Ready for the challenge

TTF looks to carve out a niche in the global market with original jewelry designs from China

Western jewelry brands like Cartier from France, Tiffany from the US and Bulgari from Italy have for long ruled the roost in the global high-end jewelry market. But that may soon be about to change when Wu Fenghua, a Shenzhen-based jeweler, launches his internationally recognized jewelry brand, crafted and created exclusively in China, in overseas markets.

"Although China is the largest jewelry processing country in the world, and the level of craftsmanship of the jewelry made in China is globally recognized, there are very few world-class luxury jewelry brands from China," Wu says.

"Many Westerners used to believe that Chinese jewelry makers are only good at making replicas of famous brands, but I want to change that with my original design jewelry. It will help Chinese jewelers to have a bigger say in the high-end jewelry market."

That plan, however, is not just a figment of the imagination. It is rather a great ambition that is set to be a reality soon.

Wu started TTF in Shenzhen, a booming city in South China's Guangdong province, in 2002, and has been aiming to transform the company into a high-end jewelry brand that combines modern design, handcraft and Chinese culture.

"TTF is committed to the production of collectible fine jewelry," Wu says, saying that the goal requires his products to obtain a high level of originality.

But he believes the greatest appeal of a jewelry brand not only lies in its design originality and creativity, but also in its rich cultural connotations.

"Frankly speaking, the competition among the international brands is in fact the competition between different cultures," Wu says.

"If Chinese jewelers keep blindly imitating or copying designs from the West, instead of integrating our own cultural elements into the design, we would never be able to catch up with our strong competitors in the West."

Wu says China's rich cultural heritage can provide jewelry makers a wide range of design inspirations, which is a competitive edge that jewelers in other countries do not have.

Wu says TTF's design, which is a fusion of Eastern and Western cultures and aesthetic values, brings something fresh and new to the international jewelry market.

Each year TTF plans to launch at least four series of jewelry, which all use Chinese elements, such as qipao, masks of the Peking Opera or Chinese calligraphy.

"The jewelry we designed can interpret the profound meaning of Chinese culture, and is in line with current international trends," Wu says.

He says many leading jewelry brands are looking to incorporate elements of traditional Chinese culture into their designs. But that may not be easy for others as Chinese jewelers are better able to create authentic Chinese-style designs as well as showcase the diverse culture.

"Although there are many fine jewelry brands, we do not plan to flood the international market with low price products. Our endeavor is to provide international buyers something new that can both express Chinese culture and aesthetic value and is in line with leading and stylish international jewelry designs," Wu says.

To achieve design innovation as well as ensuring top quality, for many years TTF has been devoting itself to teaming up with famous jewelry designers from across the world. Its international design team includes experienced designers from Italy, France, Belgium, the US, South Korea and Hong Kong, who have helped TTF design a series of fashionable, classic and oriental style fine jewelry.

In May, TTF hired Serge Nedot, a veteran French jewelry maker and former technical director of Cartier jewelry, to guide production, quality control and train young Chinese designers.

"China at present lacks top quality jewelry craftsmen. So we spend huge sums of money to hire such talent from overseas to help TTF design new products, and also to nurture our own excellent designers," Wu says.

TTF's brand building efforts have paid off. Since September 2010, TTF has been taking part in the Baselworld Watch and Jewelry Show held in Switzerland, the world's biggest trade expo for the watch and jewelry industries, making it the first Chinese jeweler and the third jeweler from Asia to have the privilege of permanent participation at the exhibition.

Wu says in 2013, TTF will open its first flagship store in Paris, and in the following years will open stores in London, New York, Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai as well as other international metropolises.

"We plan to open stores on the most bustling commercial street in these international cities. So obviously we will encounter great challenges and contests with other first-tier international brands," Wu says.

"Brand building is the most challenging thing for a jewelry enterprise. TTF's competition with the heavyweight jewelry makers is inevitable if we want to enter their ranks."

Wu says so far, none of the Chinese jewelry brands enjoy the same brand awareness in the global market as their top European or US counterparts, but he hopes that TTF's success in international market could well reverse the situation in the near future.

liulu@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/28/2012 page16)