04-11-2020
After the rain, a frog clang to a leaf listening to the sound of the raindrops rolling down from the natural shelter, savouring the moment of tranquillity and freshness. Hong Kong jewellery designer Sharon Yuen captured this particular scene on a sketch, and told the story via the skilful hands of a local master craftsman. And there came ‘Dew Freshness’, an 18-karat white gold pendant brooch set with green and icy fei cui, diamonds, pearls, tsavorites and rubies.
Thanks to the appealing design, balanced structure, harmonious colour combination and exquisite craftsmanship, the jewellery received general recognition by the judging panel of the first Hong Kong Fei Cui Design Biennial Contest organised by the Hong Kong Jewellery & Jade Manufacturer Association (HKJJA), and became the 2nd runner-up in the open group - finished jewellery with retail price at or over US$10,000).
According to Sharon Yuen, the wearability factor stands high on the pre-requisites for fine jewellery. “My design is known for being versatile and functional. That is what fine jewellery is for. It needs to be precious and wearable,” she told Hong Kong Jewellery at her new showroom in Tsimshatsui East. And she believes it is the reason for the success of ‘Dew Freshness’.
She attributes her graceful design to Mother Nature. “As much as 99 percent of my creations are influenced and inspired by nature. You may see a lot of butterflies, flowers and leaves in my design. They are elegant, classic and feminine,” she said.
Two of her recent designs featured classic Chinese elements such as gourds and fans have beaten other contestants to be among the top three in another category of the same competition. Titled ‘Blessed Gourd’ and “Ancient Chinese Fan”, the two winning pendants set in 18-karat gold with red and green fei cui with diamonds are the epitome of her flair for exquisite style.
Besides the widely known and most-desirable green, fei cui comes in other colours namely lavender, red, orange, yellow, brown, white, grey and black. Despite the sumptuous colour choices, fei cui is still considered by many to be a challenge to wear on its own. To make fei cui jewellery more approachable, Sharon Yuen mixes fei cui with a kaleidoscope of coloured gemstones or uses two-tone or three-tone gold for a more contemporary look.
Yuen established her namesake jewellery brand in 2016 specialising in custom-made fei cui jewellery for a discerning clientele in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia. Its modest business scale allows her to maintain all prime jewellery making processes in Hong Kong. “It’s perhaps unavoidable to transfer some work such as casting and gold refining to the mainland. However, we insist on keeping the most crucial parts including stone-setting in Hong Kong to ensure maximum quality control,” she explained.
“We would never compromise on quality for the sake of cost concern. Fine jewellery holds an intrinsic value for its precious metals and magnificent gemstones. Exquisite craftsmanship will only add value to it,” she added.
All set in 18-karat gold with natural materials, her one-of-a-kind pieces are available from HK$20,000 at retail.
According to Yuen’s observation, Hong Kong customers prefer delicate styles while larger pieces are going particularly well in Southeast Asia. “My local customers are mostly office ladies who come for subtle and elegant designs for their business outfits. Singaporeans and Malaysians would favour substantial designs,” she said.
Trade shows constitute a major marketing channel for Sharon Yuen to reach out to a broader audience base. The global Covide-19 pandemic, nevertheless, has disrupted her exhibition plan for 2020. Instead of venturing out of the city, she would explore more opportunities from within next year when cross-border mobility may still be limited. “Started this year, I have been collaborating with local jewellery retailers on some co-branding and OEM projects. This will continue to be a major task on my 2021 schedule,” she said. (Photo courtesy: Sharon Yuen)
← Back