Best in Jewellery: Qeelin: Hong Kong premium jeweller

The Yu Yi Flower Moon Necklace 

Unlike the often centuries-old maisons that frequent these pages, Qeelin is but a teenager in the mix. But perhaps, having just turned 18 (the now Hong Kong-based brand was launched in Paris back in 2004 by Dennis Chan and Guillaume Brochard), the house has morphed from the age of innocence to the age of majority.

Qeelin has been prolific of late. To commemorate its coming of age, Chan presented Wulu 18, which paid tribute to its roots and its first gourd-inspired Wulu collection. And the house has gently presented other aspects of Chinese culture to a global audience, letting the world at large discover stories, symbols, and art from ancient folklore and imparting a fresh aesthetic to contemporary jewellery. The iconography is distinct, and so is the sly touch of humour: the Bo Bo collection has featured pandas holding balloons or snowboarding, a jejune spirit but studded with precious stones.

But the piece from the past year that’s stood out to us for its artful simplicity and iconography is the elegant Yu Yi Flower Moon necklace, one of four uniquely designed necklaces (the collection depicts the harmony of sakura, lotus, orchid, and bamboo), made with 18-carat rose gold and intricately arranged pavé-set diamonds and emeralds. In its simplicity and form, the Yu Yi Flower Moon dazzles.

qeelin.com
Image courtesy of Qeelin.

Read the entire feature about the Best in Jewellery here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Jewellery for Men: Cartier

Recently, on the red-carpet event for Dune: Part Two, Timothée Chalamet premiered not only his highly anticipated film, but his collaboration with Cartier. Chalamet wore a unique creation crafted exclusively by the maison’s ateliers, with creative input from the Cartier ambassador himself. “Cartier creations have always been my first choice for important moments and getting to collaborate on this project only reinforced that for me,” says the actor. “I think Marie-Laure and I found a way to evoke the desert and harsh beauty of Dune in the Cartier style; a wonderful opposite to the candy-coloured enchantment of our first collaboration together.” (Chalamet is referring to the unique Cartier necklace he worked on with the brand for the Wonka premiere a few months earlier in late 2023.)

For Dune: Part Two, the latest accessory features more than 900 coloured stones; each hue inhabits one side of the modular, diamond-studded necklace, so you can roll the accessory in any way, shape, or form for a diverse combination of colours and stones. Even the spiked texture is deliberate and different from the usual box of treasures Cartier releases, and the expertise it takes to create such a seamless cord of jewels is truly incredible.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

First Look: Art Basel Hong Kong 2024

 

Day 1 of Art Basel Hong Kong 2024. 

Of the roughly 242 galleries from 40 countries, these are some of the highlights we saw briefly, as HKCEC welcomed us to view great art and sculptures of every vintage from across Asia, Africa, Americas and Europe - some exhibiting for the very first time in the city. 

The opening day was meant to be a private affair, a handful of select invited VIPs to peruse at peace, but it was not meant to be. Already in the melee we saw a notable return to the fair's pre-pandemic scale, be it in number of guests, gallerists, artists and admirers. 

The champagne crowd was out in full force--thank you Ruinart for the bubbles btw--and we've already seen keen interest on some of the larger pieces and collages. Watch this space for more as our stringers head out in the coming busy-as-can-be days (and nights!) ahead.

Best in Gear: KEF Speakers

LS60 Wireless

The bane of interior designers is tangled wires and the constant conundrum of hiding them from sight, especially if a chic room is about to be photographed, but KEF has put forth an aesthetic home solution with stellar audio quality to boot.

KEF introduces its very first wireless floor-standing speaker system to bring high-fidelity sound into your home and engulf your senses in an authentic, immersive experience. What we particularly love about this model is that it’s got the fingerprints of Hong Kong-based designer Michael Young all over it.

Young collaborated with the KEF product design team to create the slim LS60 Wireless that can slide into any living space with ease, and the svelte silhouette is only possible because of the advanced technology contained within the sleek cabinet. KEF offers the audio powerhouse in three elegant matte finishes: titanium grey, mineral white, and royal blue. As to how the LS60 Wireless is able to project pristine audio, that’s the result of KEF engineers incorporating the latest developments in tech—such as a Uni-Q driver array, trademarked Metamaterial Absorption Technology (MAT), and Uni-Core bass drivers—into the pretty package to eradicate distortion and maximise bass performance. As the name suggests, the unit supports WiFi and Bluetooth wireless connection, as well as cable options. Everything is interlinked with the KEF Connect app to permit listeners to stream music and podcasts at the touch of a button.

Read the entire feature, Best in Gear, here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

This Diamond-Studded Rolex Daytona Is Expected to Fetch HK$2 Million at Christie's Auction

As Christie’s prepares to ignite its first watch auction of the year, scheduled from 27 March to 9 April in Hong Kong for the 2024 spring season, the result of the local chapter is bound to set the tone for what lies ahead. 15 live and online auctions are in the offing in 2024, studded around the globe in various watch capitals, for enthusiasts and discerning collectors to congregate and bid as the hammer rises and falls with clockwork precision.

On 27 March, Christie’s is holding its online auction, with a live one following in May, and the attention of the watch world will be directed at the city for one simple reason: the numbers. Last year’s sales, particularly the ones from this past November, has made the Hong Kong chapter the cynosure of all eyes. On one autumnal evening, the auctioneers clocked in record global sales and participation from 39 countries spanning five continents. Important watches, those of historical value, the rarest of rarities, and mint collections were up for grabs; Christie’s presented three live watches auctions in Hong Kong and achieved a total of HK$222 million—the second-highest autumn sale at Christie’s Asia, ever.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

TBT: Throwback Tuesday: Editor’s Picks: Menswear and Accessories for Autumn/Winter 2022

The opinionated fashion team wrung their Tom Ford-scented wrists and picked these sartorial selects and accessible accessories. Alliteration anyone? 

As catwalk shows are kicking off in style and stilettos around the fashion capitals of the world this month, here’s a look at the menswear and accessories the fashion squad at Robb Report Hong Kong has kept tabs on. Elegant and refined houses only.  

Brunello Cucinelli

A brand that whispers while others scream, Brunello Cucinelli is perfect for the city’s urban sophisticate. While it sticks to its DNA of masterful craftsmanship (over half of the production is made by hand) underpinned by fine fabrics, there’s none of the frumpiness that may suggest, with a lighter, more youthful vibe to the collection. The classic full linen look (main picture) was dapper enough, but all the linens are perfect for Hong Kong’s balmy weather—they let you breath in peace.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong. Rounding up the list with Berluti, Dunhill, Loro Piana, Prada, Hermès, Ralph Lauren, Moncler, Ferragamo, Moncler, Tiffany & Co.  

These Rare Qianlong Treasures Could Fetch HK$215 Million at Auction at Sotheby’s

The legendary Chinese monarch’s prized possessions are going under the hammer this April.

Just before the private, guarded wooden doors open, as suited security stand beside three Qianlong relics that are safely kept a metre behind a roped, cordoned-off area, we’re informed in hushed tones that China’s most powerful emperor’s treasures are within vicinity.

Even the estimated cost of these artefacts is staggering. And yet—we were told at an intimate press preview at Sotheby’s Hong Kong dotted with curators and connoisseurs—just three or four years ago, each piece would have expected to fetch over HK$100 million each. Now, three for HK$215 million seems like a bargain. An imperial white jade “Qianlong Yubi” seal with a twin-dragon knob carved in the early Qing dynasty (estimated at HK$70 million to HK$90 million), a rare imperial album featuring a portrait of the Qianlong Emperor by Jesuit artist Giuseppe Castiglione (HK$50 million to HK$70 million), and a glazed “dragon” moon flask with striking chiaroscuro effect (HK$35 million to HK$55 million) are up for grabs.

Read the entire feature online here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

All pics by me on my Huawei phone.