Jeweller Jan Logan is an icon in her native Australia, while her international fan base includes the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Oprah Winfrey. She spoke to us on the occasion of the reopening of her Hong Kong boutique.
"I have always had an affinity for adornment and dressing up since I was a child. I married young, had three sons and lived a wonderful life, but something creative was lurking. When my youngest went to boarding school I applied to the local Chamber of Commerce for a job. The president was also the town's main jeweller so I would find myself in his office, experimenting with designs. Eventually he offered me a partnership in his business. It was serendipity."
"I remember my first design - it was a three-stone ring with a bezel setting for the pinky finger. In those days it was contemporary but classic, and that philosophy has stayed with us. Today, however, it's also important that we don't over-design a piece. Simplicity and restraint goes a long way. At the same time, our customer is savvy and is looking for something with a little twist that's interesting. There has to be no rules and we need to take chances."
"We create around 120 pieces a year, so there's quite a lot to choose from. What has really resonated here in Hong Kong are our pearl designs. We use Australian South Sea pearls but we like to transform them into modern pieces. So we have strung an individual pearl on a gold wire or leather, or mixed it with white-gold chains and semi-precious stones. Our best-selling Kelly necklace is a cool take on a strand of pearls and features one pearl strung together with matte onyx beads. Our latest collection is inspired by a trip to Barcelona, Spain. The city is about this mix of old and new, which resonates with our philosophy. We've created gold rings and earrings inspired by the sculptural and whimsical shapes of [architect] Gaudi, while diamond earrings reference the city's stunning tile work."
"We are a niche brand and we like to control every aspect, from design to production. We looked at China but we found we would loose a bit of detail if we started manufacturing there. Our main workshop is next to our offices so we can check every piece. We like the fact it's done in Australia. It does limit what we can produce but we can always grow the workshop when we want and this way we keep the quality."