WEDDING RINGS ASIDE, the wearing of matching jewellery can evoke a range of reactions. Romantics say it is a sweet symbol of a loving couple's emotion. Others shun such public displays of affection.
But it seems romantics are in the majority. Margaret Whitlam, a former First Lady of Australia, sparked a national debate when she spurned the present prime ministerial couple John and Jeanette Howard for their habit of holding hands in public. 'For God's sake, they've been married for over 30 years!' Ms Whitlam decried, voicing her distaste through her newly released biography.
Of course, this proved great fodder for public opinion polls, resulting in an overwhelming consensus: you are never too old for romance.
Most of the jewellery designers interviewed for this story agreed that a public show of 'togetherness' was not only sweet but something to be cherished. With the Chinese becoming more open about their affections, the wearing of matching jewellery was becoming a trend, they said.
And it was not at all tacky, said designer Dickson Yewn. 'What do people think about couple wearing matching clothes? I think it's sweet. People think it's tacky because they are jealous and not in love.'
Designer Bibianna (Bibi) Cheung Wing Sze said there had always been people who wanted symbolic jewellery to represent their relationship. 'Nowadays, more and more people want to openly show their love or commitment in public, and matching jewellery is an expression of this.'
People wanted to express their feelings to the outside world, so his 'n' hers sets had a lot of meaning for those who wore them, Cheung said. 'It's an increasingly popular way for people to make both a fashion statement and a public commitment to their loved one.'