The art of jade sculpture in China has a long historical standing. Its sophisticated and exquisite craftsmanship interprets profound Chinese culture. Ray Ma is an independent jewellery designer who inherited his father’s skills and goes beyond conventional jade carving, Inspired by Chinese ink painting and royal jade carving and combined with western art, his creations tend to showcase the perfect match between jade and gemstones, carving and setting.
White jade, also named as Hetian jade, is a kind of nephrite mostly produced in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwestern China. The material is widely used to produce traditional arts and crafts in China. “I like the soft and smooth texture of white jade. In the market, I notice all the carved works are too conventional and uniformed. I want to give a fresh look to white jade. Thus the idea of using it to make high-end art jewellery bumped into my mind.” Ma explained.
The fluidity of jade and the geometrics of gemstones are matched in Ma’s design. He said: “I blend the Chinese atmospheric aesthetics with western logical thinking. The design achieves a fusion of carving and adornment, and a perpetual transition of my thoughts and emotions.”
These years, Ma has taken part in international jewellery shows held in Basel, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. He also started cooperation with Poly Auction Shanghai. When mentioning the auction market, he commented: “The attention of the jade market has been shifting from antique to contemporary. Large gemstones are still dominant in the market, while designer jewellery especially jadeite and jade jewellery are becoming more popular.”
In the future, Ma will focus on the innovation in gemstone cutting and titanium jewellery making. He said: “Some consumers are pursuing more than just large gemstones. As art jewellery is getting more well-known and recognised, I think branded and affordable art pieces will be more competitive in the market.”
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