MARKET INTELLIGENCE 56 | JNA November/December 2022 social media. While I used to exhibit in Hong Kong at major shows, I mostly touch base with my clients via Instagram or WhatsApp. There are also many jewellery enthusiasts in the Asian market who have started sourcing goods and selling to their friends,” shared Kiyomura. A cultivated taste Auction houses continue to be the principal driving force in nurturing jewellery appreciation, setting trends and cultivating a taste for fine jewellery among new collectors. Asia’s jewellery market is not only growing but also becoming more sophisticated through continued education. Auction houses are targeting a wider base of collectors interested in having a deeper appreciation of what they are buying. In recent years, there has been a wave of Asian designers studying in London, Paris and the US, signifying a demographic shift and continued interest in higher jewellery and arts education. A stronger, more liberated appreciation for the arts is also indirectly influencing jewellery design, preferences and collecting. Asian buyers also acquire a taste for different cultures during their many travels. According to Philippe Atamian, director of Geneva-based antique jewellery dealer Faerber Collection (HK) Ltd, Asian consumers are fast-learners. “They develop their own taste. We are here to help them and to give our expertise, but most of the time, they already know which pieces are worth buying,” noted Atamian, adding that different customers have varied tastes but overall, they would gravitate towards goodquality pieces in perfect condition. Yu of Sotheby’s echoed this sentiment, adding that Asian collectors are knowledgeable and keen to learn, research and ask questions. To help fuel this interest, Sotheby’s earlier held masterclasses and webinars. “Sotheby’s continues to demonstrate its leading influence in cultivating jewellery connoisseurship in Asia and act as the chosen platform for both buyers and sellers to come together to look for and sell jewellery pieces,” noted Yu. Becoming connoisseurs means being able to discern one-of-a-kind, top-quality pieces that are rich in history, culture, art and craftsmanship. The auction house offers collectors a wide range of curated offerings, from diamonds and coloured gemstones to signed pieces with great provenance. Many of these are also limited- edition items. Provenance and quality Antique pieces steeped in history now play a vital part in jewellery collecting, revealed Yu. Craftsmanship and history are growing considerations for many Asian clients as well as gemmology. Kiyomura noted, “Asian preferences are leaning more towards historic pieces. Pristine Victorian bangles, ornate Edwardian platinum pieces and fine antique rings have become quite popular.” In May 2017, Gong was among the first exhibitors to represent antique jewels in the Shanghai World Jewelry Expo. Private Chinese clients meanwhile were among the top bidders in the record-breaking sale by Sotheby’s of Royal Jewels from the Bourbon Parma Family in November of 2018. In December 2019, more than 160 masterpieces spanning over 500 years were displayed in Shenzhen as part of a privately funded exhibition, “Awaken: Royal Jewellery Arts from Renaissance to the 20th Century.” Aside from pieces with impeccable provenance, collectors also seek world-class diamonds and coloured gemstones. Signed pieces by influential jewellery houses are highly favoured by Asian collectors because of their craftsmanship, design and prestige, said Yu. “There is still a pull towards pieces signed by houses such as Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels. Asian collectors take comfort in the status and quality the name provides,” added Kiyomura. Clients however are currently looking for more specific items. They study each maison’s collections, their iconic and most representative motifs and designs as well as a specific period in time where these maisons created a particular themed collection. Hu, known for her bespoke creations, witnessed a shift in preference among her client-collectors from mass-produced pieces towards customised jewels. “The significance of family heirlooms, symbolic anniversaries and personal stories have all become essential aspects of a piece of jewellery, which people enjoy learning about – it is increasingly being viewed as collectable art,” said Hu. Asian collectors have acquired 50 per cent of the value of all jewellery sales in the first half of the year, including that of The De Beers Blue, a 15.10carat step-cut fancy vivid blue diamond, which sold for US$57.5 million. – Joanna Gong, private sales director and jewellery specialist at Sotheby’s
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