The Royal Coral: Where Handcrafted Jewellery Design Meets Eastern Cultural Wisdom

At the Future Art & Design Award UK 2025 Winter Season, jewellery designer XU Jiawen Karmen was awarded the Platinum Prize in Accessory Design for her work The Royal Coral. The piece stands out for its deeply rooted Eastern cultural language, refined material choices, and a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional values—presented through handcrafted jewellery.

Rather than pursuing ornamentation alone, The Royal Coral reflects an intellectual and spiritual inquiry into what defines modern Eastern femininity. Drawing from Chinese philosophy, historical symbolism, and personal cultivation, the work translates restraint, integrity, and wisdom into a wearable form. Through asymmetry, natural textures, and culturally resonant materials, the piece proposes jewellery as a medium of character, memory, and inner discipline.

Q: What initially inspired this project? Was there a particular idea, moment, or question that sparked its creation?

Karmen: The Royal Coral is my heartfelt tribute to Eastern Chinese aesthetics. Beyond the pursuit of beauty and grace, a well educated Eastern lady should embody the historical insights and social wisdom accumulated through generations of her family inheritance. From this, she cultivates an aura of restraint, calmness, and poised demeanor—this is the spiritual core I have infused into the work.

In creating The Royal Coral, I took the intense vermilion of the Forbidden City's red walls as the keynote, contrasting it with the elegant emerald green of bamboo groves that symbolize integrity and virtues. This combination merges the noble grace of a distinguished lady with the steady life philosophy of a wise person. I chose vermilion coral with natural textures; unlike flawless gemstones, its vivid hue conceals reverence for nature, much like the profound insight into the world held by a wise person in my eyes. The crescent-shaped turquoise carving is inspired by "Huang", an ancient Chinese jade ornament. Huang often appeared in paired compositions to showcase magnificent symmetry, but in this work, I used only one piece of "Huang". Through the ingenuity of asymmetrical composition, I infused the work with the individualistic edge of contemporary women, completing a modern interpretation of Eastern beauty.

As for the White Jade Bodhi that forms the main body of the bead strand, it is a type of natural seed commonly used in prayer bead bracelets. Emitting an elegant yet understated luster, it symbolizes the self-disciplined quality of calming the mind and cultivating one's nature in Eastern culture.

My target audience is modern Eastern women with advanced international education, cross-cultural perspectives, and profound historical awareness, which deeply rooted in my personal path. In my creative works I aim to exhibit in full the true essence of Eastern beauty and wisdom with a proud and modern touch.

Q: What was the most exciting or most challenging aspect of bringing this work to life?

Karmen: I have always had the habit of collecting beads and accessories I favor —— they all align with my consistent Eastern aesthetic, yet the collection process is entirely serendipitous. I never sketch a design beforehand or deliberately seek out beads and accessories that match the size and shape on the drawing. Before they are paired up and spark a creative inspiration, they remain unknown, brimming with infinite possibilities. Therefore I have to say, there are no real challenges in the process of creation. To me, every work is a beauty of fate, not a product of the designer’s desperate subjective will. The beauty born from their combination shines among a pile of scattered natural stones, so brightly that I cannot ignore it. I feel that I must bring them together with my own hands. I am more like a servant, or a tool, through which heaven reveals its inherent beauty. I thoroughly enjoy the pleasure of heeding destiny's call.

Q: How was your experience taking part in the Future Art & Design Award UK?

Karmen: In my recent FADA UK participation, all three of my works won awards, with a smooth and pleasant experience. Firstly, other winners' work show a remarkable level of focus, craftsmanship and high standards. Secondly, the online submission model eliminates cross-border physical shipping procedures, saving time, reducing costs and avoiding damage risks. Thirdly, diverse media submissions are allowed, enabling designers to choose the best way to present their works' essence. Fourthly, the organizers have put great effort into the judges’ comments, promotion and interviews for the winning works, helping designers promote their concepts and further explore international opportunities. In summary, FADA UK is well-organized and thoughtful, and I highly recommend it to fellow designers.

Xu Jiawen Karmen is a distinguished handcrafted jewellery designer celebrated for her unique ability to intertwine oriental aesthetics with the profound wisdom of Chinese philosophy. After earning her MBA Degree from the London Business School/University of Hong Kong, Karmen further deepened her understanding of global dynamics by studying Middle Eastern geopolitics at the University of Cambridge. This combination of rigorous academic training and critical thinking has shaped her into a modern-day Renaissance woman.

Karmen’s passion for ancient civilizations and spiritual traditions—including Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism—enhances her creative sensibility. She devotes years to practicing mindfulness meditation, which significantly influences her artistic process, allowing her to approach design with introspection and awareness.

As a fervent advocate for Chinese civilization, Karmen’s jewellery captures the essence of oriental philosophy and aesthetic principles, embodying an elegance that is both subtle and profound. Her creations pay homage to China’s rich understanding of the universe's laws and the harmonious wisdom found in the concept of "the middle way." For Karmen, designing jewellery transcends mere craft; it is a cherished meditation that promotes self-awareness. Through her work, she invites others to appreciate the beauty of Chinese heritage and reconnect with timeless traditions and their intrinsic wisdom.

About “The Royal Coral”

The white jade bodhi seeds give a soft and elegant glow. The red grass coral buckle is like a burning sunset. The turquoise ornament is carved with exquisite rolling cloud patterns, shining like the green waves. The design embodies oriental aesthetics and elegant demeanor, aspired by the luxurious and dignified ancient princess Turandot. When moving, the fragrance of bodhi seeds, the brilliance of coral, and the refinement of turquoise complement each other, exhibiting in full the charm of a royal Eastern beauty.

Social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584928436060

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/wuxiang.jewellery/