When I was first given this commission, I began the way I always do: by getting to know the women I was designing for.

Jewellery designed for diplomacy must be more than beautiful. It must be considered — reflective of the wearer's position, her culture, and the relationship being honoured. So I studied photographs of HRH Princess Hitachi and Mrs Kishida at their diplomatic engagements. What I saw was clear: two women who were simultaneously powerful and feminine, precise in their choices, drawn to pieces with meaning behind them.

Lechelle Petite has long been known for our direct access to Japanese Akoya pearls — and I knew both women had a deep appreciation for them. But for a diplomatic gift that would travel between Singapore and Japan, I wanted to choose a stone that spoke across both cultures. I chose jadeite.

Jadeite is precious across borders. Its quiet luminosity is a gentle challenger to the pearl's brilliance — regal without demanding attention. For Mrs Kishida, I chose apple green jadeite drops: youthful, luminous, and perfectly suited to daytime diplomatic life. For HRH Princess Hitachi, something more extraordinary: double white sapphire drops, cut to carry the depth and movement of diamonds, befitting the cultural icon she is.

Diplomacy is built on shared appreciation — for how our histories meet, for what each nation has made of itself. These pieces were designed in that spirit.

We were honoured to learn, a year later, that the gifts were loved and treasured. They became the foundation of what is now our signature Poised Elegance collection — worn across four continents, and still being made today.

Images used with permission from the Imperial Office: HRH Princess Hitachi of Japan.