About
CINDY XU

Digital worlds to the outback

Cindy’s jewellery journey began not in a studio, but on a dusty road through the Australian outback. After relocating to Australia with her husband David, she was introduced to two of the country’s most extraordinary, lesser-known destinations: Lightning Ridge in New South Wales (the black opal capital of the world) and Coober Pedy in South Australia, a remote mining town famously described as the ‘opal capital of the world’.

For many visitors, these towns are curiosities at the edge of the map. For Cindy, they were revelations. She became immediately and deeply captivated by the opal gemstones and their history: stones that shimmered with vivid colours, each uniquely formed over millions of years. A fascination quickly grew into an obsession. She wanted to create jewellery worthy of these gems, pieces that would speak to a new generation of opal admirers.

Cindy credits much of her foundational knowledge to the miners and opal cutters of Lightning Ridge, a tight-knit community not easily won over by outsiders. Building those relationships required patience, dedication, and genuine respect for their craft. She has spent years visiting the region, earning trust not just through commerce, but by becoming a true ambassador for Australian opals on the world stage. Sometimes Cindy is the sole Australian representative at international jewellery exhibitions. Today, Cindy Xu Eternal Jewelry sources its exceptional opal stones directly from its own mines in Lightning Ridge, giving the brand complete control over the quality and provenance of every gem.

“After moving to Australia, I couldn’t find anything I was happy with in the opal jewellery stores, so I started designing my own. I believed there could be a much bigger appreciation of opal if it was presented at the level it deserves.”

Awards & achievements

Cindy Xu’s talent has not gone unnoticed. Her work has earned her significant recognition in some of the most prestigious jewellery competitions and forums in the world.

In 2019, her piece ‘Icy conversation’ took home the Jewellery Design Award at the Sydney International Jewellery Fair. This recognition marked her official arrival on the fine jewellery stage and validated the bold, unconventional direction she had chosen to take with Australian opals. The winning piece expresses a moment of enchanting dialogue between a fish and a polar bear, on a ever shrinking glacier. The urgency of their conversation echoes the fragile balance of our planet. The black opal intricately captures the essence of the ocean, while mother-of-pearl and diamonds symbolize the glaciers in their delicate splendour.

In 2024, Cindy claimed another major accolade: the Coloured Gems Design Award at Artistar Milano, presented during Milan Jewelry Week, one of the most internationally celebrated events in the global fine jewellery calendar. To win in Milan is to be recognised by the most discerning eyes in the industry. Notably, some of the designs submitted for competition had already been purchased by collectors, requiring Cindy to borrow them back temporarily, a testament to the desirability and market value of her creations.

The winning opal brooch ‘Whirlpool Stingray’ is a captivating blend of black opal, mother of pearl, and titanium, artistically arranged to resemble a stingray in the heart of a wave. The diamonds and mother of pearl intertwine to mimic the foamy waves of a whirlpool. Crafted from titanium, the piece is exceptionally lightweight to wear. It was inspired by Cindy’s trip to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and stands as a testament to her dedication to wildlife preservation.

Beyond her award-winning designs, Cindy has been invited to participate in some of the most prominent international jewellery exhibitions, including the Tucson International Jewelry Show, the Hong Kong International Jewelry Show, and the Beijing International Jewelry Show. She has received an exclusive feature interview with NHK Television in Japan, and her designs have been published in Vogue and Harper’s BAZAAR, placing her work in front of a global luxury audience.

Jewellery for wildlife conservation

For Cindy Xu, jewellery is never just decoration. Her work carries a deeper mission, one rooted in her love for the Australian landscape, its extraordinary wildlife, and the urgent need to protect all life on earth.

Travelling extensively across Australia with her husband, Cindy has developed a profound connection to the continent’s natural environment and the remarkable species that inhabit it. This connection is expressed directly through her designs. Her collections frequently feature depictions of endangered wildlife and native species, intricate portraits in opal, gold, and precious stones that tell stories of creatures too beautiful and too rare to disappear unnoticed.

Themes of biodiversity, climate change, and global warming are woven into the narrative of her work. Cindy sees each piece as a wearable statement, a quiet yet powerful form of advocacy. In her own words:

“You will see many of my designs depict wildlife and endangered species, and themes such as global warming. We have many life forms on our planet apart from ourselves, there is no other known life like ours in the universe, and it is too rare to be left unprotected. Through my pieces, I want to spread messages about these endangered species and wildlife that we should all appreciate and protect. We share this planet with them.”

Working with customers

Cindy Xu Eternal Jewelry is housed at Level 5, Suite 10A of the Dymocks Building, one of Sydney’s most iconic and storied addresses on George Street. The boutique is a sanctuary for those who appreciate the extraordinary, a curated space where the rarest Australian opals are presented as masterpieces.

The brand offers two distinct pathways for customers. Those drawn to Cindy’s existing works can choose from a rich collection of finished pieces, each one a resolved artistic vision, complete in itself. For those seeking something uniquely personal, Cindy offers a bespoke design service, working directly with the customer to select their opal and create a pieces that reflects their individual story, aesthetic, and aspirations. Whether it is a custom engagement ring, a statement necklace, or a generational heirloom to be passed from mother to daughter, Cindy guides the process from concept to completion with the intimacy and care of a true artisan.

Art collection

One of the most compelling aspects of Cindy Xu’s work, and one of the most important things her clients come to understand is that high-end opal jewellery is an investment. Lightning Ridge produces a finite and diminishing supply of the finest quality opals, meaning that exceptional pieces become more valuable over time. When paired with award-winning design and master craftsmanship, the resulting jewel transcends the category of luxury accessory entirely and enters the realm of collectible art, an asset with both aesthetic and financial value that appreciates with time.

Cindy’s vision for the future of her brand reflects this understanding. She is focused on creating increasingly exclusive, large-scale pieces using the highest-grade opals available, pieces that function as historical records, artistic statements, and rare artefacts simultaneously. As she herself has noted, her awarded designs have already proven their appreciation in value, with several pieces sold before competitions even concluded. 

“I see opal jewellery as a collectible artistic object, much like a high-value painting. One day, I would be honoured to have my pieces lent to museums for the world to see.” – Cindy Xu