Name: Irene Lam Fung.
Age: 39.
Occupation: Jewellery proprietor at the Jade Market.
Career Path: I was born in Hong Kong, met my husband who is a jeweller and have been involved in the jewellery business ever since. My husband came here when he was 24 as an apprentice jeweller and I learned all about the different stones, pearls and so on, how to carve jade, tiger's eye and semi-precious stones, and also the art of being a silversmith. It is a dying craft. I also look after the shop. from him.
Irene's day: I live in Tsing Yi which means a long journey to work every day. I also have two teenage children to take care of before I get to the shop each day at 9 am. I work every day of the year except for the three days leave my husband and I take over Lunar New Year.
First thing I do is set up my table and then fetch the jewellery from the safe I rent here in the market. Setting up and packing up is quite a big job because carrying everything is heavy and it is also time-consuming to lay all the pearls and other items out on the table so it looks attractive. The rest of my day is taken up by customers which I really enjoy. Although business has fallen a bit in the last year there are still many people who come through the market everyday, even if they just look and don't buy.