Loupe designers-in-residence series
A starving polar bear with a bony frame struggles for life against the backdrop of the melting Arctic sea ice. Hong Kong jewellery designer Janus Ng of 5+2 Experimental Jewellery chooses to narrate the heart-wrenching story through her powerful Homeless series to remind people of the detrimental impacts of global warming. Jewellery, to her, does not only serve to celebrate, but also to deliver messages that concern our living planet.
“Someone told me that jewellery was all about happiness marking the occasions of engagement, wedding, birthday, etc. I think jewellery is a medium of communication between designers and customers. Besides delightful remarks, there are much more to share with the audience. After all, we are motivated by seven emotions,” Janus Ng said. After working at big names including Swarovski, she decided to launch her own brand in January 2018 to manifest her visions of jewellery.
Cultivated consumers have a keen interest in the authentic story or message behind jewellery. Janus Ng’s stunning global warming story starts with a dissimilar polar bear. Her Homeless collection consists of three rings in white and oxidised silver with quartz and pearl featuring a thin polar bear finding lesser and lesser place to survive in the diminishing sea ice and heavily polluted ocean. “The rings have drawn enormous attention from the viewers who shared my concern about environmental issues,” she said.
As hinted in the Homeless rings, Janus Ng is a pearl enthusiast who has a special affinity for baroques. Purely organic and warm to the touch, lustrous pearls give her infinite inspiration to provide the market with a fresh look at classics. “It is still a prevailing belief that pearls are luxurious, exclusively for refined ladies. I wish to put new heart into pearl jewellery for a younger audience,” she said.
Influenced by the aesthetic of wabi-sabi , a relaxing acceptance of imperfection and the power of nature in Japanese culture, Janus Ng sees the unique beauty of baroque pearls. Her Imperfect Me collection uses minimal lines to augment the existence of the arresting South Sea or freshwater baroques.
The designer has a flair for rendering simple lines with a surprising twist. The ‘Austina’ single threader earring under the Versatility collection, for instance, features a Tahitian drop pearl set in two-tone karat gold accented with white and black diamonds. It can be worn on either the white or the black side depending on the mood of
the wearer.
The smooth and sleek design of Janus Ng’s jewellery comes as a natural choice for effortless stacking and mix-and-matching. The Day & Night rings in white and black gold with matching diamonds, the 5+2 by JN ‘HEX’ rings with a delicate pearl and diamonds, or the ultra-simple diamond rings from the Minimal series, make you feel in harmony with your own style.
Janus Ng joined the Design Residency Programme initiated by Loupe in Hong Kong in early 2019. According to her, the programme has been a tremendous support for the jewellery industry where up-and-coming designers from around the globe get together to share ideas and expertise. “I’m thankful that Loupe has provided independent brands like us with an effective platform for promotion, networking and learning,” she said.
Running her humble operation for two years, Janus Ng sets her sights on having her own workshop with her own team in the next three years. “I wish to explore overseas markets step by step. Besides doing pop-ups, we would be more proactive in joining exhibitions. Of course, the best is to have a physical store,” she said. At present, she markets her jewellery through consignment stores and various online platforms.
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