From jade to tiger’s eye: The mysterious appeal of auspicious accessories

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From jade to tiger's eye: The mysterious appeal of auspicious accessories

High-end watchmakers and jewellers don't ever choose materials for maximum operation or panache. Sometimes, their creations are simply designed to bequeath the wearer with adept fortune.

14 Sep 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 05 Jul 2022 12:47AM)

Jewellery has e'er been symbolic. Since the earliest civilisations, people have been using them equally tokens of protection against evil, offerings to the gods, markers of possession and at present, most commonly, as symbols of way and condition. Timepieces, despite their original intended function, also ended up on this path.

While the nigh important part of watches and jewellery these days is to look good (and perchance break a world record or two for price or patent), there all the same exists a category of adornments that have held onto these ancient and romantic notions of bestowing fortune onto the wearer. In times of crisis (like now) such accessories and the beliefs fastened to them requite people something tangible – and pretty – to agree on to as they promise for ameliorate days alee.

What makes something "lucky" varies from culture to culture, but stones like quartz have achieved worldwide recognition for their so-called mystical properties. Its widespread availability likely contributed to its fame, but it is this abundance in quantity – something many feng shui-friendly stones share – that luxury cannot abide.

And so what high-end brands could do was to option the very all-time examples of more than visually interesting stones and pair them with conventionally precious materials or a timeless blueprint. Chopard likes to feature tiger'due south eye alongside the warmth of rose gold, while Jaeger-LeCoultre once used the lustrous chocolate-brown stripes of the stone every bit an example of the Atelier Reverso'due south customisation service.

When it comes to stones that are both valuable and cheering, jade is the obvious choice. Its symbolic significance is strongest in Chinese culture, where jade is believed to be a heavenly stone that brings longevity and prosperity, but western watchmakers have embraced jade besides.

To mark the 50th year of diplomatic relationship betwixt France and China in 2014, F.P. Journe released two limited edition watches, one of which was an Elegante with a translucent jade punch. One of the watches from Girard-Perregaux's Chamber of Wonders drove is known as The Terrestial Map, which features a miniature painting of a Ming Dynasty-era earth map on a white jade dial. More than recent examples include Montblanc'south limited edition 1858 Split 2d Chronograph with a jade dial in a bronze case, unveiled in late 2019, as well equally this year'due south Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Off-Centered Black Jade.

Watchmakers often utilize the more readily available nephrite multifariousness of jade in their watches, which is understandable given the greater emphasis on actual watchmaking. So it'southward upwardly to the jewellers to show off the real beauty of the rarer, highly prized jadeite variety.

Stunning examples abound across the globe, simply some of the most bewitching comes from Hong Kong-based Wallace Chan, who fifty-fifty patented his ain refining technique for brighter, more than vivid jade.

A lot of jade's blessed allure comes from its verdant colour, and it's a shade universally associated with life, renewal, fertility and, inevitably, luck. This association makes other green stones lucky, also.

Delaneau's Rondo Double Happiness Chrysoprase has an engraved dial made of chrysoprase, a gemstone thought to bring joy and healing. Malachite, often associated with protection and support, is another popular choice with jeweller-watchmakers like Bulgari, Chopard, Piaget and Van Cleef & Arpels. Even the sporty Omega Seamaster 300 received a malachite facelift terminal year.

READ> Why are watchmakers similar Grand Seiko, IWC and Omega 'going greenish'?

Blackness stones don't take the same immediate connotations of good fortune, looking more like portends for doom, but some of them are still considered charmed. In that location are those who believe that black onyx's dark appearance makes information technology the perfect talisman for protection against evil or a way to residual bad karma. They're likewise a conveniently glamorous way of adding hit contrast to precious metals, every bit seen in Girard-Perregaux'southward new Infinity Editions featuring onyx confronting rose aureate accents.

Even obsidian is said to hold cleansing energies, but is generally less mutual in modern jewellery considering information technology is a relatively soft volcanic glass that scratches easily. Only with careful machining and masterful gem-setting, obsidian's dark translucency shines in high jewellery pieces.

Perhaps the easiest style for brands to infuse some fortune into their models is through the use of motifs. Van Cleef & Arpel's virtually famous drove is the Alhambra – its iv-leaf clover motif has certainly been fortuitous to the brand's sales figures for over 50 years.

Every lunar new year's day, in that location are numerous watchmakers that try to seduce the Chinese marketplace with limited editions sporting the twelvemonth's zodiac animal. Fifty-fifty in the off-season, some fortune-seeking enthusiasts might capeesh watches like Jaquet Droz's newly released Petite Heure Minute "Tiger", because the animal is traditionally known every bit a symbol for protection.

READ> The rat race: eight zodiac watches to celebrate the Chinese New year's day

It'due south also a fairly common practice for such special editions to be made in a limited run of eight pieces, or in numbers ending in eight. The luckiest number in Chinese culture as well resembles the infinity symbol, so it can even double in meaning to bring an endless period of success. In that location are innumerable examples of this symbol showing up in luxury appurtenances, but among the more than subtle ones is Mikimoto's Double Eight necklace, strung with 88 Akoya cultured pearls.

And then do all of these design choices actually confer luck?

As with anything unbound by the laws of science, your mileage will vary with the strength of your belief. Even a lack of whatsoever obvious leanings toward auspicious symbols won't stop the well-nigh dedicated luck hunters in Communist china.

There, luxury consumers are making their own luck: Harry Winston has become the go-to brand for engagement rings because its logo "HW" can be interpreted as "husband and wife", while Piaget's Possession rings, reminiscent of Buddhist prayer wheels, tin be spun for luck.

We suppose what's nigh important at the end of the day is that these precious items, regardless of what they're made of or designed to represent, bring joy to their wearers, and that little heave in confidence is all that'south really needed to welcome more luck into your life.

From jade to tiger’s eye: The mysterious appeal of auspicious accessories

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