Number VIII in the series, the Caribbean Summer brooch takes the form of a musa – or banana – leaf, a very common sight in the region. It renders the leaf with stunning fidelity, depicting it as if being blown in the tropical breeze. This is an effect achieved with the aid of rarefied jewellery-making techniques, including some for which Cindy Chao is famed and others that the brand used for the first time.

The former includes the lost wax technique, in which a wax sculpture is deployed to cast metal, and is here used to create the sculptural, curvilinear form of the leaf. Wax forging was also employed to make the brooch, in which titanium is shaped using an iron hammer. In a first for the brand, the piece was also made using the channel-setting technique, where gemstones are fixed between rows of metal rather than attached to claws or prongs.

The Caribbean Summer brooch will be one of many Cindy Chao masterpieces on display at the jeweller’s new gallery, located in the luxurious Regent Taipei hotel. It features four free-standing showcases where five Black Label Masterpieces are on display, together with delightful touches such as a showcase embedded in a mirror wall featuring Cindy Chao creations that appear to float in space.

More striking pieces in the collection include the nature-inspired Spring Cardamom brooch and the Morning Dew earrings. The look and feel of the gallery is the work of architect Tom Postma, with designer Ingrid Donat handcrafting its bronze walls, alongside contributions from designers from Singapore and Belgium.

Its opening is a welcome opportunity for more people to experience Cindy Chao’s work, previously only presented at museums, art fairs and auctions, or by appointment.