Celebrity Life

The verdant hue appears on the dials of the new Royal Oak Jumbo, chronograph and tourbillon timepieces.

The post The latest Audemars Piguet Royal Oak models go green for 2021 appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

The verdant hue appears on the dials of the new Royal Oak Jumbo, chronograph and tourbillon timepieces.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

The temporary retail concept (open to the public until late May) celebrates a handful of "historically significant" watches, principally from Rolex and the venerable house of Audemars Piguet. Moreover, each hails from the personal collection of Austen Chu or Ivan Hon -- two big names in the zeitgeist of horology.

It's only been open to the public a few short months, but Belowground (a new retail/cultural destination in the belly of The Landmark) has already played host to a diverse lineup of retail partners. To date this has included: a Japanese design firm, leading international gallery, and local designer toy artist. Now, the hybrid retail space is getting its first watch-themed pop-up, for which it's enlisted the expertise of two emblematic figures from the world of #Watches. Entitled 'Time Capsule', this newest addition to the Belowground directory has the look & feel of an archival sneaker edit -- and that's no accident.

Orchestrated by AP collecting heavy Austen Chu (better known by his online sobriquet @Horoloupe) with assistance from local Rolex collector/educator Ivan Hon, Time Capsule's central emphasis is on connecting buyers with a mixture of vintage and pre-owned watches that have been selected for their quality, complexity, and historical import.

According to Chu, the pieces which made it into his and Hon's final edit are all "timeless heirlooms that can tell stories beyond [their] current generation" -- a lateral reference to the fact that some of them were even sourced from his or Ivan's own private collections.

To talk shop for a moment, the watches themselves are a robust mixture of the classic and cult-y, straightforward versus complicated. For fans of the Coronet, there are various 4 and 5-serial iterations of the GMT-Masters and Day-Dates that have made Rolex a household name up for grabs; though the most desirable pieces are almost certainly those Royal Oaks sourced in conjunction with Wristcheck -- Chu's own platform for trading certified pre-owned ('CPO') opening later this month.

For a taste of what's to come, you'll find radical, apocalypse-proof evocations of the original Offshore collection (i.e. the Offshore 'Survivor'). Or how about the elegantly compact Ref. 25920: to date, the only Royal Oak AP has ever produced with an annual calendar. Pieces such as these go a good deal beyond the rubric of hype, and are at the heart of explaining why Belowground have chosen to partner with Hon and Chu. From one community, to another.

Originally opened in December 2020, Belowground is the latest retail/lifestyle concept from Hongkong Land (developer behind other premium sites like Basehall and the Landmark shopping complex). Intended to 'bridge' the space between traditional retail and contemporary culture, the sprawling 6,000 sq.ft. space is currently home to an eclectic mix of music, apparel, vintage memorabilia and casual dining courtesy of Rollin. For information about upcoming events, you can visit the official Belowground Instagram.

Horoloupe's Time Capsule is located inside the Belowground annex, operating from 11am-8pm daily.

Belowground, Basement, Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central, Hong Kong, info@belowground.hk

The post Horologists lead the way at Time Capsule, a pop-up dedicated to watches inside Belowground appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Launching this spring, Wristcheck is setting a new standard for pre-owned luxury watches aimed for the new generation of collectors. And behind it all is the 24-year-old Austen Chu.

I first met Austen Chu in 2019, and through all the conversations that we’ve had since he’s always struck me as extremely well put together, independent, and wise beyond his years. There’s no doubting his knowledge and passion for watches, something he’ll tell you he’s developed since kindergarten when he first learned to tell the time. His mother had bought him a Flik-Flak because of it.

Today, he’s a valuable client of some of the world’s most prestigious watch brands. Patek Philippe allocated him a watch after he correctly predicted that year’s novelty before it was even released. And Audemars Piguet periodically lets Chu break the news of its new watches – even before traditional media. In 2020, Chu marked an incredible milestone when AP’s CEO, Francois Henry Bennahmias, allowed him to help design an 88-piece limited-edition titanium Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar watch that was retailed exclusively in China.

You almost forget how young Chu is – he’s still in his early twenties – until he tells you of his days of clubs and partying. A personal favourite: the night he spent in a park in Switzerland, drunk and unable to find his way back to where he was staying, as he cradled a newly bought grail watch, the Audemars Piguet Openworked Perpetual Calendar 25829ST.

“That story is funny,” he recalls. “I was with a friend and we were staying at his sister’s house in Geneva. We picked up the watch at a second-hand dealer, because it was already discontinued, and I remember I was wearing my 15400 when we got the new watch. It was nearly dinnertime and so we just decided to get drunk for some reason, because that was the most expensive watch I’d ever bought in my life by far.

“We got really drunk and both our phones were out of battery, and when we got into the taxi to get home all my friend could say was, “strasse, strasse,” which just meant street. We spent the night going from convenience store to park, still drunk, just waiting for morning to come so we could go and charge our phones. It was really funny. I mean, how did we get ourselves into this situation? It takes a special kind of stupid,” he says, laughing.

Chu has always had an entrepreneurial spirit about him. Born to a middle-class family and raised by a single mother in Shanghai, he’d started his first business – a public relations company for Shanghai’s lively club scene – while a teenager; by the time he was 19, he’d sold it. Today, in line with his own interest in watches, he’s launching a new venture, a pre-owned watch retail platform called Wristcheck.

His partner in the project is Sean Wong, a fellow watch collector and the senior vice president of Hypebeast. Their vision for Wristcheck was simple: to bring the same level of luxury and cool factor to pre-owned watches as Hypebeast did for street fashion. There’s already a lot of anticipation for the opening of its showroom, located in a prime spot in Landmark right next to the Tiffany & Co boutique on the first floor. The showroom opens in February, and Chu promises that it will look amazing.

Chu connected with his new business partner through, of all people, Wong’s five-year-old son. “It was completely serendipitous,” says Chu. “Sean had this segment on Hypebeast for kids, where the interviewer was a five-year-old, interviewing different people in different industries. They reached out to me and I thought it was a great series. And it turned out the kid was Sean’s son.

“It was actually the hardest interview I’ve ever had to do in my life,” Chu says with a laugh. “Because a five-year-old asks the most unexpected questions. I remember I was speaking about taking photos of watches. I said that it was a hobby of mine. And his follow-up question was, ‘What’s a hobby?’ But it was great. Sean and I grabbed lunch a week later and we really got along.”

The concept of Wristcheck had been brewing in Chu’s mind for some time, so he was grateful to find a partner in Wong. “I told him, look, I’ve been planning on doing this for a long time. But I need to find the right partner to do it with. I need someone with operations experience, and I need someone who understands my vision and believes in that. I’m just very thankful that Sean did.”

In many ways, Wristcheck is an evolution of what Chu’s been doing on social media for years. In 2017, he created the Instagram account @horoloupe to talk watches with the watch community. Today, he has more than 120,000 followers, all eagerly lapping up the content he posts. Many of the watches are rare and hard-to-find pieces from his own collection: Audemars Piguet is an obvious favourite, but you’ll also find Rolex, A Lange & Söhne and Patek Philippe. Recently, Chu has also been looking more into independent watchmakers, so Rexhep Rexhepi, MB&F and FP Journe have also made appearances.

All the photographs are his own and, more importantly, each caption is thoughtfully worded to be informative and educational. “Social media played a big role in starting Wristcheck,” Chu explains, “because I was able to see the huge disconnect in the market between the next generation of watch collectors and the current generation of collectors that traditional media caters to today.

“That’s not to say that traditional media weren’t true pioneers in their time,” he adds quickly. “I remember when all these watch blogs popped up and I thought, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’ Prior to that, all you had access to were the watch forums and they had the worst user interface.”

Having grown up with technology at its fingertips, the younger generation wants to consume knowledge, make up its own mind about things and not be told what to think by brands and traditional media. “We’re scrolling through our phones all the time, learning about discontinued models that we didn’t know existed,” says Chu.

What Wristcheck tries to do is to inspire the next generation through editorial, and provide a safe and secure exchange

Austen Chu

This new generation of big spenders, who’re used to queuing up for Air Jordan Ones and spending thousands of dollars on shoes, are now looking to place their money elsewhere. And this is where Wristcheck fills the gap. It’s not just a retail platform – there’s also a content-creation component to it. Knowledge is key, as are transparency and openness.

“At some point, every brand was the coolest brand on Earth,” Chu says. “In the 1990s, you had Breitling. In the 2000s, Franck Muller. I think my mission is to showcase all of that and say, hey, you know what, these are awesome,” says Chu. “Our generation is into knowledge-based collecting, we’re into learning. So, what Wristcheck tries to do is to inspire the next generation through editorial, and provide a safe and secure exchange. We’ll publish everything. We’re going to break down our fees, all our costs, where our money’s going.

“At the end of the day, transparency is the future of luxury. People care about where their products come from, they care about the source,” says Chu. Wristcheck will be carrying accessories as well, one of which is a brand called Parts that sells watch straps made out of apple skin, which looks and feels like leather.

In an industry that’s sensitive to flippers and dishonest dealers, pre-owned can be a tricky business. Because Wristcheck only focuses on pre-owned and discontinued models, Chu says that brands he’s worked with so far have been nothing but supportive. Wristcheck will be open to consignments in the future, but for the opening, Chu is focused on independent brands that he’s sourced himself.

He’s brought some of them over to show us. One exciting piece was the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Laptimer Michael Schumacher. Only 221 were made, in tribute to the number of Formula 1 points-scoring races by the seven-time champion.

“This piece shows how much AP cares about its people because this watch came out after Schumacher’s accident. It’s basically a new kind of complication, like a split-second chronograph but with the ability to time consecutive laps on the racetrack,” says Chu. “It’s an amazing watch.”

The post Austen Chu: What’s the Hype? appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Choosing the right anniversary gift is a serious affair – after all, it’s a declaration of your undying love to your significant other. We picked some exquisite jewels to consider, no matter whether you’re celebrating five or 50 years of marriage.

4th Anniversary — Flowers

Flowers are the traditional gift for a fourth-year anniversary, but why pick something impermanent when you could get one that will last forever? Boucheron’s Nature Triomphante high-jewellery collection takes real petals from anemone, rose, hydrangea and peony and turns them into eternal works of art through a closely guarded scientific technique that retains their natural colours. Each ring has a rare precious stone in its centre that brings out the ombré tones of the ring’s petals. The floral rings are further enhanced with pistils in a powdered effect and pavé-set diamonds.

15th Anniversary — Crystal

The next piece that has caught our eye is this En Passant necklace, which was first presented in Boucheron’s 2020 high-jewellery collection, Contemplation. Strings of rock-crystal beads are given a frosted finish to evoke the misty, ethereal nature of clouds. Two diamond clouds rest on the beads, just underneath the collar bones, with diamond beads cascading downwards like tiny drops of rain. It’s a fitting piece for a 15th-anniversary celebration, which calls for a gift of crystal.

19th Anniversary — Jade

Jade is given on the occasion of a 19th anniversary. This fine necklace from Nuò by Cindy Yeung, which is crafted by artisans at Emperor Watch and Jewellery, pieces together natural fei cui jade with diamonds to wonderful effect. The milkiness of the jade green beads contrasts with the brilliant faceted white diamonds and stark black onyx for a wholly chic and contemporary look. The necklace, whose pendant is shaped in a geometric pattern to evoke an immaculate hedge maze, is part of Nuò’s Garden of Treasures high-jewellery collection. Each piece is said to have been inspired by Yeung’s travels.

25th Anniversary — Silver

Buccellati, which celebrated 100 years of jewellery-making just last year, is renowned for its distinctive gold pieces, which are hammered and handcrafted using traditional Italian techniques to resemble silks, tulle and damask. But the company is also known for silverware; its co-founder, Mario Buccellati, had always created exquisite objects for the home in sterling silver, using Renaissance motifs and nature as his inspirations. With the petals and stamen of each bloom engraved in elaborate detail, these photorealistic flower bowls could not be a more perfect gift for a 25th Silver anniversary.

30th Anniversary — Pearl

Bina Goenka is a former lawyer turned jeweller to Bollywood stars, whose creativity and bold use of coloured gemstones have made her designs true works of art. Pearls often feature prominently in her jewellery designs, which is why we’ve picked this pair of earrings for a 30th Pearl anniversary. Handcrafted to the highest ethical sourcing and sustainable standards, the white-gold earrings are inlaid with shimmering diamonds in a leaf motif, from which dangle two gleaming pearls from the South Sea.

35th Anniversary — Coral

Cartier’s latest high-jewellery collection, [Sur]naturel, blurs the lines between fantasy and realities of the natural world. The Panthère Tropicale jewellery watch in this collection is a powerful and vibrant amalgamation of colours and materials. Yellow gold comes together with coral, aquamarine and tourmaline on one side of the cuff watch, while the other is speckled in onyx stones and diamonds to depict the fur of a panther.

The size of the coral used in the piece is an absolute highlight, which is why we found it a fitting gift for a 35th anniversary. The brittle coral is carefully worked by an expert gem-cutter in order to achieve the gadrooned design of the watch. It’s no easy feat, as the material can crack at the slightest touch.

40th Anniversary — Ruby

Romeo and Juliet may have ended tragically, but the Shakespearean play is still considered one of the greatest love stories of all time. Van Cleef & Arpels clearly thought so too, creating a high-jewellery collection that featured more than 100 unique pieces based on the classic. Rubies and sapphires feature prominently in the collection to depict the two feuding families – red for the Capulets, and blue for the Montagues. The Fogliame clips in white gold and rose gold are set with one oval-cut ruby of 2.33 carats, one oval-cut pink sapphire of 2.10 carats, rubies, pink and mauve sapphires and diamonds. The pair of clips are an impressive piece of jewellery to show off on your 40th Ruby anniversary, even if we do say so ourselves.

45th Anniversary — Sapphire

Sapphire is the traditional gift for a 45th-anniversary celebration. Also from the Cartier [Sur]naturel collection is this magnificent Sinopé necklace, a sapphire and diamond masterpiece that’s worked into a supple and wave-like shape to evoke the flow of water. The piece boasts a scalloped lapis lazuli edge that rests against the neck, a ripple of blue that’s offset with the crystal-clear quality of the frosty diamonds. On the lower edge of the necklace are five Ceylon sapphires, chosen for the beautiful “medium cornflower blue” shade. The oval-shaped sapphires are from Madagascar, and total 8.55, 8.40, 8.14, 7.23 and 6.88 carats.

50th Anniversary — Gold

KISS (but in this case the acronym stands for Keep It Super Simple) is the name of Carolina Bucci’s latest collection, as well as pretty good advice to take into your 50th year of marriage. The gold bracelet and necklace collection is quite unusually inspired by Carolina Bucci’s partnership with watchmaker Audemars Piguet. The collection’s design is based on the beating heart of mechanical watches – the balance spring – a tightly wound, sinuous coil that causes the balance wheel to oscillate at a constant frequency to keep the watch running. Aesthetically simple and yet deliciously complex, the bracelets and necklaces in yellow and rose gold can be worn on its own or stacked with a watch or other jewellery.

55th Anniversary — Emerald

Emeralds are often considered regal; their glittering shades bely an almost mysterious appeal, but the thing about emeralds is that they’re also very rarely flawless. Almost all emeralds contain inclusions and tiny fractures that could even be visible to the naked eye. But maybe this is why we find them so enchanting. Relationships, too, aren’t always perfect, but they can be absolutely beautiful.

To celebrate a 55th Emerald anniversary, look no further than Graff’s high-jewellery collection, which sees emeralds and diamonds taking centre stage. The highlight is an emerald-cut emerald and pear-shaped diamond necklace, which is set with a 26.22-carat pear-shaped diamond that’s cut and polished from the legendary 1,109-carat Lesedi la Rona.

60th Anniversary — Diamond

To celebrate your 60th anniversary, there’s no more appropriate or timeless gift than diamonds. And not just any diamond, but one from Graff. Every Graff diamond is carefully selected for its rare beauty, before its master craftsmen work with the stones to maximise its brilliance, but this particular one is a piece of diamond history. The principle stone is cut and polished from the 476-carat Meya Prosperity Diamond, which is then set into an exquisite necklace featuring more than 63 carats of the finest white diamonds.

The pendant drop, cut from the Meya Prosperity Diamond, is a 102.38-carat flawless pear-shaped diamond that sparkles with extraordinary brilliance and scintillating fire. The total necklace comes down to 183.18 carats of diamonds.

The post Jewellery to Celebrate Milestone Anniversaries appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Audemars Piguet has always had very visible support for the arts and fashion. The brand has always been a proud partner for Art Basel. In 2014, it set up the Audemars Piguet Art Commission, extending its support to artists around the globe in their creation of works of exceptional complexity and precision.

This year, for its Asia debut, Audemars Piguet has selected Hong Kong-based multidisciplinary artist Phoebe Hui to realise its 5th Art Commission. The collaboration is done with independent curator Ying Kwok, who most notably curated the Hong Kong Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017.

Says Kwok of the support Audemars Piguet gives to artists: "Audemars Piguet Contemporary’s support has enabled Phoebe’s work to progress in meaningful ways. The programme encourages the artist to take risks and be ambitious, knowing that she would be supported with the much needed resources and expertise to push the artist’s work to a whole new level.”

Hui's work, titled The Moon is Leaving Us, is inspired by both historical and contemporary observations of the Moon. Hui is both a researcher and a maker and is known to deconstruct and visualise scientific inventions to reveal their inner complexities and concealed beauty.

The moon, in particular, has always been the artist's inspiration. Her interest in the moon was re-ignited in 2019 when she visited the Audemars Piguet headquarters in the remote Vallée de Joux, where she found herself on a dark moonlit road one evening.

To realise her work, Hui even met with an astronaut to gain a different perspective. "This commission is an artist’s dream and has taken my practice to a new level," she says. "The support provided by
Audemars Piguet Contemporary has encouraged me to reflect on the fundamentals of my practice and given me the opportunity to interact beyond my network. Meeting astronauts, engineers, and scientists brought fresh new perspectives to the project. Without this insight, I could never have made this work."

Where to see

Hui has been working on the piece since last year, but the showing was postponed due to Covid and the cancellation of Art Basel Hong Kong in 2020. It'll be unveiled in April instead, marking its debut at Tai Kwun, Centre for Heritage and Arts, on April 23, 2021. The display will be there for four weeks and will remain on view through Art Basel Hong Kong from May 19 to 23, 2021.

The post Audemars Piguet Art Commission Marks Debut with Local Artist appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Created using traditional metiers d’art techniques, these watches are reminders that high horology is about art as much as it is about function.

The post Four new artistic timepieces to add to your collection appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

Created using traditional metiers d’art techniques, these watches are reminders that high horology is about art as much as it is about function.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

White gold may be subtle and pink gold may be largely flattering, but when it comes to a classic precious metal, there’s nothing quite like yellow gold.

The post Watch spread: yellow gold timepieces appeared first on The Peak Magazine.