(Taipei Report) The works of jewellery designer Hao-Yang Lai (HAOYANG) now on display at the Taipei Mayor’s Residence until 14th November.
Jewellery is traditionally made of precious metals such as platinum, silver, and gold. However, in recent years, the use of experimental materials such as titanium has become a trend, and has found its way into auction houses and museum collections. Titanium is generally used in aerospace and in the medical sector; however, the metal has found its applications in the jewellery industry. The use of titanium in jewellery has many advantages. First, the weight of titanium jewellery is only a fraction compared to gold jewellery, which makes titanium jewellery more comfortable to wear. Furthermore, titanium contains a range of colours, making its jewellery unique and desirable. Titanium is also resistant to corrosions and scratches, it has excellent structural integrity and is difficult to damage or deform, making jewellery creations permanent that can be passed down for generations.
Production of titanium jewellery is technically challenging, its hardness and instant reaction to oxygen makes titanium difficult to manufacture in any professional environment, traditional casting techniques cannot not be used with titanium. To overcome this, designer Hao-Yang Lai invested in his own equipments. Lai has since developed and mastered the key technologies of producing titanium jewellery independently. Only few brands today have the ability to create bespoke titanium pieces.
Hao-Yang first developed his interest in titanium jewellery during his studies in the UK, and later decided to establish his own jewellery brand to research titanium manufacturing processes. He insists that all jewellery is produced in-house because the industry lacks innovation and motivation, Hao-Yang hopes to combine traditional jewellery with cutting-edge materials, pursue ultimate craftsmanship and aesthetics, and continue with traditional jewellery making techniques that may be lost with younger generations.
