Elegance and versatility go hand- in-hand for Sarah Zhuang’s eponymous jewellery brand, which celebrates womanhood with a series of glittering jewellery collections inspired by the traits of confident and contemporary women.
There’s Fantasy Garden for the adventurous, Mix & Match for the cool, and Butterfly Garden for the cheerful – all of which feature unique designs by Zhuang that you won’t find anywhere else.
Growing up in the Tak Fook jewellery family in Hong Kong, Zhuang’s passion for jewellery started when she was child. To further her knowledge in jewellery making and design, she earned a design certificate from the Gemological Institute of America and a professional diploma from Hong Kong Design Institute, before studying at the renowned Accademia Riaci in Florence.
After Zhuang and her sister took over the family business in 2017, they quickly realised that there was a mismatch between the more traditional and mature brand image of their family business and her own designs. That’s when Zhuang – with her sister’s support – decided to launch her own brand.
“My sister was the one who suggested I should start my own brand,” Zhuang says. “She always pushes me to get out of my comfort zone and to be better. Without her, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today.”
At the forefront of Sarah Zhuang Jewellery are the founder’s versatile designs – made in gold with diamonds and precious gemstones – that are meant to be worn in multiple ways.
“I want to create jewellery that every woman can wear and would want to wear on a daily basis,” she says. “Jewellery that will last a lifetime and can easily be transformed into multiple styles to suit different occasions.”
She continues: “I always tell people that without design, even the finest quality diamond is just a rock. Designing a piece of jewellery is about innovation, creativity and craftsmanship – it’s how a designer tells their story and connects with others.”
Someone that Zhuang looks up to immensely is Taiwanese jewellery designer Cindy Chao, whom she calls “one of the greatest designers of our time”.
“She built her jewellery business all by herself and made it such a huge success. And she continues to work very hard even though she is already so well known.”
As an entrepreneur, Zhuang’s favourite thing about running her own business is the flexibility and ease of making decisions quickly. “I also have the room to be as creative as I want and to really work on what I believe in,” she adds.
And the 29-year-old is currently on a roll: “I’ve just launched a new tourbillon diamond watch, and I’m working on a new collection where I’ll be using gemstones that I’ve never worked with before, so that’s pretty exciting.”
So what’s Zhuang’s secret to success? “Success doesn’t happen overnight – you have to be really passionate about what you do,” she insists. “I believe the key to success is to believe in yourself, pursue your passion and not ever let anyone limit your dreams.”
Jacket and shirt: Ralph Lauren | Pants and jewellery: Zhuang’s own