Jewellery designer Sarah Zhuang tells how she’s carving out her own path in her own time

Sarah Zhuang is a perfect example of a modern-day scion who’s taken her family legacy and made it uniquely her own. Her family’s luxury jewellery brand, Tak Fook, has been around for more than two decades, so Sarah’s natural affinity for watches and jewellery should come as no surprise, shown by her choice of timepiece during our shoot: Breguet’s Reine de Naples.

“I found my passion in life when I started designing jewellery. It was like I’d found my destiny. I knew straight away that this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” says Sarah, who studied at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and then at Accademia Riaci in Florence, Italy.

“It turned me into someone very motivated and driven. I think that mindset changes people. I’ve seen people follow a similar path, and that makes me really happy. That’s the legacy I want to leave behind—to pursue your passion and live life to the fullest.”

Tatler Asia
Above Sarah wears Reine de Naples 8918 from Breguet; dress by Alex Perry from Net-A-Porter; Heels from Rene Caovilla; Earrings by Kenneth Jay Lane from Net-A-Porter (Photo: Affa Chan/Hong Kong Tatler)

Following her mother’s retirement, Sarah and her sister took the reins at Tak Fook—Sarah as a designer and in marketing, while her sister ran the business side.

Despite being deeply involved in the family business, Sarah is by no means living in its shadow. In fact, she’s done the opposite by finding a way to shed new light on the world of jewellery with her minimalist pieces.

Many of her designs are inspired by nature, from butterflies crafted with yellow diamonds and pink sapphires,to delicate wings that sparkle with white gold and diamonds.

Speaking of wings, it was two years ago that Sarah spread hers and flew the family coop to establish her own brand, Sarah Zhuang Jewellery.

“The pieces I designed were quite youthful compared to those at Tak Fook. There was a bit of a mismatch, so we thought it would be better to come up with a brand specifically for my creations, that really represented my design philosophy.”

Tatler Asia
Above Reine de Naples 8918 (Photo: Affa Chan/Hong Kong Tatler)

And that philosophy, according to Sarah’s brand slogan, is to create jewellery that is “as versatile as women.” Appealing to a new generation of women who collect and wear jewellery as a means of personal expression, the luxury brand’s pieces can be mixed and matched, and dressed up or down.

“When I created my brand, I knew I had to look for something new. We wanted to maintain a heritage of using only the finest quality and the finest craftsmanship, while at the same time being innovative. I think this is very similar to Breguet's ethos too, who is one of my favourite watch brands."

“I think the most rewarding part of founding my own brand is that although I’ve taken a very different direction from the family business, I know that I will always have their full support and we’ll always be a team,” says Sarah. “I feel really lucky that I grew up in a very loving family. Growing up, my father always taught me the importance of giving back to society.”

Above Video: Kevin Cheung/Hong Kong Tatler

Endearing, elegant and effortlessly herself, Sarah embodies the modern woman for whom she designs.

Discover more at breguet.com

Credits

Videography  

Kevin Cheung

Photography  

Affa Chan

Styling  

Spencer Leung

Location  

Dalloyau, Central Entertainment Building

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