Sustainable, ethical diamonds from Anabela Chan
Hong Kong-born, London-based Anabela Chan has always felt a deep connection to precious, ornate subjects – be they the work of Mother Nature or hand-crafted by man in an atelier. Her light bulb moment came during a visit to a Sri Lankan gemstone mine shortly after she'd graduated from Royal College of Art in London. She was appalled by the working conditions of the mine and felt that the risks and inequality she'd witnessed were impossible to ignore.
Anabela looked into new methods of gemstone manufacturing and began to focus on exciting developments in the field of laboratory-grown gemstones with a process that produces minerals in steady conditions that replicate those that occurred for millions of years beneath the earth's crust. She launched her eponymous label in 2013 and opened a bijou little boutique in Soho's Ham Yard Hotel in 2014. Since then, she has since become a champion for sustainable and ethical jewellery design, capturing the imagination of clients all around the world through her use of precious, natural and man-made materials. Her vibrantly coloured jewellery and ethereal sculptures are inspired by exotic travel and play on fantasy, with delicate observations of animals, flora and insects, which Anabela will spend months perfecting.
FKA TWIGS, Anna Friel, Lady Gaga, Salma Hayek, and Katy Perry are just a handful of the global stars to have graced red carpet events and music videos wearing her statement pieces. Anabela has garnered awards from Vogue Talents and The British Goldsmiths' Craft and Design Council, and was named by Harpers Bazaar UK as 'The Jewellery Designer you need to know now'. Her unique jewels and objets d'art are presented at some of the most exclusive gallery boutiques in the world including Christie's London, Luisa Via Roma Florence and Moda Operandi New York. Next time you're in the neighbourhood, why not pay a visit to Anabela's boutique at the Ham Yard Hotel - she frequently mans the counter and is keen to keep the conversation about craftsmanship and sustainability flowing.
Anabela Chan has trunk shows lined up for the summer season, starting in Monaco, with an opening evening on 6th June, for which Quintessentially members can reserve private appointments with Anabela through Quintessentially's gift-sourcing specialists. Other trunk shows will take place throughout the summer in New York, Marbella, St Tropez and Paris.
Quintessentially Gifts has secured a series of exclusive benefits across some of her collections for Quintessentially members. Additionally, if you'd like to book a private appointment at Anabela's trunk shows, or you seek advice on her collections, be sure to contact [email protected] or call +44 (0) 845 224 2617 for more details.
