Shanghai has seen the latest in platinum jewellery designs hit the catwalk, in a dazzling new display of pieces from some of the world's top designers.

Shanghai Exhibition Centre played host to jewellery designers from Italy, Japan, South Africa and China, as the Platinum Guild International (PGI) event showcased the precious metals allure.

One of the leading features of the show was an appearance by Hong Kong star Maggie Cheung, who sported a US$250,000 "Aqua" necklace.

The piece designed by Orlando Orlandini encompassed a mass of platinum droplets combined with diamonds, but was commissioned purely as a demonstration and is not for sale.

Orlandini spent a year in his Italian studio working on the necklace and singled out platinum as his favourite precious metal to work with.

PGI's chief executive James Courage, described Aqua as an "icon jewel", telling Shanghai Daily that it combined "the values, symbols and emotions perceived by consumers worldwide as applying to platinum".