Creating elegant pieces of art that tell personal stories

A customer examines a ring made by One Art Jewelry, a custom jewelry company based in Beijing.[ZHANG WEI/CHINA DAILY]

It was on Oct 31, 2015, the eve of her 30th birthday, that Tong Xin told Liu Yu, "I wish the feelings I have today could be transformed into a piece of jewelry that could be passed on to future generations."

Inspired by her words, Liu designed a stunning pair of gold earrings, with the numbers "1031" and the initials "TX" emblazoned on them.

Natural diamonds and pearls added to their beauty, making them elegant pieces of art.

Liu is the owner of One Art Jewelry, a custom jewelry company she set up with a partner last October, one of many startups that have opened up across the nation in the past few years.

A former teacher, Liu has some experience in art.

Liu says her company is gaining popularity among young people who like its personalized products, quality and affordability.

At One Art Jewelry, the ordering process starts with a story.

Like Tong, customers are asked to share their stories with a designer, who would then figure out the key words and select the most suitable product, such as earrings, necklaces or bracelets, to personalize the jewelry.

The final product would reflect a person's love or vision. The average age of Liu's customers is 25.

The price ranges from 200 yuan ($30) to 2,000 yuan. For customers in Beijing, the studio also offers complementary photo shoots.

"We invite customers to tell their own stories so that we can create a tangible memory for them," Liu said.

"It takes more time to make one piece like this," she said referring to Tong's earrings.

Another designer who is also attracting a lot of attention is Cao Hui.

She runs Gemoiselle, a company offering diamond and gemstone jewelry as well as customization. Cao has been in the business since 2000 when she started out as a diamond wholesaler.

She began offering customization in 2012.

The company also restores old jewelry.

Last year, Gemoiselle had a turnover of about 10 million yuan ($1.5 million).

Though the customization offered by One Art Jewelry and Gemoiselle differ, they have many similarities. Both have small workshops, small number of staff and offer exclusive designs.

They also promote themselves through word of mouth.

Both Liu and Cao believe that jewelry have immeasurable significance as people are emotionally attached to them.

Educated at the Academy of Art and Design in Beijing and at the University of London, where she majored in Asian arts, Cao is familiar with the texture and design of different kinds of jewels.

In addition, she was awarded the Diamond Grading and Color Stone Grading Diploma from the Gemological Institute of America.

Thanks to her experience, Cao says she can find ways to import jewels without middlemen, so that she can keep the price of Gemoiselle products low.

For designers like Liu and Cao, producing a piece of work is a process of getting to know others.

"The service we offer is not only about products but also about a kind of spirit," said Liu.

"We hope that customers can share their stories with us, and we will be responsible for every piece of work we make."

Jing Shuiyu contributed to this story.