Entertainment> Style

Torres Trends

By Gan Tian (China Daily)
2011-05-16 17:03

Omar Torres has worked with some of the most prestigious brands in haute jewelry, and he now runs his own designer brand. Gan Tian listens to an incurable romantic's tips on wearing the right pieces.

Omar Torres wears two wedding rings on his third finger. Both are from Cartier. When he got married, he had bought a pair of Cartier Trinity rings for himself and his wife. Ten years later, his wife gave him another, a Cartier Bound. "They are both Cartier rings,?Torres says, smiling at the sweetness of the memory. As for his wife, she is casting her eye on another ring, a diamond creation designed by her husband for his latest collection with Enzo, with which he is currently creative director. It is a collection inspired by love, marriage and women ?a wedding collection.

Enzo 88 was launched in Macao last month and will reach stores across China within the season. Torres' latest designs include rings, earrings and necklaces featuring diamonds with 88 cuts. Compared with traditional wedding diamonds which only have 58 cuts, Torres' gems will sparkle more.

He was inspired by Chinese elements when creating Enzo 88. The number "8" symbolizes prosperity and good fortune in Chinese, and laid on its side, the symbol represents infinity. Both augur well for newlyweds.

While many newlyweds cannot afford the best or largest diamonds, they want to know more about the four Cs of diamond-shopping - color, carat, cut and clarity.

According to Torres, it's the clarity that matters, just like love.

"I would rather see small diamonds with good quality than a big one with poor quality. Some people would do the opposite. But think of it, if you are wearing a high-quality diamond, maybe only you will know it. If you wear a large one, everybody can see it. Picking a diamond is a very personal decision."

During the launch, Hong Kong entertainer Aarif Lee showcased a luxurious tourmaline man's ring, while model Janice Man wore the Enzo Diana Tanzanite Diamond Ring from a collection inspired by the late princess.

Torres is an experienced jewelry designer who started his career at the age of 18, as an apprentice at Tiffany. Tiffany's master designer Jean Bellevier grounded him in the basics.

Torres later went on to become senior designer at Van Cleef & Arpels and chief designer at Bulgari. After a stint with Movado, he finally founded his own jewelry line in 1996.

His final advice to newlyweds undecided about the pieces to pick for their wedding: Pick something to suit your style.

He points out a reporter wearing a pair of bright orange loafers.

"If I put them on, I would look ridiculous," Torres says with a laugh, pointing to his gray hair and wrinkles. "On him, they look absolutely great.

"It is the same with jewelry."