Jewellery designers are breaking tradition with unconventional pieces

Jewellery fans, it's that time of year when thoughts turn to gifts and wish lists as the festive season draws near and we dream of the jewelled treats we would like to find in our Christmas stockings.

We are fortunate to be experiencing an extraordinary era of creativity in jewellery with a proliferation of designers emerging over the last decade conjuring up dazzling designs to inspire us. This is not just an accessory, like a handbag: it is a beautifully crafted contemporary art form, and one that you can enjoy wearing and sharing.

With design boundaries freed up, there are new themes emerging, such as asymmetrical and geometric shapes; ear cuffs; original ways of wearing rings (double rings across two fingers, or incomplete circles). Even the humble chain is having a makeover. There is also a joyous return to colour. The big money has always been around white diamonds but coloured gems are experiencing a renaissance among designers and collectors.

Apart from foraging in the fine jewellery stores of Central and Kowloon, log into the Plukka website for original designs such as ear cuffs from Yeprem, or their own design geometric rings and bracelets.

Plukka is an innovative ecommerce concept that is wholly appropriate for this new era of jewellery design and etailing. Founded by Joanne Ooi and Jai Waney, and winners of the best etailer of 2013 and Most Innovative Retailer in 2012, they create and manufacture fine jewellery without middlemen or conventional retail stores. Moreover, once a week, they offer e-mail subscribers a flash sale based on reverse auction pricing. In these sales, the price may drop depending on the number ordered within the deadline.

Such a dynamic concept means they can be adventurous in their choice of designs, which is good news for those investing in a bauble for themselves, or as a gift for a loved one.