Chaoqiu He: I have been influenced by Art Deco jewellery since childhood

Collaborations between jewellery industry experts always contain the potential to create the most exciting jewellery collections. One of the great examples of such partnerships is the Shanghai/Shanghai 2017 high jewellery collection; created by the Asian fine jewellery designer Chaoqiu He of QIU Fine Jewelry, together with the Colombian emerald trading company International Emerald Exchange.

The Shanghai/Shanghai 2017 collection combines a number of truly spectacular, investment grade Colombian emeralds mined and faceted by IEEX, as well as some top-quality diamonds.

CH: I have always preferred the emerald cut for emeralds themselves, as the gemstone has a strong geometric property. I have been influenced by – and gained inspiration from – Art Deco jewellery since I was a little girl, but I wanted to consider contemporary taste when designing this collection.

CH: For me, investment grade emeralds need to meet certain criteria. First of all, the origin of the emeralds should be from a recognised source of exceptional gemstones, like Colombia. Secondly, the intensity of colour and the level of clarity should be high. And thirdly they should be accompanied by international lab certificate like SSEF or Gübelin. In my collection, I exclusively used Colombian emeralds that possess reputably sourced certification, and of course, exceptional colour and clarity.

CH: I want jewellery admirers and collectors to have a deeper understanding with regards to my designs in QIU Fine Jewelry. I feel that the more my audience understands where I come from, the language of my design, and my vision, the more they will be excited by my creations.

CH: Fine jewellery has to be timeless, and this is an idea which is important to me. The geometry of Art Deco architecture mirrors the emerald’s cut so wonderfully, and for me the fact that Art Deco seems to defy the frivolity of fashion and trends meant it was an appealing design choice. I want these pieces to be enjoyed for lifetimes and passed down through generations!

CH: The next step is to outreach to a more global audience with my next fine jewellery collection. I think that the best way to communicate the ideas in this new age of educated consumers is to demonstrate first-hand how great design and beautiful elements elevate jewellery into being high jewellery. I believe design speaks for itself, and the creations represent the personality and the vision of my aesthetic.