Featuring our Whisper Ear Cuff, Whisper Ring and Arpo Ring.
Read the interview
Finding Beauty in the In-Between
There is something captivating about Graedance, a brand whose jewellery exists in the space between definitions, where identity remains fluid and boundaries dissolve. Founded by Rong Jake Chen, the brand transforms materials into sculptural forms that move naturally with the body, embracing change rather than permanence.
In this conversation with N13 Magazine, Rong speaks about the philosophy behind Graedance, the symbolism of water and silver, and why timeless design is often found in life's grey areas.
Graedance has developed a very distinctive visual language. What was the original vision behind the brand, and how has it evolved over time?
As a person who immigrated from China to Australia, I grew up without a clear sense of belonging to any single world. Over time, I realised that belonging wasn’t something I needed to chase. I began exploring the shades of grey between cultures and identities, and that exploration became a way of understanding who I am.
Graedance’s visual language reflects that ethos. We are drawn to uncommon forms, paths less travelled, and objects that exist between the familiar and the unknown. What began as a deeply personal story has become a shared language for people who live between definitions. The brand continues to evolve alongside that community and my own understanding of identity, culture, and expression.
Where do you draw your creative inspiration?
My inspiration often comes from looking at the spaces between things. I am fascinated by cross-cultural symbols and by the way the same object can carry entirely different meanings depending on where and how it exists.
Beyond that, I am also drawn to ideas that sit outside established expectations. Otherness plays an important role in my creative process. I translate it into sculptural objects that can appear familiar and slightly uncanny at the same time.
Are there particular materials, gemstones, or techniques that you feel best express the philosophy of Graedance?
Silver is the material that most clearly expresses our philosophy. It is soft enough to be coaxed into new forms and strong enough to retain its structure, while its appearance changes depending on how it is treated.
It also changes with its wearer. Over time, silver develops patina and subtle variations in colour that record the life of the object.
What does water symbolise to you personally, and have its qualities influenced your creative work?
Water represents adaptability and continual evolution. It is ever-changing and ever-present, qualities that closely reflect how we approach Graedance as a brand.
Silver embodies those same qualities. Our pieces often seem to move around the body, reflecting the people whose identities continue to evolve and who have learned to adapt through life.
Fluidity is central to Graedance. The name connects grey with dance. I chose dance because movement alone can communicate profound emotion.
How do you balance artistic expression with functionality and wearability?
My training is in contemporary menswear, where utility and longevity shape every design decision. That discipline makes me consider how an object interacts with the body.
Coming from a Chinese background has also shaped my understanding of value. I want an object to enhance the wearer’s identity and continue to hold meaning over time.
Without formal jewellery training, I have the freedom to approach it from a different perspective and challenge traditional ideas. This is evident in our adaptable rings and ear cuffs, such as Whisper and Arpo, which gently flex and mould to the body.
What role do craftsmanship and innovation play in your design process?
Innovation is central to how I design. For me, it begins with revisiting ideas that feel settled and asking how they might be understood or experienced differently. Simplicity, expressed through soft curves and balanced proportions that reveal themselves gradually, also plays an important role.
Our Interlude collections are a clear example. Each one examines symbols and jewellery traditions passed down through generations and reinterprets them through Graedance’s visual language. A symbol can continue gathering meaning long after a trend has passed, and that is where timelessness lives for me.
While innovation allows the work to continue evolving, craftsmanship gives it permanence. We work closely with experienced craftspeople who understand silver and its possibilities.
How do architecture, art, or nature influence your collections?
Architecture, art, and nature influence almost every aspect of the work. I love brutalism and have always been drawn to its simplicity and emotional power. Tadao Ando’s use of concrete, light, and shadow is especially inspiring because it shows how simple elements can create powerful spaces.
Surrealism is a core element of Graedance’s visual language. Leonora Carrington is particularly important to me because of the way she approaches mythology, identity, and transformation. Her work creates worlds in which meaning remains indeterminate and multiple realities can coexist.
Nature provides the foundation for everything. Our materials come from the earth, and many of our forms borrow from water, erosion, and organic growth.
Is there a piece or collection that holds a particularly special meaning for you?
Long Ocean, our second main collection, is probably the most personal. It emerged from a period in which I was examining what it meant to be a Chinese-born man and the cultural expectations attached to that identity. The creative process became a way of deciding what I wanted to carry forward and what I needed to unlearn.
What emotions or experiences do you hope people discover when wearing Graedance?
Connection is at the centre of what I hope people feel. The æ motif was created as a symbol of unity, inspired by shared experiences, overlapping identities, and the spaces between traditional categories.
I hope it can become a quiet signal through which people recognise one another. I want each wearer to feel confident in the parts of themselves that don’t fit simple labels and to see those differences as a source of strength and connection.
Looking ahead, what exciting projects or collections can we expect from Graedance in the near future?
We are currently developing our third main collection. The main collections give me the most creative freedom with form, materials, and ideas, so they are the closest reflection of my artistic vision. They play an important role in expanding Graedance’s visual world and shaping its identity.
We are continuing to explore collaborations with people and organisations across different creative industries. Previous projects, including our work with Chinatown Country Club and contemporary fashion labels, have shown how collaboration can create new conversations around objects.
If you could describe Graedance in just three words, what would they be, and why?
Liminal future talismans.
Liminal, because Graedance was born within the spaces between cultures, identities, and definitions. Future, because we are continually creating new forms, possibilities, and ways of expression that don’t fully exist yet.
Talismans, because I want each piece to carry memory. The jewellery should become something that is carried through life, gathering experiences and developing a meaning that only its wearer can fully understand.
Credits:
Interview Nigar Gahramanova
Photography Press materials
Nargis Magazine N13, Issue 146, September 2026
