A Bangle from Another Angle by Xinyuan Hu

Bangle / Geometric Minimalism NewTalentsByKlimt02

Hu Xinyuan (1991, China) obtained her BA degree in Product Design from Ningbo University, then spent one year doing an internship at a jewellery design company. This experience prompted her to begin to explore the world of jewellery.

In Belgium, she completed a BA in Jewellery Design, Gold and Silversmithing at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp and is currently finishing her MA degree.

In western culture, a marriage proposal is not complete without a diamond engagement ring. It is such a common tradition, that it is hard to believe it is the result of a successful advertising campaign by De Beers, started only 75 years ago.

In Chinese culture, the jade bangle has a similar meaning to the engagement ring. Jade bangles are given to the future fiancé as part of the proposal - their perfect circular shape is a symbol of eternal love and a blissful union. But Xinyuan believes that love can be seen from different perspectives and that each relationship deserves a unique symbol to represent the many facets and varieties of love that exist.

For her Master's project, Xinyuan has reinterpreted the classic round jade bangle using 3D CAD software and traditional stone cutting techniques to create a collection of bangles. Through her work, she has developed a relationship between material and shape to create multiple versions of the original, traditional bangle - A bangle from another angle.