Guardian Star: A Modern Coronation in Bridal Jewelry

Janet Hiu Yan Chow's Award-Winning Design Inspired by Queen Sissi's Diamond Star Hair Pieces

Chow's design was inspired during a visit to the Museum of Sissi in Vienna in May 2017. She was captivated by the story of Queen Sissi's diamond star hair pieces, which were passed down to her granddaughter. Compared to elaborate crowns, these hair pieces seemed like a more modern and subtle expression of coronation. Chow saw this as an opportunity to create a unique piece of bridal jewelry, given to the bride by her parents, symbolizing their wish to guard their daughter at all times.

The Guardian Star is not just a piece of jewelry, but a work of art. It vastly decorates the right side of the bride, from the ear lobe to the whole ear and extended to her hair. The design process involved pencil sketches, Gauche painting, CAD design, 3D printing in wax, modeling by hand, casting in 18K gold, diamonds setting and hand crafted finishing. The piece is composed of 15.50g of 18K white gold, 7.00g of 18K yellow gold and 6.60g of 18K rose gold, with 220 pieces of brilliant white diamonds set, including 2 pieces of 0.30ct F color and 0.40ct G color, both SI1 GIA certified diamonds.

Chow's design is not only visually stunning, but also interactive. The compass-like, 8-point stars symbolize how the parents protect and guide their daughter. The seven pieces of chains that connect to the hair pin with ear crawler are adorned by scatter glistening diamonds. They swing and gleam with every movement of the bride, adding sparks to her as she is her parents' treasure, angel and star.

Creating the Guardian Star was not without its challenges. The size of the wearer’s ear may vary, so a flexible gold strand was opted for the ease of wearing and the comfort of wearer. Another challenge was balancing the scatter diamonds on the chains. Calculations and multiple experiments were carried out to achieve the final result. Despite these challenges, Chow's dedication to her craft and her commitment to creating a piece that is both beautiful and meaningful is evident in the final product.

The Guardian Star is a testament to Chow's creativity and innovation in jewelry design. It is a piece that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also rich in symbolism and meaning. It is a modern coronation for the bride, a symbol of her parents' love and protection, and a treasure that she will cherish for a lifetime.