Quote, unquote.

 

How To Navigate Hong Kong Like A Billionaire: Things To Know Before You Go

The rules of engagement for those who require the finest of everything — and know exactly how to find it.

There is a particular kind of city that understands money without being embarrassed by it. Not the brash, neon-soaked ambition of a city still proving itself, nor the studied indifference of one that has forgotten what hunger feels like. Hong Kong is something rarer: a metropolis that has spent nearly two centuries perfecting the art of making the ultra-wealthy feel not merely accommodated, but understood.

Read the entire feature here at RobbReport.in

Runway cover shoot outtakes: Taner S

Taner S, (Agency Model One in Hong Kong) in one of a dozen shoots.

As budgets dwindled, ended up doing this shoot in my then living room. My usual dream team behind the scenes, Karen, Tasha, etc.  

Taner from Turkey is the most successful male model strutting around the island (he's also a DJ now) and shows no signs of slowing down with 20+ years in the biz.  For an advertorial, had to create a deck and pitch the man to an advertising client - so you can read up on him here.

 

Oh Calcutta!

 

Sometimes the simplest shot, can simply be the greatest.

Outfit Nikhil Thampi. 

Bao Bao Wan: Designer, Socialite, and Globe-Trotting Fashionista

Over the years covering Society in Hong Kong, have run into the petite and precious Bao Bao Wan several times and been amazed at her personal style, sartorial selects and the dazzling - and more importantly - unique jewellery. Mustered up some courage to go up and chat with her and she informed  me that most of her accessories were her own creation. Even in this above pic of what looks like the silhouette of a classic 'jhumka'. But its not. More of a flat inlay than the traditional, Indian bulbous silhouette, the designer created a gemstone studded accessory to accentuate her perfect profile. 

In fact, a profile of Bao Bao is the need of the hour. For the new viewers, Bao Bao Wan (Wan Baobao or Wan Yingnü), born in Beijing around 1981, is a prominent Chinese jewelry designer, socialite, and international style icon. As the granddaughter of Wan Li - former Vice Premier and Chairman of the National People’s Congress - she grew up in the privileged yet sheltered confines of Zhongnanhai, the elite government compound in Beijing. This “red princess” background provided cultural depth but also fueled her desire for independence.

At 16, she left China for the United States, studying at The Masters School in New York and later pursuing photography and French literature at Sarah Lawrence College. She apprenticed with photographer Joel Sternfeld and spent time in Paris deepening her French studies and artistic sensibilities. These experiences profoundly shaped her creative voice, blending Western artistry with Chinese heritage. In 2006–2007, she earned her GIA Graduate Gemologist diploma in Hong Kong and founded Bao Bao Wan Fine Jewelry.

Her designs are whimsical, narrative-driven, and deeply personal. Collections draw from childhood memories - pagodas where she played, bicycles on Tiananmen Square, pandas, ink brushes, and butterflies - fusing traditional Chinese motifs (treasure vases, architecture, nature) with contemporary flair. Fine jewelry lines feature high-end diamonds, pearls, and gemstones, while the accessible “And The Little Ones” series offers playful diamond pavé pendants (cameras, owls, sweets) ideal for everyday wear. Pieces like those in the “China” and “Bon Bon” collections freeze moments of emotion, nostalgia, and motion, reflecting her reaction to China’s rapid change. Her work is stocked at Lane Crawford, Harrods, and matchesfashion.com.

As a globe-trotting fashionista, Bao Bao Wan is a fixture on the international scene. She was the first Chinese debutante at Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris (2003), attends Met Gala, Paris Fashion Week (often front-row), and jet-sets between Beijing, Hong Kong (her business base), New York, Paris, and beyond. Her eclectic personal style shifts effortlessly - from red-carpet glamour to casual sporty looks—embodying a modern, liberated Chinese woman.

With over a million Weibo followers, collaborations (YOOX, St. Regis as its first Chinese Connoisseur, Swarovski), and celebrity fans, Bao Bao Wan represents the gilded fusion of legacy, creativity, and global sophistication. Her bespoke jewelry doesn’t just adorn - it tells stories of identity, beauty, and cultural pride. Standing out is easy when you're born with pulchritude and a visage meant to be photographed, but its the curated glimmer of her rare and precious accessories that makes her stand out even in the dark. 

Chow Tai Fook is trying to Usher in in Golden Era of Chinese Luxury with Hong Kong Flagship Opening: But is it working?!

In a dazzling display of heritage, craftsmanship, and cultural confidence, Chow Tai Fook officially opened its first global flagship store on Canton Road in Hong Kong earlier this year.

Though the store opened on 18 May 2026, we finally went down for a first look at the brand which now positions the iconic Chinese jewellery house as a formidable force on the international luxury stage. 

My erstwhile publisher confided that he didn't see it as a high-end luxury brand and we don't really need to cover it. 

Boy was he wrong! 

More than just a retail launch, the opening celebrated 97 years of artistry while reaffirming gold’s enduring status as both a cultural treasure and a rock-solid investment. 

The “Home of Chow Tai Fook,” as the flagship is aptly named, transforms a prime Tsim Sha Tsui location into a sophisticated showcase of oriental elegance and contemporary vision. At its heart stands the breathtaking Ginkgo Gold Tree [above main image], making its Hong Kong debut. Weighing an impressive 40,000 grams and rising 2.1 metres tall, this masterpiece features 3,500 hand-sculpted golden leaves, each carrying wishes of fulfilment and joy. Created in 2016 by nearly 50 master craftsmen over some 60,000 hours, the tree employs traditional clay sculpting, mould casting, and delicate gold leaf application. 

Greeting guests at the entrance, it bathes the ceremony of arrival to the property in a warm, luminous glow - a living emblem of prosperity and endurance. 

At the grand opening, global brand ambassador Yang Yang led the star-studded celebration, resplendent in designs from the Dawn Collection. Inspired by Tang Dynasty four-petal flower motifs and accented with black enamel, the pieces captured a quiet strength and modern oriental sensibility. Joining him was Seulgi of K-pop sensation Red Velvet, whose surprise appearance in a matching Dawn necklace and earrings catered to a younger audience, dazzling for those influenced by the K-pop sensation. 

Hong Kong talents added further lustre: Will Or, Louise Wong, Mandy Tam, Amy Lo, and Feanna Wong each showcased different collections, from the geometric Lattice series to the fluid Hearts On Fire [not to be confused with the Western brand!] designs and the fortune-infused Rouge Collection.

Sonia Cheng, Vice Chairman of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, and Kent Wong, Managing Director, presided over the celebrations alongside the ambassadors. The event also featured a Heritage Pavilion chronicling the brand’s journey since its founding in 1929. 

Not just a retail space, through partnerships with cultural institutions, the space highlights pioneering gold techniques such as chasing and filigree, underscoring the brand's commitment to preserving Chinese artisanal traditions while innovating for today’s discerning clientele.

Amid the glamour, the launch shines a spotlight on gold itself - not merely as ornamentation but as one of the most reliable stores of value in the luxury sphere. Whenever there's economic uncertainty, fluctuating currencies, and volatile equities, gold has consistently proven its worth as a hedge against inflation and a safe-haven asset. Its universal recognition, intrinsic scarcity, and historical role as money itself give it unmatched resilience.

Compared with diamonds and emeralds, gold offers distinct advantages for the discerning investor. Diamonds, though eternally popular, face increasing pressure from high-quality lab-grown alternatives that have disrupted price stability - most significantly over the past two years. The natural diamond market remains relatively opaque, with values heavily influenced by grading systems, supply controls, and shifting consumer sentiment. Resale can be challenging, and liquidity is often lower than that of bullion or fine gold jewellery.

Emeralds present even greater variability. Their value hinges on rare attributes - intense colour, clarity, and prestigious origins such as Colombia - yet they are softer and more vulnerable to damage. Treatments are common, and market demand is narrower, leading to sharper price fluctuations. While both gemstones deliver aesthetic pleasure and emotional resonance, they lack the consistent, globally benchmarked liquidity that gold enjoys.

Gold, by contrast, trades on transparent international markets with prices quoted in real time. It can be refined and repurposed with minimal loss, maintaining intrinsic worth regardless of fashion trends. In jewellery form - particularly 18K pieces from a trusted name like Chow Tai Fook - it marries wearable luxury with tangible asset value. The Ginkgo Gold Tree and signature collections exemplify this duality: owners acquire not only exquisite craftsmanship but also a portable form of wealth that has preserved purchasing power across generations.

In Asia, be it India, Thailand, Nepal, China, Indonesia, where gold carries deep cultural significance as a symbol of prosperity and a favoured vehicle for generational transfer, this investment narrative resonates particularly strongly. Chow Tai Fook’s emphasis on pure gold craftsmanship allows customers to enjoy beauty today while securing value for tomorrow.

The Canton Road flagship represents far more than a new store or valuable real estate in retail. It marks a confident step in Chow Tai Fook’s premiumisation journey, which began accelerating in 2024 - take a bow Sonia. 

By blending understated oriental interiors with curated retail experiences, the brand is redefining Chinese luxury for a global audience. With over 5,000 stores worldwide and a portfolio that includes Hearts On Fire, Enzo, and Monologue, Chow Tai Fook continues to weave stories of craftsmanship, innovation, historical and cultural pride.

As one senior executive noted during the opening, this flagship is “a powerful expression of cultural confidence” - showcasing the beauty of China to the world through jewellery. For investors, collectors, and admirers alike, the message is clear: in uncertain times, few assets gleam as reliably as gold, especially when transformed by masters of the craft.

As Chow Tai Fook enters its next chapter, it does so not look at its jewellery simply as ornamentation, fashion, accessories on trend, but an entity of enduring value, heritage and reliability in otherwise transient global fashion. 

The Art of Inheritance at Pak Loh Chiu Chow

 

As Pak Loh Chiu Chow approaches its diamond jubilee next year, the question facing its four third-generation custodians is one that haunts every great legacy: how do you honour what was built without being imprisoned by it.

There is an adage, attributed to Scottish American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, that a family’s wealth seldom survives three generations. He dubs its “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves,” describing the arc from founding vigour to inherited entropy. Family Business Magazine notes the proverb is grounded in uncomfortable data: only three per cent of family businesses reach the third generation at all. For Alexa, Jonathan, Melissa and Kyle Bui – the grandchildren of Chiu Chow restaurant Pak Loh Chiu Chow’s founder Pui Sai Hung – these are not idle statistics. They are the terms of their inheritance.

Read the entire feature here at PrestigeOnline.