Jewelry designers at Geneva harness nature, swans, sweets and titanium

Talented Chinese jewelry designers are displaying their eye-catching wares at the annual GemGeneve exhibition. 

Designers from China make up the third largest group at the eighth edition of a show that brings together hundreds of jewelry designers, dealers in precious stones, retailers and collectors from around the world under one roof. 

‌The show's New Designers and Emerging Talents section gives the industry's rising stars international exposure and the opportunity to find a buyer for their work. This year the category includes four designers from China.

Diana Zhang is now one of the most influential figures on the Asian scene. Born in Jilin, she has been inspired by fashion, jewelry and art since childhood. Her stunningly realistic pieces are a reflection of real life, expressed using precious stones. 

Zhang brought to Geneva her piece Red Lotus under the Sun, which is a memorizing bracelet made up of a hundred of finest rubies and diamonds. It took Zhang three years to create the piece and she spent a year just collecting all the Burmese rubies for the flower.

Aso Leon is the embodiment of the new wave of Chinese High Jewelry. Dubbed the "Prince of Titanium", Leon has made the metal his signature material since 2005. At Geneva, the artist is premiering pieces to Geneva inspired by nature and wildlife.

Another not-to-be-missed Chinese artist is Xiao Xintong, known as Awin Siu. The designer draws inspiration from childhood and creates pieces like candy brooches decorated with diamonds and precious stones, designed to bring happiness to the wearer. 

At Geneva, Siu is showing her collection Something Sweet which includes a brooch in the shape of a candy, made from titanium and enamel and decorated with a diamond, a sapphire and a paraiba stone. The artist says the idea for this collection came during the COVID pandemic, when she wanted to create artwork that would bring people "more dopamine."

Finally, Chong Ho creates perfectly-proportioned swan brooches and rings that can be transformed into a different shape by the wearer. For example, his piece Angel Wings can be turned into two embracing swans. The artist is fascinated by mechanisms and many of his pieces are flexible and made of soft materials.

GemGeneve runs until Sunday.

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