https://www.scmp.com/rss/507732/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The auction world is a glamorous one, from the previews held at five-star hotels where attendees sip champagne as they browse through art, watches or jewellery, to the niche and slightly more obscure collectible sales ranging from designer chairs to tapestry. Eager bidders vie for coveted pieces, raise their paddles and try to outbid those on the floor while anonymous bidders from around the world participate through proxies by phone. Watch investing could make you millions – but it’s serious... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3117031/covid-19-shut-down-auction-houses-around-world-2020-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3117031/covid-19-shut-down-auction-houses-around-world-2020-online?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Jan 2021 05:00:08 +0000 This year, Jonathan Hui became the first Hongkonger to win the GT World Challenge Europe, racing in the pro-am category with the Sky Tempesta Racing team. “Racing is so direct in terms of this notion of racing against time because every single thing you do is measured against the clock, against the stopwatch,” says the history-making racing driver. Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s favourite watches – revealed What’s more, he achieved this memorable first, as a teammate of racing legend Giancarlo... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3116354/first-hong-kong-racing-driver-win-gt-world-challenge-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3116354/first-hong-kong-racing-driver-win-gt-world-challenge-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Jan 2021 10:00:24 +0000 George Bamford says his family motto is “jamais content” (never content). “That is about striving forward and we as a family are all like that,” says the entrepreneur, who founded Bamford Watch Company 19 years ago, and is renowned for customising watches from brands such as Zenith, TAG Heuer and Girard-Perregaux. New luxury pieces by Cartier and VCA, just in time for the holidays Entrepreneurial spirit runs in the family: his father is chairman of JCB, his mother is the founder of Daylesford... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3116172/his-first-breitling-navitimer-taught-uks-george-bamford?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3116172/his-first-breitling-navitimer-taught-uks-george-bamford?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Jan 2021 23:00:23 +0000 Most athletes would share the sentiment that competition is not only with the person or persons you line up against, but also with yourself. The physical and mental preparation required to put your body under sustained and extreme stress in competition requires a long and constant battle against those inner voices telling you to relax or have another slice of pizza – and a lonely one at that. 5 unusual wellness getaways to banish the pandemic blues Understanding the struggle better than most is... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3116169/australian-triathlete-chris-mccormacks-single-minded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3116169/australian-triathlete-chris-mccormacks-single-minded?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Jan 2021 23:22:21 +0000 Design is very much an art form, but balancing creativity, deadline constraints and client expectations can be hard to master. Besides juggling all the elements of her interior design work, Candice Chan, founder of J Candice Interior Architects, is also a mother of three. Her balancing act is worthy of a spotlight on the Cirque du Soleil stage, and there aren’t many moments in the day she can truly call her own. New luxury pieces by Cartier and VCA, just in time for Christmas “To be honest,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3115486/covid-19-has-given-hong-kong-interior-designer-candice-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3115486/covid-19-has-given-hong-kong-interior-designer-candice-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Dec 2020 02:00:14 +0000 For some, time is the hands and numerals on a watch. For others, it is defined by the events in one’s life. Hong Kong gallerist Daphne King-Yao belongs to the latter category. “When I think of time, I think of the passage of time, especially when I think of my life, both work and personal. I think of milestones,” says King-Yao when we meet at her gallery, Alisan Fine Arts. There was 1997, the year of the handover of Hong Kong, and King-Yao’s first year at Alisan Fine Arts. There was 2011, when... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3115017/covid-19-inspired-art-imagines-van-gogh-and-frida-kahlo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3115017/covid-19-inspired-art-imagines-van-gogh-and-frida-kahlo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Dec 2020 23:00:23 +0000 Health-conscious individuals are increasingly concerned with finding an edge in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and potentially staying ahead of diseases and any health issues that might manifest later in life. This spurred Danny Yeung to build a start-up offering easy and efficient DNA testing. “We launched CircleDNA last year because we felt individuals globally want to be healthier, and what better way to start then by understanding your own genetic make-up?” explains Yeung, the business’... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/3114866/amid-covid-19-dna-tests-are-more-popular-ever-heres-how-knowing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/3114866/amid-covid-19-dna-tests-are-more-popular-ever-heres-how-knowing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Dec 2020 23:21:20 +0000 Annoushka Ducas founded her first successful business, Links of London, in 1990 with her husband John Ayton. It specialised in cufflinks, and for a while she was also designing simple, oversized quartz timepieces to sell alongside the cufflinks and jewellery. How much did Melania make from her jewellery and cosmetic businesses? The couple sold the business in 2006, and in 2009 Ducas went on to establish Annoushka, a label for beautifully designed jewellery with a poignant narrative. A decade... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3112619/covid-19-forced-british-jewellery-designer-annoushka-ducas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3112619/covid-19-forced-british-jewellery-designer-annoushka-ducas?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Dec 2020 07:00:05 +0000 Watch influencer Austen Chu, founder of Instagram account Horoloupe, has quickly risen to become an important voice in the world of watch collecting. The 24-year-old boasts 119,000 followers, and a quick scroll through his Insta page makes you feel like a child in a sweet shop: you are met with image after image of wrist shots showing limited editions and hard-to-find timepieces. But not many know that Chu launched Horoloupe when he was 17 – “out of desperation and loneliness”, in his own... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3112609/how-horoloupes-austen-chu-went-instagram-influencer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3112609/how-horoloupes-austen-chu-went-instagram-influencer?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Dec 2020 04:00:20 +0000 With the world brought to a grinding halt this year, it has been difficult to plan and think ahead. It was especially a challenge for Hong Kong’s Amanda Cheung, whose work centres on reaching out to the community and bringing people together. As managing director of the First Initiative Foundation (FIF), Cheung had plenty of hurdles to overcome, including working as a community partner on a special collaboration involving Italy, a country hit hard by Covid-19. STYLE Edit: 9-metre Van Gogh’s Ear... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3112043/bringing-botticelli-florence-hong-kong-how-worlds-largest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3112043/bringing-botticelli-florence-hong-kong-how-worlds-largest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Dec 2020 04:17:42 +0000 For Adrian Hallmark, CEO of Bentley Motors, the synergy between cars and watches is strong and proven because people who admire precision, authenticity, technology and excellence in detail are passionate about both. How motorsports and luxury watches race in the same lane Hallmark has been in the car industry for 30 years, working with leading marques including Porsche, Jaguar, Land Rover and Bentley. An industry veteran with a background in marketing, he understands the importance of timing. He... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3111946/bentleys-adrian-hallmark-loves-car-inspired-watches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3111946/bentleys-adrian-hallmark-loves-car-inspired-watches?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Nov 2020 10:00:20 +0000 Millennials and Gen Z are increasingly less concerned about what was once considered conventional luxury. They understand that time is our greatest asset and it shouldn’t be wasted on pursuing material goals. Instead, they prefer to spend their money on experiences, adventures and travel. Why owning luxury goods can change the way people see you They are also less afraid than previous generations when it comes to owning up to their preferences. The desire to be selective about how they want to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3111708/why-patek-philippe-watches-matter-hong-kongs-aaron-lee-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3111708/why-patek-philippe-watches-matter-hong-kongs-aaron-lee-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Nov 2020 00:00:20 +0000 As the world was on the verge of coming to a complete standstill, Benedict Cumberbatch found himself safely tucked away in one of its most secluded corners. Earlier this year, a short film project took the actor to New Zealand’s Rakino Island – permanent population, 21 – which remains largely untouched by the modern world. At US$100k, is this the ultimate Covid-era tiny home on wheels? “There are no shops or any kind of logistical support, so it’s a pretty rare breed of person that lives there... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3111704/covid-19-trapped-sherlock-and-marvels-doctor-strange-star?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/watches/article/3111704/covid-19-trapped-sherlock-and-marvels-doctor-strange-star?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Nov 2020 00:00:19 +0000