With glitzy skyscrapers and streets lined with eye candy of all sorts, pint-sized Hong Kong is admired worldwide for its dazzling intensity. Brimming with attractions and things to do, Hong Kong has the answer to your every need, whatever type of traveller you may be.
The hopelessly romantics may find bliss aboard the Star Ferry as it glides dramatically across the Victoria Harbour. The adventurous can get their adrenaline fix at any of Hong Kong’s world-class hiking trails. While the gourmands may find their paradise in the city’s local dim sum, dai pai dong, and Michelin-starred restaurants serving Instagram-worthy dishes.
But among Hong Kong’s favourite pastimes, one truly stands out. Shopping is taken very seriously here. Neon advertising signs will vie for your attention, shops of the same brand are within striking distance of each other, and just about every inch of the shopping districts is littered with establishments selling anything from trinkets to luxury watches.
As Asia’s World City, Hong Kong has a lot to offer. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, perhaps you can have them custom-made, too. Here are three of our favourite home-grown Hong Kong brands to heighten your bespoke jewellery shopping experience.
KAHN HIGH JEWELLERY
Transforming rare gemstones into works of art is what Kahn does best. The company recently unveiled the Candy Color Paradise, a necklace set featuring 286ct unheated coloured sapphires and 33ct diamonds. The set sparkles with pink, blue, purple, violet, orange, yellow, white, and green sapphires in emerald- and cushion-cut diamonds.
Ring in 18K gold with a 6ct fancy intense yellow diamond centre, set with white and pink diamonds
Earrings in 18K gold set with 18.45ct multi-coloured sapphires and 2.34ct white diamonds
Director Hoey Ho found these loose stones from a reputable collector in Sri Lanka, and the vivid colours instantly caught her fancy. She felt it was love at first sight, but she didn’t buy the stones until the next day.
“I have never seen so many unheated sapphires in this cutting and shine. They are like coloured diamonds. At first I was admiring their vivid colours and was thinking whether I should buy them. That night, I really couldn’t sleep and it seemed like the stones were calling me,” said Ho. “Then I thought about the design I wanted for these stones, so the next day I went back to meet the collector and bought the whole collection finally.”
Ring in 18K gold with a 6.45ct fancy light gray diamond centre, set with pink and white diamonds
Ring in 18K gold with a 1ct fancy brownish pink diamond centre, set with white and pink diamonds
It would take a lifetime to collect sapphires of this kind, and they are not easy to find in the market. The necklace set Ho designed with the sapphires can be worn in multiple ways, which make it ideal for occasions ranging from casual dining to red carpet events.
Ho has always been fascinated with rare gemstones and coloured diamonds. It was her passion that has led her to open her own jewellery business in 2013.
Ring in 18K gold with a 2ct fancy yellowish green diamond centre, set with white and pink diamonds
Necklace in 18K gold set with 194.30ct multi-coloured sapphires and 20.76ct white diamonds
Hoey Ho, Founder and Director of Kahn High Jewellery
“After working for seven years in a high end jewellery company and design house, I have finally decided to start my own company and establish my own brand.”
A relatively newcomer in the jewellery business, Kahn prides itself for providing high end jewellery buyers with one-on-one professional consultancy service. The company produces around 100 new pieces annually, and there seems to be no signs of slowing down.
“We aim to bring our brand further into the international level and to be a well-known high end jeweller in the consumer market,” shared Ho. “We are launching our business-to-consumer website soon. We want to focus more on marketing and brand building activities to give consumers brand awareness and updates about our global events.”
Kahn High Jewellery
Tel +852 2732 2988
info@kahn-jewellery.com
www.kahn-jewellery.com
Valiant Commercial Building, 22 Prat Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
“We aim to bring our brand further into the international level and to be a well-known high end jeweller in the consumer market”
– Hoey Ho, Founder and Director of Kahn High Jewellery
BELFORD JEWELLERY COMPANY LIMITED
What started out as a hobby of two art enthusiasts commissioning pieces for their friends has grown into a bespoke design house focused on high-end diamond jewellery.
Willow Brooch with Columbian emeralds and diamonds in 18K gold
Owners Leung Kwok Ching and her brother-in-law Benson Wong set up the company in the 1970s, at a time when Hong Kong’s luxury sector was still in its infancy. The years that followed saw many important milestones for the company, including stamping its name into the global market. Belford has established a strong customer base, and currently operates a showroom right in the heart of Central, catering to private collectors, wholesalers, and jewellery aficionados.
Transformable pendant with Brazilian Paraiba tourmalines and diamonds in 18K gold
Polar Bear bangle with baroque white opals set with diamonds and 18K gold
The crowning glory of its signature designs is the Tree Collection, which includes the Tree of Life brooch featuring Colombian emeralds and diamonds in 18K gold, and the Autumn Embrace brooch with Mozambique rubies and diamonds in 18K gold.
Butterfly broock in Columbian emeralds and diamonds and 18K gold
“The tree is one of Belford’s favourite inspirations and it symbolises our company’s lifelong passion to design top-quality jewellery for generations to come,” said Billy Wong, General Manager of Belford Jewellery Company Limited. With the brand’s commitment in creating functional art with quality craftsmanship, it has earned several awards and managed to carve a niche in the jewellery.
Belford Showroom at Crawford House
Wong said consumers’ taste has changed dramatically over the years and it is imperative for Belford to ride this wave of change. He notes that consumers these days are very specific with their requirements. They value practicality and versatility. The younger generation look for affordable fashion, while the more established clients prefer uniqueness and character.
“Our strong design expertise sets us apart from the competition,” Wong added. “We look at jewellery as art pieces and, as such, we place much emphasis on strengthening our design skills. We strive to fulfil our clients’ desires while providing them attentive service with utmost integrity and sincerity.”
BELFORD SHOWROOM
RM. 701-705, 7/F, Crawford House
70 Queens’s Road, Central
Hong Kong
+852-2259-9282
info@belfordhk.com
“We look at jewellery as art pieces and, as such, we place much emphasis on strengthening our design skills”
– Billy Wong, General Manager of Belford Jewellery Company Limited
DILYS’
Pink tourmaline and diamond ring
Dilys Young, Founder and Designer of Dilys’
Young ensures her designs are wearable and provide a high value for money. By skilfully controlling the cost through clever construction and use of materials, she is able to provide the best prices to her customers without sacrificing quality and beauty.
Young is also very much involved in the production aspect of her business. She maintains her own workshop with a team of local artisans to ensure that every piece is altered and fixed exactly to customer specification. “My unwillingness to compromise quality and detail, from design to the finished product, is truly what sets Dilys’ apart from all the local competition,” Young said.
Vintage aquamarine, spinel and diamond necklace
“Hong Kong’s retail jewellery scene is very competitive. Consumers are price-conscious and are attuned to very fast-paced lifestyles, resulting in a high demand for speed and low costs. Most of the jewellery retailers cater to them by sacrificing the time needed to design highly detailed jewellery pieces tailored to perfection. This takes away a lot of the art, excitement, and intangible value of jewellery,” added Young.
Dilys’ has four existing collections: Vintage, Novel, Lady and Wedding. One of its latest showpieces is the Melo Pearl ring from the Lady Collection. Intricately designed and constructed, this one-of-a-kind piece resembles a secret garden. “Take your time when appreciating this ring from different angles and you will see bursts of colour and details you wouldn’t have noticed at first glance,” Young said.
Melo pearl ring
Dilys’ next goal is to explore and learn more about the healing and positive energies found in different natural gemstones, and bring those to Dilys’ designs. “The end goal is really for our customers to feel happy, fulfilled, and proud when they put on Dilys’ jewellery,” shared Young.
Dilys’ Showroom
Room 702, New World Tower 1,
16-18 Queen’s Road Central,
Central, Hong Kong
Tel: 852 2877 9896
info@dilyscollecton.com
http://www.dilyscollection.com
“The end goal is really for our customers to feel happy, fulfilled, and proud when they put on Dilys’ jewellery”
– Dilys Young, Founder and Designer, Dilys’
