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Andrea Lo

Torque-style jewellery – defined by its circular or oval silhouette, usually left open at the front, ending in ornamental spheres or gems perhaps – has a long history.
Some of the most recognisable torque motifs in high jewellery include Cartier’s Juste un Clou (meaning “just a nail”), envisioned as a nail bent into pieces of jewellery; Graff’s Laurence Graff Signature diamond bangles; and Tiffany & Co.’s T by Tiffany collection, with pieces finished with a “T” at each end.

While the style has been around for a long time, there’s a renewed focus on the form, says Chantel Shafie, founder of Hong Kong-based Chantel Shafie Jewellery. In April, the fine jewellery brand launched the Ravello Collection, which features earrings, necklaces, a ring, a bangle and – at the heart of it all – a torque collar that can be worn open or closed, with a spectacular five-carat emerald-cut diamond that can be detached and worn on a ring or bangle. “[The torque] is being reinterpreted in a more sculptural and refined way,” Shafie explains. “Clients are responding to pieces that feel complete in themselves rather than layered or overly decorative.”
Torque styles can feel more refined and contemporary, and that comes down to proportion and line, she notes. “A torque has a continuous curve and an open form that creates a natural sense of balance. It’s designed as a stand-alone piece – clean and minimal – rather than something to layer.”

In the Ravello collection, a graduated pavé – where the pavé-set stones subtly shift in size and density – creates a sense of movement, drawing the eye along the curve. The pavé is more concentrated at the ends, tapering into a fine line to trace the piece’s length. The removable central diamond in the torque collar requires a very precise hand-forged mechanism developed in Shafie’s Hong Kong atelier to be both secure and easy to wear, she says. “Versatility has always been important in my designs, and being able to wear a five-carat stone in different ways makes it far more usable.”
It has a deliberate opening, which creates both ease of wear and a certain quiet confidence in the design
Anastasia Gardner, Valentina Fine Jewellery
For Anastasia Gardner, founder of Hong Kong-based Valentina Fine Jewellery, torque bracelets are “about tension and restraint”, she says. “It’s not a closed circle; it has a deliberate opening, which creates both ease of wear and a certain quiet confidence in the design.” It’s never overly engineered or bulky, she adds. “The line is clean, the gold has weight, and the ends, whether set with diamonds or [other] gemstones, feel considered rather than decorative. It’s a balance between structure and softness, which is what makes it so wearable.”

Valentina is particularly known for its bespoke engagement rings. One of the brand’s signatures is the Toi et Moi torque ring, which wraps the finger in an open, bypass curve. It pairs diamonds with coloured gemstones, like emeralds or sapphires. The design “creates something that feels instantly alive on the wrist”, says Gardner.
Beyond rings, Valentina Fine Jewellery also offers other pieces, such as torque-style diamond tennis bangles. “While engagement rings are often the starting point, many of our clients come back to mark what happens after: anniversaries, the birth of a child and other personal milestones that feel just as significant. Torque bracelets have naturally evolved from that,” says Gardner.

Customers’ shifting desires have given rise to the trend, say both designers. “Hong Kong will always have an appetite for recognisable luxury, but increasingly, more design-aware clients are layering in non-branded, design-led pieces, creating a mix that feels personal rather than purely brand-led,” Gardner explains. “Torque bracelets sit perfectly in that space; they’re recognisable to those who understand jewellery and add a playful sense of individuality and contrast.”
Importantly, torque designs transition well between contexts, worn with a watch during the day, say, then layered into a more considered wrist stack for the evening. “That versatility matters,” says Gardner.
For Shafie, there is a broader move towards jewellery that feels more complete on its own. The rise of gold prices also plays a part: “People are becoming more intentional in how they buy. There is a greater focus on quality and substance, choosing pieces that feel as considered and substantial as what they cost,” she says.
“It’s about creating jewellery that feels lasting, rather than something that depends on styling to work.”


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Luxury

Bold, sculptural torque jewellery is enjoying a revival – minimalist, versatile and redefining modern luxury with timeless wearability


Bold, sculptural torque jewellery is enjoying a revival – minimalist, versatile and redefining modern luxury with timeless wearability.


Torque jewellery refined, from Cartier to Hong Kong’s Chantel Shafie

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Bold, sculptural torque jewellery is enjoying a revival – minimalist, versatile and redefining modern luxury with timeless wearability

Bold, sculptural torque jewellery is enjoying a revival – minimalist, versatile and redefining modern luxury with timeless wearability