Celebrity Life

This year's most stunning jewellery pieces are made for mixing and matching, and stacking and layering.

[caption id="attachment_168673" align="alignnone" width="1076"] Dior à Versailles Côté Jardins Bosquet de la Colonnade Saphire Rose earrings in yellow, white and pink gold with diamonds, pink and yellow sapphires, yellow tourmalines, Paraiba-type tourmalines, demantoid and tsavorite garnets, emeralds, yellow diamonds and hauyne Dior Joaillerie; Bee My Love ring in rose gold with oval-cut morganite and brilliant-cut diamond Chaumet; Stream Ring in white gold with diamonds De Beers; Diorama Précieuse ring in yellow gold with diamonds and padparadscha sapphire Dior Joaillerie; Imaginary Nature Essence ring in white gold with diamonds De Beers.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_168674" align="alignnone" width="1081"] Tiffany Paper Flowers cluster drop earrings in platinum with diamonds Tiffany & Co.; Dior à Versailles Salon d’Apollon brooch in white and pink gold, darkened silver and diamonds Dior Joaillerie; dress Whistles.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_168675" align="alignnone" width="1075"] Extremely Piaget Collection white-gold earrings with oval-cut sapphires, marquise-cut diamonds and blue sapphires, brilliant-cut diamonds and round blue sapphires Piaget; Deep Blue ring and bracelet in white gold with sapphires and diamonds Chanel; coat Ralph Lauren.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_168676" align="alignnone" width="1079"] Folie des Prés earrings in white gold with diamonds; Lune ring in white gold with round and baguette-cut diamonds, onyx and one cushion-cut diamond; Cosmos Secret Watch in white gold with round diamonds Van Cleef & Arpels.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_168677" align="alignnone" width="1082"] Carissa Collection multishape diamond earrings; Swirl Collection oval orangy-yellow and baguette white diamond ring; pear-shaped and round-diamond flower-motif necklace; oval and round yellow-diamond watch Graff.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_168678" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Multishape diamond earrings, and round and emerald-cut diamond necklace Graff; dress Paule Ka.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_168679" align="alignnone" width="1082"] High Jewellery collection necklace in white gold with diamonds; High Jewellery collection ring in white gold with pear-shaped diamond and diamonds Chopard; dress Vivienne Westwood at yoox.com.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_168680" align="alignnone" width="1082"] High Jewellery collection necklace and earrings in white gold with heart-shaped rubies and diamonds Chopard.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_168681" align="alignnone" width="1085"] Siam pear-shaped ruby and diamond earrings; Tanzanian no-heat oval-shaped ruby, white jadeite and diamond ring; “Kissing” fancy deep brownish-orange diamond and diamond ring; pear-shaped diamond and imperial topaz ring Boghossian.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_168682" align="alignnone" width="1081"] Melo earrings in platinum with pearls and diamonds Mikimoto; Gem of Rose collection rose-gold ring with pear-shaped pink sapphire, marquise-cut and brilliant-cut diamonds, and pink pearls Piaget; Dior Dior Dior Dentelle Popeline bracelet in pink gold with diamonds, pink sapphires, spessartite garnets, yellow-orange sapphires and rubies Dior Joaillerie; Tiffany Elsa Peretti collection Amapola brooch in platinum with diamonds and red silk Tiffany & Co.; blazer Salvatore Ferragamo.[/caption]

Photography Ricky Lo 

Styling KW 

Makeup and body paint Karen Yiu assisted by Cat Yeong and Jasmine Chan @makeupartist

Hair Seifert Cheung 

Manicure Pinky Ho 

Models Wen and Limin from SMG China

The post Photo Shoot: Reflective Glory appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

“As every thread of gold is valuable, so is every moment of time.” The words of 17th-century American settler John Mason continue to ring true with the unveiling of the Serpenti Seduttori. The new model features a slimmer profile, flexible bracelet and cabochon-cut gemstone to complement its signature drop-shaped case.

[gallery ids="165858,165859,165857,165862,165860"]

All watches and jewellery by Bvlgari

Photographer Doney Zhou

Styling Cynthia Hung 

Make-up Vinci Tsang

Hair Nicky Wong

Model Elizabeth P/Synergy

Retouching Andy Chan

The post Photo Shoot: Precious Moments appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s love life has long been a rich source of inspiration for the jewellery lines of her namesake fashion house, and this year’s offering is no exception.

Called Le Paris Russe de Chanel, the high-jewellery collection is an ode to a chapter in Chanel’s life during which Russia inspired her and her work, even though she never set foot in the country.

A notable mention goes to Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, a cousin of Tsar Nicholas II, with whom Chanel had an affair and subsequently fell in love with all things Russian. The romance was well documented because the dashing duke had a chequered past and was known to be quite a ladies’ man. But what made the liaison intriguing was that Pavlovich had been involved in the assassination of Grigori Rasputin, the infamous mystical advisor to the Russian Imperial Court.

[caption id="attachment_162808" align="alignnone" width="1417"] Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was captivated by Imperial Russia[/caption]

When the Russian Revolution broke out, Pavlovich fled to France, like many others from the Imperial Court, including aristocrats, artists, musicians and dancers. Many of them ended up in Paris, where the arrondissements in which they congregated became known as Le Paris Russe, or the Russian Paris.

The duke was penniless when Chanel met him. But that didn’t deter the designer because the handsome nobleman embodied all the splendour of Imperial Russia, something which captivated her.

The short-lived affair lasted from 1921 to 1922, but it was intense. Through Pavlovich, Chanel began associating with many other Russians and soon formed close friendships with a number of newly stateless exiles from the former empire. The composer Igor Stravinsky, who had a scandalous affair with Chanel, and Sergei Diaghilev, founder of the Ballets Russes, who asked her to design costumes for his dancers, were among the Russian cultural icons of the interwar years who benefited from a close relationship with the designer, and in turn influenced her life and career.

Chanel was deeply impressed by the country and its people. “The Russians fascinate me,” she remarked. “It’s the Russians who have taught women that it’s not dishonourable to work.’’

Like every high-jewellery collection since 2009, Le Paris Russe de Chanel was designed by Patrice Leguéreau, director of the house’s jewellery studio, Chanel Joaillerie. The collection is inspired by a “fantasy” vision of Imperial Russia that Chanel could have imagined based on what her Russian lover and friends told her.

Le Paris Russe de Chanel loosely covers two decades of Chanel’s life, from the 1920s through the ’30s, which were a particularly creative time for the designer. During this period, she liberated women from their corsets. Her famous little black dress -- a simple sheath in crêpe-de-chine, with long, closely fitting sleeves -- was becoming a staple of the nouveau-chic wardrobe. She also introduced her now-legendary Chanel No5 perfume with the help of another Russian émigré, Ernest Beaux, the czar’s and Imperial Court’s perfumer, who helped her with the formula.

Chanel’s fashion creations also took on a Russian aesthetic. Long tunics, robes, fur-lined coats and large blouses modelled with belts soon appeared in her collections, which also incorporated Russian embroidery. The latter came by way of the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, the sister of Pavlovich, whom Chanel had convinced to open an embroidery workshop named Kitmir, hence securing an exclusive supply for her fashion house.

Recognising the huge role Russia had played in Chanel’s life, the 69-piece Le Paris Russe de Chanel is presented in 11 sets and celebrates the designer’s fascination with the country in two acts: Russian Splendour, a period when the designer was first introduced to the grandiose life of refined Russia by her paramour, and Russian Folklore, which she came to know more through her association with the exiles -- an atmosphere rich in colours, patterns and intricate embroideries.

[caption id="attachment_162810" align="alignnone" width="4961"] Folklore earrings[/caption]

To add cohesion, Leguéreau peppered the collection with signature Chanel motifs, such as sheaves of wheat or the camellia, which appear in figurative and abstracted forms. The double-headed eagle, a historic Russian symbol signifying empire and found on a Baroque mirror in Chanel’s apartment on Rue Cambon, also features prominently in the collection as bold outlines or as accents.

[caption id="attachment_162812" align="alignnone" width="3059"] The designer's Baroque mirror with double-headed eagle.[/caption]

The Aigle Cambon ensemble, for instance, manifested in white and yellow gold, quartz, and diamonds, is perhaps the most emblematic homage to the Russian Empire. The yellow cuff bracelet is especially bold with diamonds set to form an insignia-like pattern.

The Médaille Solaire set alludes to the sun and military orders with diamonds and pearls blazing. A ring featuring a majestic yellow diamond in the centre, with rows of smaller yellow and white diamonds radiating out, is especially captivating in its brilliance and detailed craftsmanship.

[caption id="attachment_162811" align="alignnone" width="4961"] Médaille Solaire ring[/caption]

Other Slavic-inspired statement pieces come from the Sarafane suite, which is inspired by Russian needlework. A noteworthy piece is the Sarafane headpiece that resembles a kokoshnik, a traditional Russian headdress that became popular as a style of tiara in Western Europe in the late 19th century. Etched with camellias that resemble lace and set in white gold, cultured pearls and diamonds, the headpiece can be transformed into a necklace if so desired. The openwork Sarafane necklace, meanwhile, showcases an exquisite diamond weighing 10.18 carats, which is surrounded by no fewer than 1,347 diamonds as well as 10 cultured pearls.

[caption id="attachment_162814" align="alignnone" width="4961"] Blé Maria brooch[/caption]

Colourful gems -- diamonds, sapphires, spinels and tourmalines -- take centre stage in the Blé Maria category, which recalls Russian decorative arts. A stately yet romantic brooch set with softly-coloured sapphires and tourmalines is dedicated to the grand duke. The Blé Maria tiara –delicately embellished with pink spinels, mandarin garnets, coloured tourmaline and diamonds -- is again another modern-day reimagining of the traditional kokoshnik.

[caption id="attachment_162809" align="alignnone" width="3080"] The Blé Maria tiara is a modern-day reigning of a traditional Russian headdress.[/caption]

The Byzantine era is celebrated in the Broderie Byzantine ensemble, in which white gold, cultured pearls and diamonds form exquisite ornamental pieces, again featuring the camellia motif.

In the Folklore set, deep-ruby terracotta enamel forms the backdrop for camellia-shaped diamond petals. Vibrant pearls and precious stones of various hues and shapes glitter through ornaments in the set. A statement piece is the bracelet cuff, which is garnished with colourful garnets of spinels, sapphires, tsavorites and cultured pearls. The bracelet appeals with its Baroque-meets-folksy Russian charm.

Harking back to the glorious days of Russian nobility, the Motif Russe parure features diamonds exquisitely set in white gold. Strings of sparkling stones cascade in tassel-like formation from an ornamental pendant in a necklace or come in rows to form a bracelet.

For folk-inspired pieces, the remarkable Roubachka collar necklace, made from yellow gold and platinum and adorned with colourless and yellow diamonds, stands out. The Roubachka ring, meanwhile, cleverly layers precious stones to give the silhouette of the Russian folk dress after which the set is named.

Many pieces in the Le Paris Russe de Chanel collection are transformable, illustrating the jewellery house’s highly inventive skills in producing pieces that could magically be taken apart and then reassembled differently.

Chanel was known for breaking the rules, whether in her personal life or her work. When she started designing jewellery, it was considered a revolutionary and daring move because few fashion designers of the time dared to venture into the conservative milieu of Place Vendôme’s jewellers, but Chanel did it anyway.

A century later, Chanel Joaillerie has become a pillar among France’s grand jewellery houses. And today, Le Paris Russe de Chanel lives up tothe late designer’s reputation, showing how irreverent aspects of Chanel’s personality and lifestyle continue to mesmerise, captivate andenrich the world of high jewellery.

For more information, visit chanel.com.

The post New High-Jewellery Collection Recalls Young Coco Chanel’s Love Affair appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Sotheby’s Hong Kong is thrilled to collaborate with Chinese Haute Joallierie artist, Anna Hu, to offer her latest jewellery creations, titled Silk Road Music Collection, at its Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite Autumn Sale. Specially commissioned for this collaboration, the collection features five jewellery pieces inspired by the musical and cultural exchanges that took place in […]

The post Chinese Haute Joallierie artist, Anna Hu and Sotheby’s Hong Kong appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

We all have that wear-always piece that never leaves our side – the wedding band on your ring finger, that little locket hung around your neck, a delicate chain that hasn’t left your ankle for decades, or that exhausted piece of string you call a bracelet around your wrist. Or maybe you still haven’t found “the one” yet. For holistic health counsellor, World Yoga Champion, KOL and jewellery enthusiast Chau Kei Ngai, her search is over since the launch of Piaget’s latest collection, Sunlight.

It was a no brainer for Piaget to use nature as its core for inspiration decades now as its inexhaustible influence. For decades now its creations pay homage to nature’s most powerful symbol – the epitome of life – the sun.

Jewellery is said to be personal – its form and what it represent should resonate with the style and values of the wearer. Which is why Chau Kei is one of many who adore Piaget’s Sunlight collection. The range embodies positive energy, happiness and warmth – all significant attributes held dearly to the yogi and mother. The maison’s frequently featured materials opal and Mother of Pearl are also seen throughout – its natural luminous and opalescence quality is complemented by yellow and rose gold casing hardware and pavé white diamond accents to mirror the same radiating attribute of the enduring sun. Aside from its obvious beauty, opal and Mother-of-Pearl are also believed to possess properties that help the wearer unlock positive and light energies, heal and promote awareness - also important values shared with the art of yoga, which Chau Kei practices daily. 

In particular, Piaget Sunlight Pendant in Opal is her everyday go-to. Set in 18k rose gold the central white opal disk of milky sheen and irregular facets is surrounded by 28 brilliant-cut white diamonds set to mirror the warm rays of the sun. The delicate piece of understated and minimalistic luxury can be worn on its own, or partnered with two accompanying pieces of varying lengths in matching style but unique design for a mix-and-match layering effect. Alongside the collection’s most popular pendant necklaces are also wearable everyday earrings pieces of modern elegance – diamond studs with ear jackets appear to float from behind the lobes like sunrays, drop earrings with the signature motif in brilliant diamonds with chain tassels designed to shimmer with movement, and yellow gold pendulum earrings which dance and dangle catching light with its brilliant diamonds.

Explore the collection:

[gallery ids="154165,154168,154171,154167,154166,154172,154177,154174,154176,154175,154169,154170"]

For more information, visit piaget.com.

The post Piaget Jewellery That Chau Kei Never Takes Off appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Bvlgari recently released the 2019 Cinemagia high jewelry collection inspired by the glamorous world of 1950s filmmaking and Italy’s Cinecitta Studios. A masterful launch that successfully unites the Roman Jeweler’s devotion to revered gemstones, cinema, and its exceptional women. When you step into a cinema, you’re entering an exciting world of wondrous possibilities. A realm […]

The post Bvlgari steals the spotlight with the Cinemagia Collection appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.