Dancing fairies, ethereal butterflies, ancient Chinese art and lore, classical music, celestial bodies, the ocean's depths, Art Deco, and even contemporary films are but some of the themes explored in the exquisite, one-of-a-kind pieces comprising the second volume - or Opus 2 - of Anna Hu's Symphony of Jewels. For Hu, a cello virtuoso turned master jewelry designer, all of the arts and the entire natural world inspire - and are reflected in - her jewels.
Every piece features not only the rarest stones and most intricate design but also the most technically advanced execution. Organized in five sections, Opus 2 begins with a series of ballerina fairies, delicate dancers swathed in flower-inspired tutus. Chinese art, myths, and symbols, ranging from leaping koi to lotus flowers and representing power and transformation, are the inspiration for the second section.
The section called Duet and Trio showcases gorgeous two - and three-piece sets featuring magnificent matching stones. The Contemporary Art section consists of extraordinarily imaginative, complex pieces referencing a wide range of themes, from the sun, stars, and moon to the ocean and marine flora and fauna, to the Art Deco architecture of New York. The book ends with Hu's remarkable series of butterflies, each inspired by a beloved piece of music and a mythological god or goddess.
With an illuminating introduction by jewelry historian Janet Zapata and text by jewelry expert Sarah Davis, Opus 2 presents, as François Curiel writes in the Foreword, Hu's "unique equilibrium of proportion, construction, color, and dazzle. Sophisticated aesthetics, contemporary elegance, a whispering yet heart-stirring "WOW."