A guide to watches and jewellery
Hong Kong boasts more than its fair share of watch and jewellery collectors, so it's no surprise that French jeweller Chaumet chose the city as the location for its first museum outside Paris.
The original salon in Paris was built in 1777 for Louis XVI's naval minister. A shop was added in 1907 and a museum opened in 1979. Its Hong Kong counterpart, located in the main store in the St George's building in Central, was built not just to attract the public. 'It was a luxury decision to explain a complex story rich in history,' says president Thierry Fritsch.
With 46 boutiques worldwide, the brand's history from 1780 is rich not only in design but in blue-blooded clientele. Napoleon I and Queen Victoria have been its most famous patrons, along with numerous European, Indian and Asian royals, including China's Empress Wan Rong.
Chaumet has made more than 2,000 tiaras, many captured in historical portraits, with the last sold to the King and Queen of Sweden. Until he died in 2004, the Duke of Devonshire was a client and his granddaughter, model Stella Tennant, is now is the face of the brand.
The creative mind behind the Hong Kong museum is architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. He designed a compact viewing space, measuring 660 sq ft, based on the original Place Vendome space he created three years ago.
Wilmotte is known for his work refurbishing historical buildings, which he refers to as 'keeping the memory of the past'. Indeed, the museum reflects his signature touches: strong and simple lines, with few curves and symmetrical, almost rigid, use of space. He created a luxurious area using precise lighting and different textures, including glass, different woods, chrome and leather. Although the objects on display are historical, he didn't look to the jewels for inspiration, saying modern surroundings were the best complement for the pieces. 'The museum design doesn't reflect the jewellery. It has to be a box that doesn't compete with the jewels but displays them,' says the architect, whose work has also been defined as 'enriched modernism'.