In the ever-curated world of luxury, genuine serendipity is rare. Yet, on a transatlantic flight from Los Angeles to London, British jeweller Hannah Martin recognized her own creation glinting from the wrist of Coldplay bassist and APPLIED ART FORMS founder, Guy Berryman. What began as a chance encounter blossomed into a dialogue between two kindred spirits — and ultimately, into A Vanitas, a capsule jewellery collection now making its exclusive debut at Sotheby’s Maison in Hong Kong.
Sotheby’s Maison, a brave reimagining of the traditional gallery-retail model, sets an ambitious stage. At Landmark Chater, museum-level exhibitions meet an intimate, impeccably edited retail experience, inviting seasoned collectors and curious newcomers alike into its orbit. Against this backdrop, A Vanitas enters with a confident step — but not without raising a few questions about the growing intersection of luxury, rebellion, and accessibility.
At its heart, A Vanitas draws inspiration from the 16th- and 17th-century Dutch tradition that meditates on life’s transience and fleeting pleasures. True to Martin’s signature philosophy — honed in the rigorous ateliers of Cartier — the collection trades in classic goldsmithing techniques while rejecting reverence for convention. Razor blade motifs, crafted in 18-carat yellow gold and punctuated with pavé sapphires in Sotheby’s iconic blue, offer a poetic (if well-trodden) commentary on mortality and beauty.
photo: @Hannah Martin and Guy Berryman at @Sotheby’s Maison
A signet ring, chain necklace, stud earring, and slender bangle form the core of this offering, exhibited alongside earlier yellow gold and pearl pieces from their inaugural 2023 collaboration. Berryman’s affinity for functional minimalism blends seamlessly with Martin’s subversive energy; the result is both polished and provocatively wearable.
Still, one cannot help but wonder: has the once-radical language of rebellion — skulls, blades, memento mori — grown just a little too comfortable within the plush confines of modern luxury? A Vanitas is exquisitely made, no doubt. But its ethos flirts dangerously with the familiar: rebellious aesthetics rendered safe, curated for palates already accustomed to “danger” as a design motif rather than a true philosophical stance.
photo: @Hannah Martin and Guy Berryman at @Sotheby’s Maison
To Sotheby’s credit, the Maison concept itself hints at a deeper willingness to disrupt. In an industry often accused of being slow to innovate, a physical space that straddles museum reverence and boutique intimacy feels refreshingly progressive. Within these walls, A Vanitas finds not just a platform, but a context that justifies its existence — a space where a razor blade can gleam not as an edgy provocation, but as an artifact of exquisite contemplation.
In the end, Martin and Berryman have crafted something undeniably covetable: jewellery that holds a mirror to life’s impermanence while still fitting neatly into a contemporary collector’s trove. It may not shock, but it does seduce — and in today’s luxury landscape, perhaps that is its own form of quiet rebellion.
