Explorations of Inspiration

During the course of his two-decade career as an avant-garde jewellery designer, Hong Kong-born Austy Lee has built a reputation for artistic panache and unique inspirations. Renowned for his exacting craftsmanship, thematic innovation and unwavering affection for not only unusual gemstones but also out-of-the-ordinary materials, his opulent creations have won a loyal following across the region and the globe. More than just a jeweller, Lee is a storyteller in metals and stones. His pieces transcend adornment to explore the world’s history, recalling remarkable moments from the arts, social and political movements, architecture, music, psychology, geology and psychedelia—to name but a few of his previous motifs. In a setting of rose gold with white diamonds, multicoloured carved tourmalines and abalone shell, the Rainbow Coral Reef Earcuffs, for example, draw our attention…