EuropeanLife Magazine 2019 #1 2019 #1 | Page 20

from one another, creating an environment where soon it may not even be necessary to distinguish jewelry pieces geographically anymore.” However, Chan takes pride in ancient Asia jewelry as it tells us about the emotional functions of gemstones. All these materials have become a source of inspiration today. “In the Middle Eastern culture jewelry commands a lot of respect and because of it I’m always fascinated by the colorful stories emanating from this region as a whole,” Chan says. He has certainly blown everybody away with his latest creation titled “Fish’s Whisper” which is shaped in the form of a bangle. To bring it to life, he used intaglio to carve two pairs of fish on the inside of the crystal, following the curve of the bangle. One gets an illusion of the fishes as if they’re looking out at us from a bowl. “The world they see and the world we see are both twisted and we take each of our versions of the twisted world as reality. Nothing is real, and nothing is unreal. Everything is a matter of perception,” Chan says. “But I feel that it’s a bit heartrending for the fish to live in a bowl, so I created jeweled corals for them; where they’re contented in their own universe.” Although women lust after his remarkable jewelry, many collectors of his great work are men too and they’ve been wearing his jewelry with fervor for quite some time. “Whenever they wear the designed pieces of mine, they appreciate the pieces’ sculptural, carving or other qualities,” he says. “Many of my collectors are not celebrities. I look for collectors who appreciate the spirit of my works. We need to share the same vision. Resonance is the key 20 word in our friendship.” As the world gets hooked on his breathtaking jewels and art installations, Chan’s plans are to have more exhibitions in the future so that he can bring his works to a wider public and promote the spiritual values of jewelry art. It’s no wonder why his night time appears to be so enigmatic. “Every night when I go to bed I imagine myself going through rebirth, and when morning comes I’m a newborn again, curious about everything I see or sense. I’m constantly inspired and I absorb like a sponge,” he says. 21