.

Venue: Bonhams Hong Kong Gallery, Suite 2001, One Pacific Place

Date: Wednesday 30 November, 2016

Time: 3:00pm

Easy as ABC

Accessorising is as easy as ABC with the help of a new pop-up space from French fashion house Chloe.

The Chloé Alphabet Bar gives women the chance to accessorise their Drew and Faye bags with gold letterpress charms, spell out their initials on necklaces and buy stacked alphabet rings.

The Faye bag comes in grey and is cast in a mix of smooth, suede calfskin and python. The Drew is made from python and suede calfskin and comes in a new colour of dark purple.

The pop-up space also has a new line of message bracelets that spell out “Love”, “Rock”, “Wild”, “Happy” and “XOXO”. The bracelets cost HK$2,480.

Chloe invited a number of celebrities including Myolie Wu, Cara Grogan, Ana Rivera, Mikki Yao, Angie Ng and Alvin Goh to a cocktail event last week to celebrate the opening of the pop-up space.

The alphabet bar is open until 30 October at Pacific Place.

Grand jewellery designs

With the advancement of the digital age, it is fairly easy to find any information you need just by doing a quick internet search. But with all this new information comes the problem of more and more people sharing things on the internet, which leads to an abundance of online “experts”.

For example, a quick Google search of the word “DIY” will show you that it no longer just means decorating, building and making changes to your home by yourself. It now means the activity of a person making anything from a superhero costume to a camera, and there are numerous websites to show you how to do this.

Thankfully, not all DIY activities out there are mundane.

Some, like ARTĒ Me, a stones and metal base colour customization service by Prestigious Spanish jeweler ARTĒ Madrid, can be used to keep a loved one happy, or yourself, happy.

The service allows customers to customise their existing jewellery designs, and DIY jewellery owners can choose from 29 stone colours and three metal bases of rhodium plated, gold plated or rose-gold plated on 925 sterling silver.