But after more than a decade in the family business, Vartanian couldn't shake the feeling that he wanted to do something more creative, and in 1999 he began to craft his own designs.

"In the beginning it was mostly Brazilian semi-precious stones, and the next year I started designing mostly gold and diamonds, but more edgy, cool fashion designs," he says.

And it was in that pivotal sophomore year the designer really found his groove.

"The second year I did a collection not using stones much. It was a fringe collection, so it was mostly earrings, longer earrings, long fringes, with an art deco feel. That encouraged me to continue in a more edgy and less traditional jewellery style."

Vartanian hasn't looked back since, creating a series of collections that appeal to both followers of high fashion and stylistas of a more casual bent.

"The focus of my work is always a woman," says the designer. "This woman - sometimes real, sometimes imaginary - has a lot of confidence in herself and doesn't really follow trends … she likes design, she likes art, she's not too showy but not too minimal."

This blueprint has helped create an aesthetic that has won Vartanian legions of fans, both in his native Brazil and beyond, and it's a following the designer hopes to expand in Asia, in part through his visit to Hong Kong this week. Brought to the city by Plukka, an online jewellery portal created by cultural entrepreneur Joanne Ooi, Vartanian is in town for a trunk show to expand a clientele that includes some of the most recognisable women in the world - and also to spark his own imagination.

"Travelling is a big influence," he says. "It's a moment when you can empty your mind from the daily routine, you're open to the new, so it's always a good situation for having new ideas."

Most of his collections are designed in Sao Paulo, he reveals, but places such as New York, Los Angeles and Brazilian coastal hotspot Trancoso are among the inspirations for other pieces.

"The inspiration could be a city, a movie, a lifestyle," says Vartanian, adding that the unifying theme is always a design-forward philosophy and a touch of glamour.

Art deco is a particular preoccupation, says the designer, who is fascinated by its minimalist period details, echoes of midtown New York architecture and the Jazz Age. But Vartanian also credits more recent eras with influencing his work.

"The '70s and '80s are interesting because there's a little bit of opulence," he says. "Although the '80s can be on the wrong side of this, it's a party, it's glamorous - that's what appeals to me."

Having recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of the brand, Vartanian has turned a portion of his attention to the creation of his first men's collection. It's a line, he says, that is designed with easy wearability top of mind. "It's very interesting because it's not minimal but cleaner, not too many colours, silver, leather, black diamonds. I focused on something more practical, more functional for men."

A notably prolific designer, Vartanian typically releases several collections for women a year, and enjoys experimenting with not only 18-carat gold and diamonds, but also emeralds, rubies, sapphires, rhodonite, black quartz and black diamonds. Trends, he says, are not something he pays much attention to, instead choosing to rely on a certain feeling.

"It's not really the stones or the components but rather the mood, the lifestyle," says Vartanian. "The lifestyle can be really Brazilian, mostly Sao Paulo, which is more trendy, more design-forward."

Urban sophistication and celebrity affirmation? Sounds like Vartanian is custom-made for Hong Kong.