16 April, 2012
Style

Vintage delights at Lane Crawford with jewellery designer Maria Grazia Baldan

16 April, 2012

Travelling is something we can all relate to living in Hong Kong.  It seems we are always in transit here and much of that time is spent looking for something new and interesting… something that is worlds away from the every day. Maria Grazia Baldan knows this feeling very well and has found her passion in tracking down those unique articles. Her finds may not be new though; in fact, they are sometimes centuries old!

Maria Grazia Baldan is a jewellery designer who loves the thrill of the hunt! She was recently in town to share her stories for Lane Crawford IFC’s Vintage Jewellery Show, and she has traversed nearly the whole of Asia in the past thirty years finding beads and charms, bits of wood and stone, and anything and everything that has a story and would make an interesting piece of jewellery. Unlike the common local belief that wearing something vintage subjects the wearer to bad energy, Maria thinks that the piece can bring a positive vibe and a wonderful story instead. She loves to unearth these jewels, giving them a new story and, ultimately, a new home!

Once the special jade piece, bead, gem or charm is found, it is brought back to Italy where Maria begins the design process. This can take mere days if an idea strikes quickly, or sometimes years to envision the ultimate creation. When I asked her where she finds inspiration, she replied, “Inspiration comes from within”.

The design is then handmade in-house by local goldsmiths under Ms. Baldan’s ever-watchful eye.  Her antique trinkets are set with 24-karat gold, precious and semi-precious stones, resulting in the most unusual and breathtaking jewellery adornments!

Lane Crawford IFC has not only Maria’s wonderful wares on offer but also a collection of vintage pieces from the houses of Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpel, and Vacheron Constantin all available for purchase. These will be available until April 26, so there is no time like the present to acquire something from the past to be valued by generations to come!

The Vintage Jewellery Show (including jewellery by Maria) will be held at Lane Crawford IFC until 26 April, 2012

Lane Crawford, Podium 3, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2118 3388

Photos by Sabrina Sikora Photography

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