To know Ming Lampson is to understand her jewels. Ming has an otherworldly air which flows through her exquisite creations. Ming's jewels are exotic yet serene, unexpected but perfectly composed, opulent and joyous, yet timeless. An Art Deco mood runs through her work, contrasting with her urban inspirations, particularly her Notting Hill neighbourhood with its urban grit, multi-ethnicity, colourful carnival, iconic skateboard park, and a landmark looming flyover – and a dose of her family's links to Hong Kong, where she was born and the origin of her name. Ming was trained in jewellery making in India and lived in Sri Lanka and Thailand, and the experience still colours her life.
Celebrating 25 years of making one-of-a-kind jewels, Ming has created 25 pieces in her Talbot Road workshop in the heart of Notting Hill that reflect the originality and subtlety of her approach. In fact, you may never have seen a Ming jewel, as she mainly works on private commissions and, once a decade —if we are lucky, a perfectly formed mini-collection will emerge. A hallmark of Ming's work is her love of gemstones and her ability to highlight their beauty in jewels that, for this reason, are far greater than the sum of their worth.
The Lapis Lazuli necklace was one of my favourites – and nowhere near the most valuable - but so unprecedented it mesmerised me with its glamorous take on gangland's outsized chain. The Lapis necklaces have the X factor, not just of defying convention but of manufacturing methods, as I tried to understand how the jewel was made. Ming says: 'I want to make a jewel look as if it's come together by magic.' The magic is in the detail, as the chunky links are made of perfectly fused, alternating sections of lapis lazuli and turquoise ceramicthat whisper Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, with west London swagger.
Hip-hop cool meets Art Deco elegance in a daring mix of references, materials, and volumes in the Westside necklace, inspired by the music scene. Made of platinum and channel-set with 31.82 carats of diamonds and 16.7 carats of emeralds, the necklace is an inspired fusion of past and present, pulled off with Ming's signature effortless elegance.
The Skateboard Ring is Ming all over. A precious 5.68-carat yellow sapphire doubles as the deck of a skateboard with diamonds for wheels. Likewise, a 10.82-carat aquamarine is held in place by gold girders that echo the shape of arches of the famous London flyover that runs across Portobello Road. The life of the Portobello Road market is represented by pink sapphires set underneath the aquamarine.
Ming fearlessly mixes high and low: exceptional stones honour popular street themes as seen in the Opal Masquerade earrings. The exquisite and rare Australian opals, framed with sparkling blue sapphires, evoke the elaborate wire frames that support the feathered costumes of the carnival queens.
I have left the best to the last, as the Snuff ring is remarkable in its use of the most valuable materials in Ming's signature restrained style. Inspired by snuff boxes used by the Kangxi Emperor and Chinese coins with a square opening, the ring expresses the balance and unity beloved by the Ancient Chinese. In Ming's words, this ring blends history with craftsmanship in a masterpiece of quiet storytelling.
Ming is currently in residency at Harvey Nichols until 24 December 2025, giving Londoners — and anyone visiting the city during the festive season — a rare chance to see these one-of-a-kind jewels up close.
