Fei Liu’s Imperfection necklace sold at Christie’s

The one-of-a-kind creation with antique aquamarine marks the jeweller’s new venture into couture jewellery

By Amy Wakeham

A dazzling 50.25-carat Edwardian aquamarine is the centrepiece of a couture jewellery creation that was just sold at Christie’s New York Jewels Auction. The elongated gemstone drops from a platinum circlet formed from black and white mother-of-pearl and diamond feathers, which wrap around the neck in an asymmetric spiral that mimics those present in the natural world. 

The Imperfection neckpiece was designed by couture jeweller Fei Liu, and featured at the auction alongside jewels by Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Graff. It sold for $44,450, and can be worn as both a necklace and as a detachable brooch.

“Imperfection was created to honour the quiet beauty found in asymmetry and nuance,” says Liu. “I wanted the piece to celebrate the natural rhythms that don’t mirror perfectly – the way feathers shift in motion, the way contrast gives life its character.”

The Fei Liu Imperfection necklace’s detachable brooch.

A new direction

In 2025 Liu made a significant strategic shift towards high jewellery, closing his wholesale silver business to focus on bespoke commissions and collector-led art pieces.

He announced the change of direction with the unveiling of the Imperfection necklace, an ambitious, one-of-a-kind piece that showcases his artistic ambition and technical capabilities as a jeweller.

Jewellery designer Fei Liu.

Find out more about Fei Liu’s work at feiliufinejewellery.com

Main image: Imperfection couture jewellery necklace with detachable brooch, by designer Fei Liu.