French-Chinese Jewelry Brand Founded In 2004#
We’ve long been fans of the French-Chinese fine jewelry house
Qeelin#
, which has, since its founding in Hong Kong in 2004, positioned itself as one of China’s most promising high-end brands. Recently, Qeelin unveiled its latest collection, "XiXi," which celebrates the central role played by the lion in Chinese culture. Traditionally, lions were considered divine animals of nobility and dignity in China, with their presence at cultural and religious festivals holding auspicious connotations.
Inspired by the deep symbolism of the lion in Chinese culture as well as the traditional Southern Lion (南獅) dance -- which features heavily in the collection's promotional video -- Qeelin creative director and co-founder Dennis Chan created a range of necklaces, earrings, cufflinks and bracelets, which also includes two limited-edition pieces rendered in 18K white gold and embedded with diamonds, ruby and onyx.
Unlike other Chinese jewelers, which release collections multiple times per year, Qeelin has built its reputation on releasing individual, annual collections in a measured, deliberate way. Bucking the trend of massive expansion we see from nearly every other brand operating in the Chinese luxury market, the jewelry house currently has only a dozen boutiques worldwide, enhancing its desired image of exclusivity.
