Silk Road is part of a wave of partnerships being forged between western jewellery houses and Asian companies, whether in the form of designer collaborations or corporate acquisitions.

Market research provider Euromonitor predicts that China’s $90bn jewellery retail market will grow 22 per cent over the next five years, which is a bright spot compared with a 15 per cent decline for the $59bn US market and a 4 per cent increase for western Europe’s $27bn market over the same period.

Chinese consumers are driving the creative impetus. In 2015, one of Guo Pei’s Chinese “VIP customers” commissioned a wedding dress and wanted Chopard to make the matching jewellery, she says, inspiring the Silk Road collection. Pieces include a vivid necklace, earring and ring set with coloured stones such as chalcedony, chrysoprase and mandarin garnets, while a titanium and white gold “secret” watch (with the face concealed) comes with black opal, emeralds and jade, and a pink mother-of-pearl and chalcedony dial. Chopard co-president and artistic director Caroline Scheufele says she chose gems that Asian people loved. Last month Chopard launched on JD.com, a Chinese internet retailer with 258m active users.

Crystal specialists Swarovski ventured into a similar partnership in 2013. It opened its first Asia-Pacific office in 2012, in Singapore, and a year later launched a jewellery collaboration exclusive to the region. Created by Atelier Swarovski — its luxury accessory range which partners with outside designers — and Beijing-based couturier Wang Peiyi, the 10-piece collection recalled broken mirrors. Follow-up collaborations include lines with Ye Mingzi, known for her evening- and bridalwear, and avant-garde fashion designer Masha Ma, a Central Saint Martins graduate who shows at Paris Fashion Week.

entering China is only the first step, however. “Working in China can be a mystery for many brands,” says Lisa Tse, chief executive of her eponymous luxury branding agency, whose clients include both western companies looking to build a stronghold in China and wealthy Chinese individuals. “Unless you are out [in China] and know people who can get you through the door, it’s not a case of just walking over there with a big budget, hoping that something will hit. It’s a lot about relationships and image-building.”

There are many mistakes awaiting the unwary. Take the simple task of translating one’s brand name into Chinese. A common mistake, says Ms Tse, is misinterpretations of meanings, which can result in ridicule by Chinese audiences. Ms Tse cites a German luxury carmaker that translated its western name phonetically into Chinese, but soon realised it meant “rushing to your death”.

Another mistake is viewing Chinese customers as a homogeneous market. “There are huge cultural differences,” says Ms Tse. “Malaysian families, for example, are very different from those in Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong. Understanding that nuance is a challenge for many brands.” Brands should also consider how they welcome the large number of Chinese travelling abroad to buy luxury goods. The number of wealthy Chinese is on the rise: according to a recent report by consultants Bain & Co and China Merchants Bank, China’s rich (those with at least $1.5m in investable assets) have grown more than eightfold in the past decade to nearly 1.6m individuals.

Ms Tse observes two different groups of Chinese gem buyers. On one side are affluent twenty-something consumers who like western brands.

The second group is an older generation where “tradition, symbolism and superstition can play a part in purchasing decisions”, says Ms Tse. There is also a focus on relationships — often the clients know the jewellers personally — and creating bespoke, heirloom pieces. “We’re talking a very high level,” says Ms Tse. “They are less fazed by any kinds of fads or marketing gimmicks.”