Sotheby’s Celebrates Its Ruby Anniversary in Asia
On October 7th, Sotheby will celebrate its 40th anniversary in Asia. In honor of the occasion, Sotheby’s commissioned an original piece from fine jewelry designer Cindy Chao, a first for the auction house.
Chao, whose work infuses fine jewelry with both architecture and sculpture, created a piece from her Ribbon Collection using a 8.03-carat Burmese ruby. Chao was inspired by the stone, which she sees as having an “indistinguishable fire,” and designed the ring to emphasize the ruby’s unique qualities. “Every turn and angle of the ribbon was carefully and precisely calculated, as we wanted to make sure the maximum amount of light passes through the ruby to bring out its alluring fire,” she tells us. Chao also used a complex construction to give the allusion that the jewel is suspended in the air, almost floating about the pavé diamond ribbons surrounding it.
“As an artist, I have always believed that magnificent gemstones are nature’s accidental works of art, and its most precious gifts to us,” the designer explains. The sentiment shows in her work: Chao’s ruby looks as as if it’s a present being unwrapped. Just as the stone itself is a gift from nature, “this creation is also my gift to the future collector,” says Chao.
FOR MORE ON CINDY CHAO, VISIT HER WEBSITE.
