Celebrity Life

A wrist statement piece, the timepiece is covered in 18K rose gold and contains 155g of gold.

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If you look for inspiration for your next party outfit, this article is made for you!

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When the time has come to pop the question, you know you want to do it in style. There are plenty of picturesque locations to ask for your significant other’s commitment, but there are an equally large number of design for couple rings to select from as well. To help guide your decision, refer to this article to make your…

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Ready, Set, Go (Gold)!

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An incredible display of centuries-old, intricately crafted gold ornaments selected from a vast Mengdiexuan Collection owned by two of Hong Kong's most prolific collectors gives us a glimpse into the splendours and mystique of Ancient China.  

Betty Lo and Kenneth Chu began what would become a decades-long love affair with Chinese art and antiquities with a fortuitous visit to an antique shop at Hollywood Road, a few blocks from Lo’s former office.  There they were drawn to a rather unassuming blue and white porcelain piece that turned out to be a 19th century Daoguang bowl from the Qing Dynasty. It was, reflects Lo with a grin, “a curious and irrational choice. I didn’t give much thought, if any, to its origins or value then; I was just attracted to its shape and colour.”

Growing up, Lo was surrounded by precious antique Chinese jade and jadeite artefacts owned by her father and grandfather, both prolific collectors, and the expectation was that she’d hold similar predilections. “The passion for collecting is in my blood,” she says, “but – call it fate, I suppose – my entry into this world of Chinese antiquities would be a white and blue bowl with a motif of eight immortals. It was beautifully crafted and painted, but far from the precious jade and jadeite pieces my family collected. At the time, Kenneth and I bought objects mainly because we were attracted to the aesthetic, which is quite typical among first-time collectors.”

As the couple got deeper into Chinese arts and antiquities, their method for collecting became more sophisticated, rationalised, and disciplined. “We educated ourselves, and the more we discovered the more we wanted to learn about the objects and their history and origins, and this more disciplined approach also made us more focussed,” says Chu. “It’s important to note, though, that even with all the knowledge we’ve acquired through the years, the basic criteria of aesthetic and beauty remains – it’s still what propels us to purchase an object for our collection.”

In the 1980s, they acquired a six-inch bronze mirror from the Han Dynasty that featured geometric and animal designs, and finely cast ornamentations. From then on, their fascination and passion for ancient Chinese bronze and metalwork grew, which again was a significant departure from what Lo’s family collected, because there were no metalworks in their collections. But this is where the couple’s curiosity and passion led them, making them realise that this was was the kind of collection they wanted to build.

Over the span of 30 years, Lo and Chu’s collection of ancient Chinese metalwork expanded. From ritual vessels they extended their acquisitions to personal ornaments, and from bronzes to other metalwork, such as gold and silver. Today, the couple’s collection of antique Chinese metalwork is among the largest in the world, encompassing relics from Central and Northwest China, the Eurasian Steppes, the Himalayan and Mongolian regions, as well as Central Asia.

Pieces from their vast collection have been loaned to prestigious museums, universities and academic and cultural institutions for exhibitions, as well for further studies and research. Most of their pieces were acquired from
dealers. “We learned through the years that you need only to rely on a few reputable dealers to work with,” says Chu. “The last thing you want is to find yourself being bombarded with things you’re not exactly interested in, by numerous dealers. Establish a good relationship with a few trusted ones so that they’ll know your taste and requirements and they’ll look out for items they know you’ll be interested in.”

Among Chu and Lo’s vast collections, the most celebrated is their Mengdiexuan Collection, which comprises hundreds of gold necklaces, earrings, hairpins, bracelets, brooches and belt plaques from the nomadic Qidan people, who ruled China as the Liao Dynasty, occupying an area of the northern steppes of China that included Manchuria, a portion of Mongolia, and parts of the present-day provinces of Hebei and Shanxi. The collection of Qidan art would represent the Mengdiexuan’s later foray into the Himalayas and more of Mongolia, featuring bronze, gold and silver metalwork with repoussé, casting, granulation, filigree, inlay and stone setting techniques.

Hailed as one of the most outstanding and impressive in Hong Kong, Lo and Chu’s private art collection would come to represent 3,000 years of Chinese goldsmithing craftsmanship. It’s been featured in several solo exhibitions, including one at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2013 in which 300 objects from the Mengdiexuan collection were on display for six months. In 1994, a part of the collection was featured in a travelling exhibition that made stops at American museums before heading for London. In the same year, it found its way back to Hong Kong, this time at the University of Hong Kong, where 250 pieces where exhibited, and again in 2004 in an exhibition called Noble Riders from Pines and Deserts: The Artistic Legacy of the Qidan.

This time, some 50 of the most impressive pieces of the collection will be presented by L’École Asia Pacific in an exhibition called The Art of Gold: 3,000 years of Chinese Art at its K11 Musea space. Élise Gonnet-Pon, managing director of L’École Asia Pacific School of Jewelry Arts, says that “an alignment of stars” enabled this exhibition to happen. “When I first relocated to Hong Kong to look after L’École,” says Gonnet-Pon, “I had the opportunity to see the Jewels of Transcendence exhibition at the Chinese University, which showcased amazing ornamental sculptures and jewels from the Himalayas to Mongolia.

Betty [Lo] was the most gracious host and guide – that was the first time we met – and I got to know about their collection. When L’École opened in Hong Kong, Betty and Kenneth attended and that was when they discovered our space, so the wheels started turning. From there we had ongoing discussions about holding an exhibition and here we are now.” Two years in the making, it’s an exhibition that both the school and the owners of the collection are immensely proud of.

"Beauty aside, these pieces are also testimonies of the past. It gives us an idea of the way the Chinese lived centuries ago – how they interacted, the exchanges between their cultures and groups, and how traditions are shared and transmitted."

Élise Gonnet-Pon, managing director of L’École Asia Pacific School of Jewelry Arts

Growing up in Paris and having worked for a French high-jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels for many years, Gonnet-Pon is deeply knowledgeable in the history of 20th-century French and European jewellery, but was blown away by what she’d seen at that Hong Kong exhibition. “I was so impressed by the level of intricacy and craftsmanship in the Chinese ornamental pieces, but was sure very few people knew about this incredible heritage and legacy, so I was very keen to present their collection at L’École. Also, collectors like Betty and Kenneth promote the same values as that of L’École, which is the quest for and transmission of knowledge – these values are at the very heart of L’École. Our hope is that visitors who see these extraordinary pieces will want to learn more about them.”

The objects are as breathtaking as they’re fascinating. Among the most spectacular objects is an intricately made gold hair ornament used to cover a topknot, which, as the dragons featured in it suggest, was likely worn by a member of the imperial family. The filigree details of the piece, which are curiously concentrated at the back of the ornament, again suggest it was owned by a nobleman, as the decorations are meant to be seen and appreciated by the people who would typically walk behind him.

“Of course, the incredible craftsmanship found in these pieces couldn’t be overstated, and the fact that they were all made by hand makes it even more incredible,” Gonnet-Pon says. “Beauty aside, these pieces are also testimonies of the past. It gives us an idea of the way the Chinese lived centuries ago – how they interacted, the exchanges between their cultures and groups, and how traditions are shared and transmitted. And
we believe that for the local audience, seeing it will make them incredibly proud of their extremely rich culture and heritage.”

For more details on the exhibition and to book a tour, visit L’École Asia Pacific

The post This Exhibition Offers a Rare Glimpse Into Ancient China’s Awe-inspiring Goldsmithing Crafts appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Top 25 Unique Floor Lamps that Deserve the Spotlight⇒ Stylish lighting is part decor and part utility, able to stand on their own and make a distinct impression even when they’re not in use. They are always part of the preparations of an interior designer, they are fundamental pieces for the completion of a project. Not only should they be beautiful products when connected, but the design should also convey luxury and exuberance.

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The Trendy Navy Blue and Gold Color Scheme – 6 ways to use it⇒ Some trends are born to fade, others enter the interiors canon and will remain fixed there until the end of time, and these are the classics you want to hone in on. The trendy navy blue and gold color scheme is a perfect match!

Continue reading The Trendy Navy Blue and Gold Color Scheme – 6 ways to use it at Luxxu Blog.

Discover the Icons – The masterpiece of each collection ⇒ Our year is coming to an end and with it another stage of completed challenges. All of our collections serve as inspiration for luxury and design, where we always seek to find modern and elegant pieces that can always bring what you aspire for your new interior design project. Within these collections, our affection is equally distributed by everyone, but as usual, there is always one that is the icon.

Continue reading Discover the Icons at Luxxu Blog.

The Worlds Most Expensive Lego Brick This regular sized 2×4 LEGO Brick was only given to special business partners from 1979-1981, as well as a [...]

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The computer mouse is a crucial part of any computer or laptop, whether you use it for business, leisure, or gaming. You can buy a [...]

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There’s a good reason the lexicon refers to apex happenings, events or organisations as setting the “gold standard”. Gold holds its own for multiplicitous reasons: as a luxury good, an investment, a reserve asset and, increasingly, as an indispensable technological component. It’s highly liquid, no one’s liability, carries no credit risk, is scarce and historically it preserves its value over time. The Chinese in bygone dynasties espoused the efficacious nature of gold and even considered it offered "immortality".

When it comes to contemporary finance and dynamising your portfolio, gold may be a less-frequented commodity, but it’s an asset that repays investor loyalty like few others.

There’s a quartet of ways in which gold works for you as an investor: it generates long-term returns; acts as a diversifier and mitigates losses in times of market stress, provides liquidity with no credit risk and can also improve overall portfolio performance.

The World Gold Council estimates that adding between 2 and 10 percent in gold to a hypothetical US pension fund average portfolio over the past decade would have resulted in higher risk-adjusted returns.

Economic expansion is good news for gold, as periods of growth are supportive of jewellery, technology and long-term savings. Conversely, risk and uncertainty also works in gold’s favour, as market downturns often boost investment demand for gold as safe haven.

Last year, gold had its best performance since 2010, rising by 18.4 percent in US-dollar terms. It also outperformed major global bond and emerging-market stock benchmarks over the same period. In addition, gold reached record highs in most major currencies except the US dollar and the Swiss franc. Investor appetite for gold was apparent throughout the year, as seen by strong ETF flows and robust central-bank demand.

But what about the start of the new decade and beyond? Despite the global pandemic and COVID-19, gold was – until recently – one of the few assets with positive returns this year. It was up 10 percent on the year as of March 9, more than any other major asset class.

But setbacks in its performance aren’t without precedent. Gold experienced pullbacks at the onset of the global financial crisis, too, falling between 15 and 25 percent in US-dollar terms a couple of times during 2008. But by the end of that year, gold was one of the few assets – alongside US treasuries – to post positive returns.

Investors face an expanding list of challenges around asset-management and portfolio construction. Among them are low interest rates, which may push investors to seek riskier assets at elevated valuation levels and, for US pension funds in particular, may increase the value of liabilities, possibly reducing their funding ratio. Other concerns will be continued financial- market uncertainty, ranging from geopolitical tensions to expectations of diverging global economic growth and an increase in asset volatility.

Faced with the above, gold is not only a useful long-term strategic component for portfolios, but also one that’s increasingly relevant in the current environment.

David Tait, chief executive officer at the World Gold Council, commented: “The retail gold market is healthy, with gold being considered a mainstream choice. But what really excites me is the untapped part of the market: those people who’ve never bought gold but are warm to the idea of doing so in the future.

“Two issues need to be addressed to engage with these potential gold buyers: trust and awareness. This market can flourish if we can build trust across the broad spectrum of gold products being sold, and raise awareness around the positive role gold can play in protecting people’s wealth.”

Buying and Investing in Gold

Once you take the decision to buy or invest in the precious metal, which declension best suits your needs?

Physical Gold Bars

Small bars and coins have accounted for two-thirds of annual investment gold demand and around one quarter of global gold demand over the past decade. Demand for diamond bars and coins has quadrupled since the early 2000s, and the trend covers both the East and the West. New markets, such as China, have been established and old markets, including Europe, have re-emerged.

Gold-backed EFTs

Physically backed gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), exchange-traded commodities (ETCs) and similar funds account for approximately one-third of investment gold demand. These funds were introduced in 2003, and, as of March 2016, they collectively held 2,300 tonnes of physical gold on behalf of investors around the world.

Allocated Gold Accounts

Bullion banks offer their institutional or high-net-worth customers allocated gold accounts consisting of gold deposits and resembling currency acounts. The holder of an allocated account is the legal owner of a specific quantity of gold. Bullion banks also offer unallocated accounts. In an unallocated account, a customer does not own specific bars or coins, but has a general entitlement to a set amount of gold. The investor is not the legal owner of any physical gold.

Internet Investment Gold

Or go digital with your gold investment. An increasingly common way of accessing the gold market is Internet Investment Gold (IIG). It allows investors to buy physical gold online, have it stored in professional vaults and take possession of it should the need arise. As such, IIG offers investors a highly convenient way to benefit from outright ownership of physical gold.

Gold Derivatives: Futures, Forwards and Options

Investing in derivatives requires more knowledge of financial securities than other forms of investing and may not be suitable for all investors. Derivatives trade over-the-counter and on exchanges. Those traded in such a way settle in a central clearing house that matches buyers and sellers. Over-the-counter (OTC) varieties have more flexible structures but include additional counterparty risk.
Investors could buy into gold-mining companies. Such stocks may correlate with the gold price. However, the growth and return in stock depends on the expected future earnings of the company, not just on the value of gold. So whichever declension of investment you take, let your future be one long golden moment.

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IPM Group's founding partner David Mitchell makes a case for gold and other precious metals as possible investment vehicles.

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