HONG KONG JEWELLERY designer Edward Chiu is making history with a one-off lavender jade collection carved out of one stone to make a set of three brooches (each equivalent to the length of a palm), chunky earrings and an over-the-top bangle.
The literally priceless collection (Mr Chiu has not set a price on the set as he has no intention of selling it within a year) is on show as the only Hong Kong designed item among other unique exhibits in Shanghai's 'Awakening: La France Mandarine Exhibition', organised to commemorate French influence on Chinese art in the France Year in China.
'I was gob-smacked when I got my staff to open the rock,' Mr Chiu recalls. 'It is a miracle to have a lavender jade stone in that size and in such even natural lavender tone. At that time I already got the La France Mandarine project but had no idea what to do. As soon as I saw this rock, I knew what to make.'
Mr Chiu was chosen as the jewellery designer to represent China in the exhibition probably due to his novel ideas with jade. 'I was destined to be in the exhibition [when I opened up the lavender jade stone].'
Now in the process of building his label after changing it from La Creation to his own name a year ago, Mr Chiu thinks the stone is a 'god-send' to help in the process. The collection will be taken on tour, first in Shanghai, then to Beijing, Hong Kong and France. Only then will he consider auctioning the collection.
'It is my best design ever because there won't be another piece [of lavender jade] like it. It's totally by luck that the jade was in my possession. It is hard to come by again,' he said.