A Vanitas: Hannah Martin and Guy Berryman’s Sapphire-Studded Collaboration Debuts at Sotheby’s Maison Hong Kong
April 11th, 2025 — When a chance in-flight sighting between British jeweller Hannah Martin and Coldplay’s Guy Berryman sparked a conversation, few could have predicted the result would one day shimmer under the polished lights of Sotheby’s Maison Hong Kong. But that’s exactly where the A Vanitas Collection—their collaborative fine jewellery line—has landed, debuting this month as a Hong Kong exclusive at Sotheby’s Landmark Chater location.
This latest chapter in the A Vanitas narrative introduces a capsule collection featuring pavé blue sapphires, marrying Martin’s subversive craftsmanship with Berryman’s conceptual fashion vision. Uniting Dutch vanitas symbolism with rock-and-roll intensity, the collection positions itself unapologetically at the intersection of luxury, legacy, and provocation.
Craftsmanship Meets Counterculture
The new pieces—a signet ring, chain necklace, stud earring, and bangle—reimagine the razor blade motif in 18-carat yellow gold, set with shimmering blue sapphires inspired by Sotheby’s own signature hue. It’s a compelling contrast of fragility and permanence, created not simply to be worn, but to provoke thought.
Martin, known for her training at Cartier’s prestigious Parisian ateliers and her rejection of jewellery’s traditional boundaries, brings a technically precise yet emotionally charged sensibility to the line. For Berryman, founder of the minimalist fashion label APPLIED ART FORMS, the collaboration is an extension of his design philosophy—one rooted in narrative, structure, and a touch of rebellion.
“The debut collection at Hong Kong's Sotheby's Maison embodies the essence of A Vanitas, blending heritage with avant-garde elements inspired by the Dutch vanitas tradition. We sought to create objects that not only adorn but also ignite conversations about the beauty of seizing the moment.”
Hannah Martin, Founder of Hannah Martin Jewellery
A Sotheby’s Setting Unlike Any Other
The launch takes place inside Sotheby’s Maison, a boutique-meets-museum concept that redefines luxury retail in Asia’s most dynamic city. Occupying two floors, the space pairs immersive, gallery-style experiences with an elevated retail salon, designed to entice both emerging collectors and seasoned aficionados.
Paul Redmayne, Senior Vice President for Luxury Sales at Sotheby’s, praised Martin’s fearless aesthetic and the electric synergy of the collaboration:
“It is the singular energy of positivity and love, deeply embedded in her practice, that we are excited to share with audiences in Hong Kong.”
Paul Redmayne, Senior Vice President for Luxury Sales at Sotheby’s
Alongside the new sapphire-laced editions, Sotheby’s will also showcase pieces from the original 2023 A Vanitas launch, featuring gold and pearl creations that established the line’s reputation for philosophical depth and material boldness.
Explore the Latest in the World of Jewellery:
A Limited-Edition Legacy
More than adornment, A Vanitas is a study in duality—life and death, permanence and flux, past and future. It’s heirloom jewellery, rewritten for those who disrupt rather than inherit. And as it lands in Hong Kong this month, the message is clear: in a world that too often clings to convention, there’s space—and demand—for pieces that challenge, celebrate, and speak louder than words.
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