What’s Your Inspiration: Wendy Yue Bamboo

Hong-Kong-based
designer Wendy Yue debuted her work in the U.S. this year during Jewelry Week
(check out JCK’s July/August edition for more info). Nature inspires many of
her designs, as is evident in this remarkably detailed carved turquoise
bamboo-motif bracelet (matching ring also available). Notice the sweet little
salamanders crawling across the sides, towards the faux foliage accents, and
the fat and happy beetle (or is it a ladybug?) sitting front and center.

The Bamboo cuff
features 262.10
cts. t.w. turquoise, 1.80 cts. t.w. colorless diamonds, 2.09 cts. t.w. brown
diamonds, .84 cts. t.w. colorless sapphires, and .07 cts. t.w. rubies in 132.57
grams of 18k gold. Whew! There’s a lot going on in this piece, but all
materials are masterfully selected and beautifully proportioned so that the
final product is lovely and easy to ‘get’—not so busy that the viewer is
overwhelmed and doesn’t know where to look first. The suggested
retail price for this work of art: $29,700.