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| Above: Stilled Life depicts a cicada comprised of wafer-thin carved imperial jadeite using a technique invented and patented by Chan. Yellow diamonds, rubies, lavender jade and gold add detail to the cicada. |
The extraordinary jewelry of Hong Kong–based designer Wallace Chan is captured in a new book, Wallace Chan: Dream Light Water, which he penned with jewelry historian and gemologist Juliet de La Rochefoucauld. Published by Rizzoli New York, the book features Chan’s most intricate and technically challenging creations. All of the jewelry in the 380-page tome is showcased through detailed photography that accentuates the precious materials, innovative techniques and vision of Chan. Wallace Chan: Dream Light Water is a limited edition of 2,000 individually numbered copies.
Chan shares his design philosophy and creative influences with Rapaport Magazine Editor-in-Chief Amber Michelle.
Why did you decide to write a book?
Books are precious to me. They are the embodiment of memories and knowledge, a medium to pass on the human heritage. With this book, I wish to show jewelry art in a different perspective. It took many years to discover the right style of photography for my pieces. The close-up images in this book reveal the details of craftsmanship that we normally cannot see with the eye. I want to show the complexity of each piece of jewelry through the lens.
What influences your jewelry designs?
Love and life influence me and my work. Every day I greet the world with an open heart; I absorb knowledge and experiences like a sponge. I feel that I am a newborn every morning, always curious. Buddhists say, “There is no gate to wisdom, love is the only way.” I love all things in the universe, a cup, a plant. If you love it tenderly, listen to the stories it tells, you naturally feel inspired all the time.
What are the elements that make good jewelry design?
There is no good or bad in art, only personal preferences. When it comes to jewelry, ergonomics is a crucial element. If you make an earring that hurts the ear, or a necklace that burdens the neck, you fail. Jewelry is meant to be worn, it must be comfortable. A good piece of jewelry should be friendly to the human body. That is why I spent eight years researching and experimenting with titanium. It is a bio-friendly metal and five times lighter than gold.
You hold a few patents. How do you come up with these innovative jewelry-making techniques?
My desire to create is a driving force to my desire to innovate. I have ideas that I want to realize, but the ideas cannot be realized without certain tools, materials or techniques and that is when I need to innovate. Innovations help me pass through barriers I encounter on my path.
What do diamonds bring to the design of a piece of jewelry?
We celebrate the symbolism of diamonds — eternity, power and glamour. I often juxtapose diamonds with jade to play with the contrasting characteristics of the two. It helps bring out my universal view that all is one and one is all. As a creator, it is important not to be biased. I appreciate all kinds of materials as long as they are able to convey the spirit of my work.Article from the Rapaport Magazine - February 2016. To subscribe click here.