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Michelle Ong

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description Michelle Ong Overview

Michelle Ong is a fine jewelry designer based in Hong Kong who co-founded the jewelry brand Carnet alongside Avraham De Castro. She is known for her highly detailed, sculptural pieces that frequently incorporate pavé diamonds and elaborate motifs drawn from nature, such as butterflies and flora. Her creations primarily target the Asian haute joaillerie market, functioning as both wearable jewelry and collected art objects.

help Michelle Ong FAQ

What is Carnet, and how is Michelle Ong connected to it?

Carnet is the Hong Kong fine-jewelry house co-founded by Michelle Ong and gemstone specialist Avi Nagar. Ong serves as its creative director, developing each jewel from sketches and painted gouaches with the house's artisans.

Why does Michelle Ong use so many flowers, insects, and natural forms?

Nature gives Ong complex shapes through which she can arrange rose-cut diamonds, briolettes, jadeite, and colored gemstones. Her floral and animal pieces are highly detailed but designed to move naturally on the body rather than look like rigid miniature sculptures.

Was Michelle Ong's jewelry used in Crazy Rich Asians?

Yes, Carnet jewels appeared in the 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians, whose costumes emphasized the wealth and style of its Singaporean characters. Ong's pieces have also been worn publicly by figures including Michelle Yeoh, Kate Winslet, and Glenn Close.

Is there a book documenting Michelle Ong's Carnet jewelry?

Carnet by Michelle Ong, written by jewelry historian Vivienne Becker, surveys roughly two decades of Ong's work. The book was presented at Christie's in London in 2019 alongside a selection of Carnet jewels.