Who are the 5 Hong Kong jewellery designers dressing Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Michelle Obama, and working on Hollywood films like Tom Hanks’ The Da Vinci Code?

Jan 3 , 2021

The wondrous creations of Hong Kong jewellery designers are making their way to red carpets and art exhibitions around the world. From dressing the stylish Michelle Obama and Beyoncé to designing for Hollywood films, these five jewellers are perhaps some of the world’s most sought-after and have found global fame.

Dickson Yewn

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Renowned for his contemporary take on Chinese talismanic emblems, Dickson Yewn’s work is often described as wearable art. His namesake brand weaves contemporary aesthetics with tradition, drawing inspiration from Chinese imperial arts and crafts. Chinese floral imagery and papercutting are among the touches of imperial culture found in Yewn’s creations.

The designer is also credited with bringing a youthful spin to jade and jadeite, a precious gem with royal roots that’s associated with auspiciousness and good fortune. Yewn likes to combine the green gem with diamonds and other precious stones.

Jade Chinese Lattice ring by Dickson Yewn. Photo: Handout

Among the most iconic of his designs are his square jadeite rings, a nod to the jade thumb rings worn by Qing dynasty noblemen as a symbol of their status and wealth.

Michelle Obama waits for the arrival of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Winfield House in London, in May 2011; she is wearing a ring designed by Dickson Yewn. Photo: AP

In 2011, then first lady Michelle Obama had an audience with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Winfield House, where she paired a jadeite ring from Yewn’s Chinese Lattice collection with a black off-shoulder evening gown. The green piece provided a much-needed burst of colour to Obama’s muted ensemble.

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Michelle Ong

Known for her elaborate one-off pieces, Michelle Ong has an eye for colour and a knack for assembling precious gems in a way that accentuates their beauty. Her brand, Carnet, which was founded in 1985, has an atelier in Landmark Prince’s Building in Hong Kong that doubles as a showroom for her intricate designs.

Her creations have been internationally recognised, too, and most recently were on display at the coloured gems exhibition hosted by Van Cleef & Arpels’ L’Ecole School of Jewelry Arts in K11 Musea.

Michelle Ong with the key she created for the movie The Da Vinci Code. Photo: Handout

Her work was also prominently featured in the 2006 film The Da Vinci Code: Ong was commissioned to create an ornate key for the blockbuster starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou.

Dennis Chan

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Qeelin co-founder and designer Dennis Chan has found international, commercial and critical success. His brand was founded in 2004 based on Chan’s unique and playful interpretations of traditional Chinese jewellery. From elaborate bridal jewellery, like “dragon phoenix bangles”, to the adorable Bobo bear, a number of Chan’s designs have become icons of the brand.

When Qeelin was first established, Chan enlisted the help of legendary actress Maggie Cheung as artistic director and the face of his ad campaigns. The iconic images of the actress wearing the now-famous Wulu pendant caught the attention of a global audience.

Dennis Chan with actress Maggie Cheung, seen styling a Qeelin ad campaign. Photo: Handout

In 2012, luxury conglomerate Kering acquired Qeelin, and the brand has since cemented its international status. Chan’s designs have found their way to the most glamorous red carpets: Gong Li has been spotted on several occasions wearing Chan’s design in Cannes, while Chinese supermodel Liu Wen walked the 2015 Met Gala red carpet wearing Wulu earrings.

Qeelin’s Double Wulu collection. Photo: Qeelin

Anabela Chan

An upcoming name in the international jewellery scene, Anabela Chan opened her first boutique in London in 2013 after spending seven years working with the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen.

The young designer is a champion of ethical lab-grown gems, and her take on jewellery has caught the attention of Hollywood and music icons such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Scarlett Johansson.

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Wallace Chan

While he may lack the celebrity association that others on this list enjoy, Wallace Chan is a big name in his own right. One of the most celebrated contemporary jewellery designers in the world, Chan was the first Asian to show his designs at Biennale de Paris.

Cicada brooch by Wallace Chan. Photo: Wallace Chan

Chan is not only known for his use of themes and coloured gems; the designer finds inspiration in everything from Chinese folklore to his modest childhood, and is regarded as a pioneer in technological advancements. One of the first designers to use aluminium in high jewellery, the ever-inventive Chan has more recently created a ceramic-like material that can survive high drops and shock.

He has also been known to create tools and techniques that enable him to work with gems in entirely new ways. He invented the Wallace Cut, for instance, where a gem is cut and hollowed from the inside to create a pattern or image.

Necklace Now And Always featuring a Wallace Cut gem by Wallace Chan. Photo: Handout

In 2019, the designer enlisted the help of devoted collectors of his jewellery to lend their pieces to his retrospective exhibition “Shape-Shifter: The Multiverse of Wallace Chan”.

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High Jewellery

Michelle Obama once wore a Dickson Yewn ring to an audience with Queen Elizabeth, Gong Li sports Dennis Chan designs, and Anabela Chan is a favourite among the likes of Lady Gaga and Rihanna – 5 Hong Kong designers who are in demand for their bling