Passion, consistency and extensive research into new technologies are crucial to building a successful business while continuing to thrive as jewellery designers. This was the consensus at a panel discussion held on June 21, 2024 at the sidelines of Jewellery & Gem ASIA Hong Kong (JGA). 

The event, JGA Spotlight: Meet the Future of Jewellery Design, featured rising jewellery stars Austy Lee, founder and designer of Austy Lee Art Jewellery; Sarah Zhuang, founder and designer of Sarah Zhuang Jewellery; and Vitoria Wu, artist and founder of Osi Vitoria Jewelry as panellists. Pinky Seung, founder of Headragon and president of the International Jewellery Designers Association, moderated the talk. 

One pertinent topic was the challenge of transitioning from a designer to becoming a brand. According to Zhuang, jewellery designers mainly focus on the creative process but managing a brand at the same time requires making pragmatic choices as factors like costs and marketing, among others, will also have to be considered.

Lee, for his part, said the process necessitates efficient time management since the work does not end with designing a piece. The product also has to be effectively marketed and promoted to reach the right audience.

The designers also discussed the impact of technological advancements on jewellery businesses, specifically artificial intelligence (AI) applications in the jewellery trade alongside harnessing the power of digital channels to promote their collections. 

Wu said AI is not a part of her creative process, but it can certainly provide inspiration and design references. “It could be a tool to expand my imagination. However, even if AI does prove capable of designing a jewellery piece, the app cannot fully express the human artistry and craftsmanship that goes into designing jewellery.”

Lee agreed, adding that conceptualising a jewellery piece is a personal endeavour and that buyers are captivated by the story behind the design – something which AI cannot fully capture. 

They likewise touched on the rising importance of social media platforms and other digital channels to reach new buyers. All three panellists agreed that consistency and taking full advantage of features such as search engine optimisation and other analytical tools to explore and evaluate the kind of content that resonates best with today’s buyers are critical to sustaining market relevance.

Click here for JNA's coverage of Jewellery & Gem ASIA Hong Kong 2024.