The Overview

Long a gem-trading hub, Bangkok is now home to some of Asia’s most innovative jewelry designers. “We wanted to redefine what made in Thailand means,” says K.K. Chin, one half of the husband-and-wife team behind Tête-à-Tête, a four-year-old brand based in the city that produces timeless, gem-encrusted baubles.

When it comes to designing, their heritage—Chin is Malaysian-Chinese while wife Katherine Amatavivadhana is Thai British—plays a central role. The pair came up with the concept of their best-selling “Dim Sum” collection while having, you guessed it, dim sum with friends. The collection consists of rings fashioned out of oversized gems—amethyst, blue topaz, moonstone—set on silken cords, a nod to traditional Chinese knots. The rings are meant to be worn together: “It’s the essence of dim sum,” says Chin, a gemologist by training, “It’s all about mixing and matching.” Other collections also reference their backgrounds: “Lotus Life” draws on Buddhist beliefs while their clever “Circle” ring—it can be worn three ways—alludes to Chinese symbolism.

Address:
Available at Code 10 (Siam Paragon) and Thailand Creative & Design Center (Emporium) in Bangkok

Website: tetejewellers.com