Browse By:
Growing up, everyone pretty much assumed that Ken Lo would follow in the footsteps of his father, who was a dealer in loose diamonds in Hong Kong, his hometown.
But geopolitics, consumer demand and technology all converged to create a new path for Ken. Hong Kong became part of China again and the Chinese jewelry industry evolved to where finished jewelry became a chief industry.
Meanwhile, Ken studied international commerce and finance at the university while "learning by doing" in his family's business.
As export to the United States became more important, Ken traveled to work with retailers and wholesalers whose businesses were also changing.
"It became apparent that a solution was needed: how to create jewelry that would sell in America in factories located on the other side of the world," Ken says. "Nothing existed that would help us create a design, make a mold, and create a high quality finished jewelry item at a fast pace."
However, Ken clearly saw an opportunity and so he set about to find the solution.
"My technical background was very limited. I learned everything the hard way."
After several years of development, lots of starts and stops, Ken and his colleagues pioneered the first version of a computer-aided design (CAD) that could create jewelry and models. Problem was, it was prohibitively expensive for most companies.
After further refinements and the development of Windows 95, finally Ken's company had a feasible version.
"It proved to be worth all the trouble. About 95% of Asian companies use our system now."
While Ken Lo keeps abreast of trends in fashion and design, inspiration for his jewelry collections often comes from shapes he encounters in his daily life.
His love of shapes has made him a devotee of architecture from Frank Lloyd Wright's pioneering style in modernity to the lavish skyscrapers that fill the skies of Hong Kong.
"We see geometrics around us all the time. There's the shape of a building, but all the elements that comprise the whole as made up of shapes." Such geometrics found in stone tiles or bricks inspired his Geometrique collection, an asymmetrical assemble of 18K gold, diamonds and stone shapes. Although these shapes are obviously based upon triangles, rectangles and squares, there aren't perfect. "They aren't exact-just like stones or shapes in nature. They are slightly irregular."
"What's important is that we learn to appreciate the beauty that's surrounds us every day."
Even the shape of a simple drop of water is scrutinized in Ken's mind's eye. "There's that instant, when a water droplet elongates toward the earth, a moment before it separates and falls to the ground," Ken says.
Just such a moment in the life of a drop of water Ken has preserved in 18k gold, diamonds and sapphires. The elongated glistening shape of a droplet Ken has transformed into glittering pendants and earrings.
The collection is beautiful, sensual and sexy even if you don't know about Ken's reverence for a water drop.
"No matter what difficulties or challenges we face in our daily lives, there's still beauty around us, ready to inspire us even in the simplest things in our lives."
Ken Lo may have been instrumental in one of the biggest technical advances in modern jewelry manufacturing, but he's no techie geek.
When he's not traveling abroad to trade shows or working late at his company's factory, you may likely find Ken, equipped with heavy-duty boots, hiking through the nearby mountainous parks of Hong Kong.
And not just a leisurely stroll, but a five-to six-mile hike over rough terrain, sometimes even traveling a distance of a half marathon. "Nothing clears my mind better. It's the best thing for concentration." So for Ken, the hikes are not just therapeutic, but inspirational as well.
"The clearer your mind is, the better is to see the details, the shapes we encounter everyday," Ken says.
While Ken is a fan of architectural design, he equally is fond of nature's offerings, often incorporating these shapes and forms he encounters into jewelry designs.
His interest in shapes is continuous. Even when he's on a phone call or working on a new CAD design, Ken is likely doodling.
"My drawings turned from unconscious squiggles into full blown cartoons. I even created characters for a children's book based some of my original drawings," Ken says.
While he still has plans to finish his children's book project, Ken points out that he finds the best designs from objects, buildings, and shapes encountered every day in life.
"Design is a very subjective thing. What one person finds fascinating may be lost on someone else. But if you can find a design that's based upon something we all encounter then it becomes more universal. You have something everyone can associate with."
Architects would be No. 1. I.M. Pei, Frank Lloyd Wright.
I think she's wearing something special. She's not heading out to watch a football game. She is dressing for an occasion and has a polished look from head to toe.
1. A top handle handbag.
2. A little black dress, one that leaves her face and neck exposed.
3. A V-neck blouse in white or a neutral color.
4. A great hairstyle. It's important to invest in getting a style that best suits your face.
5. Sexy high heel shoes that also must be comfortable.
Earrings are always most important, but which ones really depend upon her hairstyle. You'd wear different earrings if her hair is short or her neck is long. The face is so important, too, in making a decision.
A sweater with a deep cowl neck where you can still see the jewelry.
There are many but I'd have to say an 18K gold cylindrical pendant with a single diamond I made especially for my wife. It's proportion and size is based upon her birthday and our anniversary.
Only my wife and I know the significance.
One of our pendants; they work with many styles of clothing and can be worn everyday to dress up an outfit.
Earrings too, provided they're appropriate for her hairstyle and face.
Gong Li. She's not only beautiful but she has lead an impressive and elegant life, too.
Definitely electronics. I love new gadgets. My latest favorite is a GPS-enable sportswatch from Garmin.
Lin Chi-Ling.
A woman who is fashion conscious but isn't self-involved. She's interested in culture and is open minded about design. Jewelry is the perfect way for her to express herself.
Designer Ken Lo likes nothing better than taking an everyday shape or object and elevating it into a piece of jewelry art. That's just what he's done in Geometrique, where his asymmetrical squares, triangles and circles shapes are rendered in gold with pave diamonds and black gemstones. His is a whimsical take on traditional shapes that are mixed-almost as if they are tumbled together-and teetering on the brink of collapse. No worries, though, this playful collection is a perfect example of high quality craftsmanship that endures as a classic style.
Shop this collection
During one of his all-day hikes in the mountainous parks near his native Hong Kong, designer Ken Lo says he finds his mind clears and his senses heighten as he walks. It's at these times that the designer recalls the beauty found in the small things we encounter in life everyday, such as a drop of water. In this scintillating tribute to a water droplet, Ken captures the moment that a drop elongates, just before if plummets toward the ground. A water drop may evaporate, but Ken's gold versions glimmering with diamonds or sapphires capture the moment for posterity-a glamorous design you could shed a tear for.
This extraordinary collection of gold and diamond pendants not only exhibit a top level of jewelry-making expertise, but also reflect designer Ken Lo's almost Zen -- like appreciation of design -- from architecture and the applied arts to nature. Whatever the inspiration, each has a delicacy and attention to detail that truly makes each of these pendants a modern heirloom. No matter which one strikes your fancy, these pendants will undoubtedly become classics.
Why hello, are you new here?
Only members have exclusive access to purchase products. Sign in or join!
Hey there, it’s been too long
Please sign into your account. Your account allows you to make purchases and access your Jewelbox plus other personalized features.
Expected Date Available: X Weeks