Who started it? Designer and socialite Wan Baobao was born in Beijing in 1981 and is the granddaughter of Wan Li, a chairman of the National People's Congress. At the age of 15, she went to New York to study at Masters School in Westchester. She went on to study photography and French literature at the city's Sarah Lawrence liberal arts college, after which she served an apprenticeship with photographer Joel Sternfeld. Wan spent her final year of study in Paris, France. She launched Bao Bao Wan Fine Jewellery in November 2007, after earning a degree from the Gemological Institute of America in Hong Kong. Her work has been featured in fashion bibles such as Vogue and W. Last year, diamond brand Forevermark invited Wan to design jewellery for its Precious collection. The same year, she designed a necklace, bracelet and earrings set for local jeweller Chow Tai Fook. She has also created a whimsical cuff for Swarovski's new brand, Enlightened.
Why we love it: Wan's cosmopolitan background means her pieces are infused with an ethnic touch that is contemporary yet cool. She finds inspiration in the streets of big cities such as Beijing, New York and Paris while drawing on her Chinese heritage. Wan's first collection was inspired by contradictions in a generation of Chinese women, who are bold yet fragile, while many of her successive collections feature pieces that have a strong Chinese flavour. Her designs are detailed yet elegant.
What we'd pick: the diamond and 18-carat gold vase-shaped earrings (above; small, HK$32,000; large, HK$56,000) from Wan's China collection. For everyday use, try the chic yet elegant Buddha pendant (above left; HK$8,000).
Where can you get it? Selected Bao Bao Wan Fine Jewellery items are available at On Pedder, 16 Queen's Road Central, tel: 2118 3489.