Solitaire International features the “iconoclast” Richard Wu and his “one-off, new-age” jewelry.
Richard Wuis the architect of the unexpected, and breaking the mould is second nature to him. His artistry lies in expressing his existential angst through one-off, new-age creations. Starting out as a traditional jade carver and engraver in Suzhou, China, and later learning cutting-edge jewellery-making techniques in Italy, Richard has absorbed the essence of both cultures and mastered the art of balance.
His stirring optical imagery is a rich tapestry woven from vulnerable memories, powerful emotions and profound messaging. Materials and gemstones take a backseat to the vivid, narrative-driven visual imagery that overpowers the senses.
The Bouncing Bangle: “I dreamt of an arm gently slipping into a bracelet, which looked as if it came from outer space—devoid of a clasp, without any support, appearing as effortless perfection,” Richard reveals. Bringing this dream to life took hundreds of trial-and-error iterations. Finally, the dream was realised as a bracelet—a silhouette as if woven out of thin air, suspended in a liminal space between substance and illusion. Richard sees it as a reflection of reality that dissolves into dreamlike ephemerality, jewellery shaped by soft, fragile structures. The metal bends under pressure but springs back, lending a unique tactile experience where strength hides within delicacy.Weaving Bangle Vo.3: Bamboo weaving remains a traditional craft in China, used even today to make bowls and baskets. Richard shares, “I’ve always been fascinated by traditional and cultural crafts. Bamboo is soft and organic, while metal is hard and cold—so I began to wonder, can I bring a sense of softness to metal?” Inspired by that question, he studied various bamboo weaving techniques and began applying them to titanium and gold. The piece is crafted from a combination of aluminium, titanium, and gold.
The Village Market 
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