“Anything that nobody likes, show me! I’m gonna like it.” Avid rare gemstone collector and jewellery designer Tayma Page Allies started spicing up her magnificent gem collection 25 years ago when she founded Tayma Fine Jewellery in Hong Kong. Her handcrafted fine jewellery set with unusual stones at her boutique in Central has wowed both cultivated connoisseurs and young ladies.
A spontaneous visit to a jewellery workshop in Hong Kong to get her own rings redesigned inspired her to blossom a love affair with fine jewellery. “When I came to Hong Kong there were mostly jewellery from big brands and copies for tourists. I didn’t find anything lovely to wear. So I redesigned my own jewellery which was well-desired among friends who asked me to tailor jewellery for them. That’s how I got into the business,” Allies recalled.
As a gemstone expert and investor, she is always on the lookout for new colours, new species from different sources. “I see many gemstones every day. I know what is rare and special in the market. My collection Gemalista includes perfectly-matched sets in brilliant cut or Asscher cut which are normally seen in diamonds,” she said. Due to the huge wastage and stringent technical requirements, only a few lapidaries can cut those stones, according to Allies. “If you want to invest in gemstones, you’ve got to have perfect cut and colour,” she added.
Allies was way ahead of the trade in introducing a number of spectacular gemstones that later proved to be big hits. For instance, she featured multi-coloured tourmaline in her jewellery as early as 1995. Other special stones such as Paraiba tourmaline and mandarin garnet had first appeared on her designs when the stones were quite an unknown for many.
It is no surprise that gemstone plays a pivotal role in her jewellery. “My design style is not very much fashion-driven. I prefer using a single big stone. The bigger the stone, the simpler the design, and the more refined the setting is going to be. My jewellery is able to be handed down, standing the test of time,” she said.
She shared a moment of pleasure and satisfaction with Hong Kong Jewellery. “There was a time when I spotted a lady who was wearing a ring I designed. She told me it was given by her mom 25 years ago for her 16th birthday. I was thrilled with the fact that my ring has been with the family for 25 years by that time.”
Consumers are sophisticated nowadays. They are partial to colours that speak for themselves. Allies said people like to show their taste or personality through the jewellery or clothes they wear, the coffee or the wine they drink. There are copious varieties of gemstones besides Burmese ruby, Kashmir sapphire and Colombian emerald. “It has to be the best for you, not only the best,” she concluded.
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