GBA Lifestyle News
An elevator convo with Tracy Wong. See here for more from our Next Up series.
What do you do?
I’m a freelance lifestyle photographer and the co-founder of jewelry brand TRACE. Our mission is to refresh the image of jade jewelry with modern, elegant designs.
How does your business work?
TRACE is mainly an e-commerce jewelry shop. Our customers can order directly through our online catalog, or they can contact us to request custom designs. In terms of a physical presence, we have a private showroom in Sheung Wan that is open by appointment only. Every few months we also host pop-ups and collaborations to have a more interactive environment for our clients.
How did your business get started?
My co-founder is my cousin, who has over seven years of experience as a fine jeweler. TRACE is a way for us to continue our family tradition in jade jewelry. Our family store was originally started by our grandfather in the 1950s, and it was where we spent much of our childhood. Once the idea was born, we sourced our materials through the family store and launched the online platform in four months. Our first collection was the Cushion Collection, which featured jade stones in a cushion cut. It’s a shape familiar to diamond lovers, yet novel in the jade world.
Who are your clients?
Our clients range from one-year-olds to 70-year-olds. They come from Hong Kong, Singapore, the United States — all over the world. Some of them come to us with a great passion for jade already, while a lot of them purchase their first pieces with us.
What’s a day in your working life like?
We are a small team, so each person wears many hats. Most of the time I am in charge of marketing and operations. That includes putting together social media content, customer service e-mails, and planning pop-ups, as well as organizing our orders and managing the website.
Where do you see your business in future?
Jade is an important legacy in our family and in Chinese culture, so I want our brand to continue for generations to come. I hope to keep pushing jade into the modern era, and build a worldwide audience with a strong appreciation for its beauty.
