Elevate Difference

Lucky Jade Collection Ring

Lately I am most offended by one thing, and that thing is cliché. Cliché is so offensive to me because it is steeped in one’s inability to be creative. Whether Jon Stewart wearing a fat suit in order to get cheap laughs about American obesity or trolls who hurl sexist epithets on feminist-y blogs, my tongue goes into automatic clucking mode when the formulaic is, well, formulated. It’s a waste of time and resources, valuable commodities that are often taken for granted by those with the ability to do so.

I was happy to discover Yumi Chen’s designs are anything but cliché. This New York-based jewelry designer pulls from her varied professional history as a concert violinist, professional pastry chef, and mathematician for inspiration. She incorporates her lived learning by way of color, materials, meticulousness, and business savvy in order to make and sell her beautifully unique pieces.

The Lucky Jade Collection could easily fall into the traps and replicate the green, carved elephants and big belly Buddha figurines one finds in every other store in Chinatown, but it doesn’t. Instead, Chen uses a rose-shaped Burmese stone and twists of sterling silver fashioned into the u-shaped base of a ring that is imaginative and inspired. Slip it on your finger and conversation blooms around the stunning piece that adorns your digit.

The Lucky Jade Collection is just one of twelve series of Chen’s jewelry, most of which are given floral names to indicate the enormous variety Yumi Chen has to offer. This ambitious woman is about to open a store on Madison Avenue in New York City. If you’re looking for a retail sales position, give her a shout!

Yumi Chen is providing Feminist Review readers a 20% Discount off anything and everything on her website. The discount code is 'feminist20' and should be entered at the checkout. Might as well get some holiday shopping done early, right?

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, October 5th 2009

This is totally freaking gorgeous!!!