This museum-calibre brooch illustrates the artistry invested in a jewel that can be worn on a lapel or a dress. The creator admits to a fondness for brooches: “My creative process starts with wax sculpting, which makes my works as highly sculptural and three-dimensional as I envision,” says Chao. “Earrings, necklaces and bracelets all have specific shape restrictions, whereas brooches offer me a greater scope for creative expression.”

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A brooch – because it doesn’t have to slide on a finger, hang from an ear lobe or encircle the neck – can really lend itself to the creative expressions of artists and prestigious jewellery houses alike, be they Wallace Chan, Anna Hu, Feng J or the houses of the Place Vendôme. Van Cleef & Arpels – which like Cindy Chao uses an 18th century method of wax casting – carves dainty figures, flowers and whimsical animals in wax, which are then cast in gold and set as brooches.

Le Jardin de Chaumet’s lifelike foliage and Mikimoto’s Praise to the Sea 2023 high jewellery collection of fish and other marine creatures are similarly sculpted in wax, then cast in gold and set with precious gems.

Brooches give creators an opportunity to be extravagant with their designs. For instance, the Munich-based jeweller Hemmerle is celebrating 130 years of taking an experimental approach to its materials, mixing modern metals with ancient artefacts. “Given the limited number of creations we complete each year – 200 – brooches have signposted our creativity,” says Christian Hemmerle, who runs the business today with his wife Yasmin.

“Our contemporary and progressive aesthetic has provided us with a strong presence in the appreciation of brooches,” he adds. That aesthetic can be admired when Hemmerle comes to Hong Kong from November 20 to 22 for private viewings at The Upper House.

Extravagance and experimentation both “play a key role in our creative process”, explains Yasmin. “They are necessary ingredients for a well-balanced perspective between originality and innovation, so as to create a jewel – a work of art – that can be worn daily.” Designs can take months of trialling: “We’re recognised for our use of unorthodox materials,” Yasmin adds, pointing out elements like aluminium and wood, which provide the opportunity to play with scale and wearability.

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The red carpet at the Oscars, Cannes and the Met Gala highlight how today’s brooches are being embraced by men too – pinned on their lapels in the way a flower buttonhole might have been in the past. Vintage and modern brooches by Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Verdura and Chaumet make glamorous additions to a black-tie look. At a recent “For the Boys” selling exhibition at Sotheby’s New York, several high-value brooches featured and were bought by men for themselves.

Art deco brooches seem to be especially popular with both sexes. Ronald Abram curates a wide selection of vintage art deco brooches including Cartier, Mauboussin and Feist from the 1930s. They are appreciated in Hong Kong for their timeless beauty, explains brand director Jonathan Abram.

“We’re dedicated to collecting and showcasing impeccably designed brooches that capture the elegance and intricacy of this iconic style,” he says. Each is chosen for its craftsmanship, beauty and value as a collectible.

The graphic, architectural style of art deco is one of the pillars of Cartier’s design aesthetic and continues to influence the brand’s designs today with its linear shapes and use of diamonds, onyx and emeralds. The new high jewellery collection Le Voyage Recommencé delves into the essential themes of Cartier style with a green tourmaline and diamond brooch and, instead of the famous panther, has a dragon perched on top, clasping a yellow diamond. Surely a collector’s piece as we are only months away from the Year of the Dragon.

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While often beautiful, intricate works of art and jewellery craftsmanship, brooches however are not at the forefront of fashion – although Schiaparelli, Chanel and others feature them regularly on the catwalk. Styling tips for wearing them in a modern way abound. Sotheby’s New York’s senior vice-president, luxury division, Frank Everett, who curated the “For the Boys” exhibition, suggests wearing a brooch on the strap of a gown, at the waist, or on a lapel or scarf. “I think they look great on a velvet ribbon as a choker, pinned to a velvet headband and worn off to the side, or fixed into a chignon,” he says.

Many of Cindy Chao’s collectors admire her creations for their artistic quality, but they also value their wearability. The designer’s new Black Label Masterpiece, the Pamir brooch – worn by Michelle Yeoh at the recent Long Museum exhibition opening – is inspired by the glacial landscape of the Pamir Mountains and a frost-covered onion plant.

“Each collector has their unique preferences when it comes to jewellery,” Chao points out. “Many certainly appreciate the sculptural and three-dimensional qualities of brooches. They’re like mini-sculptures, and I know some collectors even display them in their homes.” Her Pamir brooch is one such example of a piece with a dual role as wearable art.