Dreamland of Coloured Gemstones Shimmers in Zane Young

Tiara with 18K gold, diamonds, aquamarines. All pictures courtesy of Zane Young Fine Jewelry.

by Julius Zheng

Kunming, a Southern city located in the Yunnan Province of China, is known as the "Spring City" due to its year-round pleasant weather. Its natural beauty, combined with a thriving tourism industry, makes it a highly habitable city. Among the attractions, jewellery lovers have been drawn to a spectacular, modern building named "Zane Young Fine Jewelry" over the last two years. The moment they step inside, they can discover a magical space that features a wondrous collection of gems and jewellery. The fusion of both Oriental and Western cultures emerges through the dazzling world of gems, reflecting the love of the brand's young founder, Ziyi Chen, for exquisite jewellery and precious stones. A visit to Zane Young is an unforgettable experience that combines the finest craftsmanship, innovative designs, and luxury jewellery suitable for various occasions.

Ziyi Chen, founder of Zane Young Fine Jewelry.

Zane Young Fine Jewelry

In 2013, at the young age of 24, Ziyi Chen founded Zane Young Fine Jewelry, a designer brand renowned for creating exquisitely crafted, variegated fine jewellery. Fast forward 9 years, Chen has created a jewellery space that has been widely spread on Chinese social media as the newest destination to explore in Kunming, which has become a venue to which many jewellery lovers aspire. For anyone seeking a true jewellery treasure, a visit to Zane Young Fine Jewelry is not to be missed. The aesthetics, quality and unique design of the exceptional pieces make the brand stand tall among its peers, with appeal that extends far beyond the city of Kunming to jewellery lovers across China and beyond.

What sets Zane Young Fine Jewelry apart from the rest is their unwavering focus on high-quality coloured gemstones. From the selection of the gems to unique and pulsating design inspirations, to refined craftsmanship, every element is carefully considered to create distinctive and artistic jewellery pieces that are highly sought-after. The stunning collections of fine jewellery feature an impressive range of coloured gemstones, expertly paired with precious metals to create breathtaking rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings for specific occasions. The magnificent creations showcase the beauty of each gem, blending Oriental and Western design elements to create a unique style that feels fresh and modern while still paying homage to traditional design techniques.

The "international auction house" experience on Chen's impressive resume is a testament to her unyielding commitment to high-quality gems and jewellery. This unwavering attention to detail has attracted an exclusive clientele who are as exacting as she is, eager to purchase her unique creations. To meet their standards, Chen has travelled all around the world in search of precious gems, standing amid the vast beauty of nature and feeling the rarity of each stone she finds. Her visits to mines, museums and markets have made her appreciate the vast array of cultural treasures from different corners of the globe.

The quest with high-quality gemstones has led Chen to devote passion and expertise to her jewellery pieces at Zane Young. From the auction-level glamour to the bespoke items created for individual customers, the selection of gemstones is also at the heart of each piece. Behind every piece of customized jewellery lurks a story or a sentiment. Chen, who has been in the profession for many years, believes that for every piece of jewellery with a centre stone, the appearance that jewellery should have comes from the gemstone itself no matter what meaning it is given. Time will wash away the traces of the eras, but it cannot change the quality of gemstones shaped by nature's whims. Therefore, she has worked hard to reconcile with herself and her customers time and time again in gemstones and designs.

"For each design from Zane Young, whether it's a piece under 2,000 US dollars for daily wear or a collector's piece for family heirloom, I require that the centre stone is the best in its category and price range. It is a working process to get guests to accept this, as visual sense is the most profound perception of world in the human sensory system, and there are so many things in this world that gain attention by being 'big', which is no surprise in the world of gemstones. Many people say that jewellers need to guide and educate consumers so that they make the right choices when it comes to gemstone consumption. While I don't accept this idea of 'educating consumers', I will only offer Zane Young's customers a choice of high-quality gems. Jewellery is not something to be purchased every day, and I don't want to leave my customers with too much trial and error in their choice of gemstones," said Chen.

While most of the jewellery brands in the Yunnan Province opted to focus on jadeite, Chen saw immense potential and beauty in coloured gemstones. Western jewellery designers use coloured gemstones to outline the natural world and Chen looked at them in a new and surprising way, but in her heart of hearts she knew that Western design belonged to the West, and when gemstones are used as a language to express oriental charm, the Oriental designers have the heritage and DNA to do so.

Therefore, the works of Zane Young Fine Jewelry feature an enthralling Oriental temper that is brought about by the passion of Ziyi Chen for jewellery. The introverted emotions and expressions of the East are fused in the works, and the thousands of different gems are embellished in the mood, which is the secret language of jewellery that Zane Young's founder brings to every jewellery lover.

The Baby Tiger brooch with 18K gold, diamonds and emeralds, inspired by the painting of Beihong Xu, a world-renowned Chinese painter and the father of the mentor of Ziyi Chen. 

Rose petal earring, with 18K gold and rubies. 

Tiara with 18K gold, diamonds, aquamarines and South Sea pearls.

Leaf-themed necklace with 18K gold, diamonds and a spinel from Myanmar.

Floral necklace with 18K gold, diamonds and a purple sapphire. 

The Bone ring collection with 18K gold and diamonds