A model wears a gold filigree bra, weighing 458.66 grams and designed by China’s Zhou Ningxin, during a gold jewellery design competition in Beijing March 28, 2007. Many people were surprised by this idea, however using gold and silver making ornaments and accouterment is an old craft in China.

Gold crown

In 1958, a gold crown was excavated at Ding Mausoleum, consisting of 13 tombs of the Ming Dynasty. It was made of 518 extremely thin gold threads of 0.2 cm in diameter. On the crown two dragons playing with pearl were carved and each squama was carefully inlaid. The technology of making this crown, is called “Huasi Xiangqian” ,or filigree inlays .

Filigree inlays, also called "refined metal crafts", are made of gold, silver and other materials inlaid with various kinds of precious stones, pearls, or woven patterns. They fall into two categories: filigree, where gold and silver are made into thin threads and then transformed into craftworks using such techniques as piling and weaving; and inlays, where thin gold and silver strips are hammered into wares, carved with decorative patterns and then inlayed with precious stones.