Secret watch was used in the 1920s primarily as a protection for the dial and a subtle and elegant way to keep track of the time. It was generally considered that looking at the time for a lady is indelicate, thus hiding the dial into jewellery is a double benefit. Jonathan Darracott, global head of watches at Bonhams said: “Having a dial on view was not to everybody’s taste, especially if you were wearing fine jewelleries, and hiding the piece under some diamonds was a very decent way of having a watch without being perceived of having a watch.”
How to hide the dial needs delicate mechanisms backed by exquisite craftsmanship and techniques, and also designer’s unconventional creativity. In the current world where international luxury brands have been ruling over the niche market of secret watch, Anita So, founder of Hong Kong independent designer brand Anita So Fine Jewellery has unveiled her daring secret watch jewellery collections since 2016 in the city. Powered by Swiss movement, the dial is hidden in fei cui jewellery accented with diamonds, coloured sapphires, spinels and topazes. A splendid sliding cover reveals the small dial, unfolding the hidden designs under it.
Almost two years after the launch of the collection, So’s The Bird’s Secret Garden pendant won the second runner-up in the Open Group (Finished Jewellery) with retail price over US$10,000 of the 2017 International Design Competition on Trendy Fei Cui Jewellery. The lorgnette secret watch is made in 18-karat gold set with fei cui and diamonds. Its multi-functionality, creative design, application of fei cui and craftsmanship were highly recognised by the judging panel and traders.
Anita So told Hong Kong Jewellery that the large scale fei cui design competition held amidst the current tough conditions of the jewellery market stimulated traders to promote fei cui and fei cui jewellery, and more importantly, made the industry recognise the importance of design. According to her, Hong Kong’s jewellery manufacturing industry was world-renowned during the 1980s and 1990s. At that time, most of the jewellery was in western style without original design, leading to a general neglect of the value of design which is somehow happening nowadays. Today, a wealth of information is available for clients who want a stronger say and even intervene in design with no respect for designer’s efforts. The industry is in a transition period, and designers need to find a way out.
Brand marketing is vital for independent designers, but money is always a big issue. They are in a dilemma about whether to invest in R&D or in promotion. To set aside from others, Anita So positions her designs as distinctive fine fei cui jewellery with exquisite craftsmanship and complexity. She stated that creating designs which are ahead of time is crucial, but for designers it is worth thinking about how to gain market acceptance. Through participating in design contests, her brand has effectively promoted its designs and built brand awareness. Her The Secret and Bumble Bee pendants also won the merit awards in the Open Group of the 18th Hong Kong Jewellery Design Competition organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) in 2017.
Nature is one of her favourite design elements. “Natural elements are universal and well-accepted by the audience. They are easy to match with different colours of gemstones. People want to keep the beauty of butterflies that we cannot catch and flowers that are going to perish,” she noted.
Anita So has been working with some local fei cui suppliers for almost 10 years, which gives her chances to acquire semi-finished carved fei cui in high quality. She observed that the market of icy fei cui was surged a couple of years ago, and recently, sales of lavender jade have been in an upward trend. She thinks that designers should not go with market trends, as only unique designs in high quality always dominate the market.
She reveals that the brand will launch a new jewellery timepiece collection The Skull during the HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show in March 2018. This is her first time to use the advanced watchmaking technique of transparent timepiece with a floating dial. The skull-shaped dial is housed inside the sapphire crystal glass case, which is set with coloured sapphires. A rock and roll lover, Anita So boldly applied the skull element to the timepiece, giving the conventionally feminine jewellery watch a cool twist.
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