The jewelry designer Wallace Chan began as a gemstone carver in 1973 at the age of 16. An artist and innovator, his curiosity and thirst for knowledge led to his creation of numerous innovations, including and an illusionary three-dimensional carving technique he invented in 1987 named The Wallace Cut, mastery of titanium in jewelry making, patented jadeite luminosity-enhancing technology, the invention of elaborate gemstone settings without metal claws, the Secret Abyss, and The Wallace Chan Porcelain—a material five times stronger than steel.
“Half a Century” at Shanghai Museum East, 2024, courtesy of Wallace Chan.
In addition to creating innovations and techniques to further the jewelry industry, his work can be seen in the permanent collections of the Shanghai Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Long Museum, the British Museum, the Capital Museum in Beijing, and the Ningbo Museum. Chan has also presented solo exhibition of his work at Pieta Chapel (Venice, 2024), the Shanghai Museum (Shanghai, 2024), Christie’s (Hong Kong, 2019; Shanghai, 2020 and 2021; London, 2023); Canary Wharf (London, 2022); Fondaco Marcello (Venice, 2021 and 2022); Asia House (London, 2019); the Gemological Institute of America Museum (Carlsbad, 2011); the Ningbo Museum (Ningbo, 2010), the Capital Museum (Beijing, 2010); the Kaohsiung Museum of History (Taiwan, 1999); and Deutsches Edelsteinmuseum (Idar-Oberstein, 1992).
For Hong Kong Art Week, Chan shares with Whitewall his top tips on exploring the city, from where to gain inspiration and see art to what he recommends you order at his favorite dim sum spot.
“Half a Century” at Shanghai Museum East, 2024, courtesy of Wallace Chan.
WHITEWALL: Where is the best spot to find inspiration in Hong Kong?
WALLACE CHAN: Inspiration is everywhere. In a glint of light on concrete, in the rhythm of footsteps echoing through a back alley. But when I seek to listen more deeply, I walk to the cemetery above Happy Valley. It’s not about sadness, it’s about space. The city feels distant there, as if you’ve stepped outside time. The light becomes your teacher. Shadows stretch in quiet conversations, and forms begin to speak. Among the stones, I often find the beginnings of shapes, of thoughts—like sculptures waiting inside silence.
“It’s not about sadness, it’s about space”
–Wallace Chan
WW: Where is the best off-the-beaten-path place to see art in Hong Kong?
WC: There is a quiet resonance in the old Police Married Quarters on Hollywood Road—PMQ. While many know of it, few truly see it. Beneath its surface, emerging artists carve their souls into canvas, metal, and sound. Art here is not confined to frames. It leaks from the stairwells, it pulses in forgotten studios. Sometimes, the elevator becomes a portal. The old bones of the structure hold onto history, while the young artists inside shape the future. Creativity here is raw—still searching, still transforming.
“Art here is not confined to frames”
–Wallace Chan
WW: What is the best-kept secret in Hong Kong?
WC: Luk Yu Tea House is no secret, but even open secrets can hold sacred magic. Beneath its old-world patina and mirrored walls, time moves slowly, like tea cooling in porcelain. It is my favorite place for dim sum, a ritual more than a meal. You must pre-order the sticky rice chicken. What arrives is alchemy: crispy, fragrant, folded with memory, but unlike the usual “sticky rice chicken” most Hong Kong people know.
Insider Wallace Chan’s Best of Hong Kong
1. The Hong Kong Cemetery
Courtesy of Hong Kong Cemetary.
“Founded in 1845, it is the oldest western cemetery in Hong Kong. It is one of several other cemeteries located side by side along Wong Nai Chung Road, namely: the Muslim Cemetery, Roman Catholic Cemetery, Hindu Temple and the Parsee Cemetery, each representing different religions of Hong Kong. Further up Happy Valley is the Jewish Cemetery. Of course, the main attraction is the historic stone monuments and graves which present a colourful picture of the personalities in old Hong Kong who have contributed to its success over 150 years. But there is much more than graves here!” via HK Cemetary
2. Police Married Quarters
Courtesy of Police Married Quarters.
“PMQ, Police Married Quarters, is a revitalization project initiated by the HKSAR Government in 2009. With more than a century of history and counting, the site first served as the Central School’s campus, then as the dormitory for rank-and-file police officers and today, a creative landmark.” via PMQ
3. Luk Yu Tea House
Luk Yu Tea House, photo by Stephanie Teng.
“Large numbers of both regulars and tourists come to Luk Yu Tea House for the traditionally prepared and flavoursome dim sum, and its three floors fill up quickly. The animated atmosphere and subtle colonial decoration are appealing but no one really stays too long; the serving team in white jackets have seen it all before and go about their work with alacrity. Popular dishes are crispy deep fried chicken and fried noodles with sliced beef.” via Michelin Guide
