Kevin Kwan took his best naps in jewelry stores.
This was decades before Mr. Kwan, 50, wrote his new novel “Lies and Weddings”; before the three books in his “Crazy Rich Asians” trilogy became bestsellers; before it was announced that Jon M. Chu, the director of the film “Crazy Rich Asians,” would also direct the Broadway adaptation. It was even earlier Mr. Kwan’s previous job was as a photo editor for Elizabeth Taylor’s 2002 book “My Love Affair With Jewelry.”
“In the strangest way, jewelry has always been a part of my life,” Mr. Kwan said recently during a video call. He recalled being “dragged to jewelry stores all over the world” by his mother, grandmother and aunts. He grew up helping these women choose gemstones – and occasionally falling asleep under the counters of stores.
In “Lies and Weddings,” characters gossip about a set of mothball-sized pearls, so big they cost millions or are fake. Descriptions of jewelry have become such a trademark of Mr. Kwan’s writings, he said, that strangers will often approach him to show off their jewelry.
In this interview, which has been edited and condensed, Mr. Kwan discussed his own jewelry — specifically an Art Deco imperial jade ring that he does not wear but has kept close to his heart since it was passed down. to the author by an aunt who helped him develop his love of writing.
Talk about this ring.
The ring was my grandmother’s: a diamond-shaped imperial jade piece, flanked on each side by three small diamonds. What really gives it its Art Deco style is the silver band; it has these details that look like a ribbon tied up. I think a jeweler could describe it better.
When I opened the box for the first time and saw the ring, I gasped because it was a huge piece of imperial jade. They say that jade should be worn against your body because it reacts to the oils and heat, even turning greener the longer you wear it. This ring was so beautiful, intense green.
Which grandmother did this ring belong to? And how was it passed on to you?
My paternal grandmother. Her name was Egan Oh. She gave it to my aunt, her middle daughter, whose name was Mary Kwan. And then Mary left it to me in her will. Mary unfortunately passed away unexpectedly a few years ago. So it’s beautiful, but also bittersweet, because in a way I wish I had never had this ring. But in another sense, it really connects me to my heritage in a very meaningful way.
Did you know this piece existed before you received it?
I was fortunate enough to see some pieces owned by my grandmother, but never owned anything until I received this ring years later. It is very special because it is the only connection I have with her and with a world that actually no longer exists. Singapore was in its heyday in the 1930s; she would dress up and had these amazing clothes and the most amazing shoes from Paris. That world and its opulence and friendliness are gone. Everything now revolves around athleisure and quiet luxury.
What is also very meaningful to me about this ring is that it was passed down from my grandmother to my favorite aunt. We were super close. We used to live in the same house, with my grandparents. She really taught me a love of reading and writing and challenged me.
Do you ever wear the ring?
It spends most of its life in a vault. But it is deeply symbolic and it is reassuring to know where it is. I also don’t wear jewelry at all. I’d rather not have displays of anything flashy. I’m like my aunt in that respect. I don’t wear visible brands.
But I’m not against wearing a jade ring with diamonds, and I actually think it would be cool to wear it one day. Harry Styles wears pearls, right?
Do you plan to pass it on?
I am merely its steward for this generation. I am not pharaoh. I don’t believe in burying cherished possessions with me. And objects also take on a life of their own for me. They’re supposed to have a different life than you, right? And at the end of the day, they’re just things. For me, it is the meaning and memories that I attach to the ring. Those are the most important things, and they will stay with me forever.
