By Ase Anderson in London
Taking place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 4-7 October 2014, Fine Art Asia - the region's leading international fine art fair - celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with a Private Preview and Vernissage on Friday 3 October.
Held at the peak of the Hong Kong art season, the event will run alongside Sotheby's auctions in the same location, with over 35,000 visitors from all over the world expected to attend.
Chinese bronzes and ceramics as well as Central Asian and Islamic art will sit alongside antique silver, Old Master paintings and Impressionist and Modern art. And as ever, the exhibition presents a mouthwatering selection of iconic jewellery by some of the world's greatest designers, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari.
The star attraction is a magnificent late 19th century Burmese sapphire brooch, given to Elizabeth Taylor by her fifth husband, Richard Burton. Exhibited by Hong Kong-based diamond company Dehres, the brooch boasts a 37.29 carat natural sapphire surrounded by diamonds. Also taking pride of place on the Dehres stand is the Majestic Set necklace featuring pear-shaped diamonds graduating from a 5.00 carat centre stone along with rows of oval and marquise-cut diamonds.
Siegelson, the New York gallery run by renowned gemstone and jewellery dealer Lee Siegelson, returns to Fine Art Asia for the fourth year. Always a highlight for visitors, the Siegelson display includes the stunning Van Cleef & Arpels diamond, emerald and pearl brooch exhibited at Masterpiece London earlier this year. Dating back to 1926, the pendant brooch, with its intricate geometric design, typifies the style of the Art Deco movement in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Fine Art Asia is a truly global event, with galleries from all over the world displaying their finest wares. Among the exhibitors travelling from London is Symbolic & Chase, a dealer of rare and unique objets d'art, jewellery and watches. Its selection of exquisite one-off pieces includes three intricate bejewelled enamel and ivory containers crafted by the celebrated jeweller George Le Sache for Boucheron in the late 19th century. With their delicate carved motifs, incorporating foliage, dancing figures and flowers, the set includes a needle case, stamp box and powder compact.
Another London-based exhibitor is antique watch and clock specialist Somlo Antiques, which is showcasing a 1920s Cartier lady's cocktail watch in platinum set with diamonds and onyx.
The 8,000 sq m exhibition space will be awash with beautiful signed pieces, including a pair of invisible-set Van Cleef & Arpels ruby and diamond earrings. Created in the 1930s, Simon Teakle Fine Jewelry is bringing them all the way from Connecticut in the US.
It's not all about antiques though. Among the contemporary jewellers taking part is Chinese designer Dickson Yewn, whose creations are a fusion of Far East traditions and modern luxury. Boghossian, the Genevan high jewellery house, is also exhibiting for the third time with a line-up that includes a tassel necklace with a 5.00 carat pink diamond.
"Ever since its inception, Fine Art Asia has played a crucial role in creating a platform of excellence for the international art world in Hong Kong," says Calvin Hui, co-chairman and director of Fine Art Asia. "The fair brings the finest pieces to Asian collectors, as well as introducing new collecting categories, thus expanding the fine art market in Asia."
