https://www.scmp.com/rss/512100/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com A sentimental symbol that transcends time, knots have figured in Celtic artwork, and Egyptian, Greek and Roman jewellery. Much later, in the 19th century, sailors are said to have worn rope bracelets with love knots tied in them to continually remind them of their loved ones back home. 5 of the best watches at the Met Gala 2023, from Simu Liu to Michelle Yeoh The interlacing of knotted rope or metal clearly brings to mind the intricacies of human emotion – more than ample inspiration for... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3222270/how-jewellery-knots-bring-meaning-well-beauty-brands-chanel-and-dior-tiffany-co-are-riffing-ancient?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3222270/how-jewellery-knots-bring-meaning-well-beauty-brands-chanel-and-dior-tiffany-co-are-riffing-ancient?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 May 2023 06:00:13 +0000 Innumerable high jewellery pieces in heart shapes have been created over the decades, but there is something interesting each time a luxury house reimagines this motif, favoured even 500 years ago and dating back to the Tudor Era. The heart, a profound romantic symbol, captures love quite effortlessly whether it is through a rendering of carefully cut heart-shaped gems and diamonds or a pavé of itty-bitty gemstones breathing life into the silhouette. And who doesn’t care for a gemmy heart or... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3221124/how-high-jewellery-brands-are-reimagining-heart-motifs-today-chopards-colourful-pendant-cannes-film?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3221124/how-high-jewellery-brands-are-reimagining-heart-motifs-today-chopards-colourful-pendant-cannes-film?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 May 2023 00:00:15 +0000 Once, admitting to buying a second-hand watch might have raised a few eyebrows in certain circles. Such stigmas are clearly a fuddy duddy thing of the past – today the pre-owned watch market is no longer a clandestine necessary evil, silently indulged to stomach scarcity and sidestep exclusive waiting lists, but a source of significant speculation. And what goes for timepieces goes also for other high-end goods. “Luxury brands and retailers are sensing an inflection point in how resale is... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3212940/why-luxury-fashion-brands-are-embracing-second-hand-sales-beyond-sustainability-taking-control?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3212940/why-luxury-fashion-brands-are-embracing-second-hand-sales-beyond-sustainability-taking-control?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Mar 2023 00:00:13 +0000 As we prepare for the Lunar New Year, jewellery lovers are taking an either/or approach – keeping things minimal or pushing them to the max. Diamonds and gold – and in particular yellow and white gold – help with the latter approach, with jewellery designers offering ever more outlandish combinations to elevate almost any outfit. Take for example Boucheron, inspired by the elements of nature in its Carte Blanche Ailleurs collection, which brings to the fore the power of gold as well as a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3206715/5-biggest-gold-and-diamond-jewellery-trends-know-2023-colourful-enamel-pieces-dior-and-boochier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3206715/5-biggest-gold-and-diamond-jewellery-trends-know-2023-colourful-enamel-pieces-dior-and-boochier?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jan 2023 00:00:16 +0000 When wedding dresses lit up the spring/summer Couture Fashion Week in Paris earlier this year, there were dreamy bridal gowns aplenty. Adding further sparkle, luxury high jewellers were also out in force, with reimagined classics and modern takes on traditional styles. Several maisons elevated the diamond code – fancy-coloured diamonds are the latest heroes in bridal rings with the mantra being “the rarer, the better”. Today’s haute picks are fancy yellows, blush pinks and orangey browns, and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3203390/how-high-jewellers-reimagined-classic-bridal-gems-2022-coloured-diamonds-j-los-engagement-ring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3203390/how-high-jewellers-reimagined-classic-bridal-gems-2022-coloured-diamonds-j-los-engagement-ring?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Dec 2022 05:57:21 +0000 Pink diamonds have long been associated with love, romance and femininity. This, plus their great rarity, has given them revered status in the world of fancy coloured diamonds – just consider the flurry of bids from around the world when one appeared at auction in Hong Kong this autumn. It didn’t hurt that it was the Williamson Pink Star, “one of the purest, pinkest diamonds”, according to Sotheby’s. The 11.15-carat stone fetched an eye-watering US$57.7 million in October. But no one seemed... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3201704/why-are-pink-diamonds-so-popular-multimillion-dollar-sales-sothebys-williamson-pink-star-and-harry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3201704/why-are-pink-diamonds-so-popular-multimillion-dollar-sales-sothebys-williamson-pink-star-and-harry?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Dec 2022 01:00:14 +0000 Crown jewels are the pinnacle of craftsmanship and the maisons lucky enough to be commissioned to create new wonders delve deep into their archives for sufficiently glorious inspiration. “The Windsor motif is a repeated pattern of round and geometric diamonds, which is seen in several of our signature collections, including Albemarle and Fanfare,” said Sara Prentice, creative director of Garrard. The motif, she added, was inspired by the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, one of the most... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3200822/inside-history-between-crown-jewels-and-luxury-brands-queen-elizabeth-and-princess-diana-inspired?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3200822/inside-history-between-crown-jewels-and-luxury-brands-queen-elizabeth-and-princess-diana-inspired?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Nov 2022 08:00:15 +0000 It was a poignant image that will stick with many of us – the coffin of Queen Elizabeth, draped in the royal standard as she lay in state at Westminster Hall until the morning of her funeral on September 19. Placed atop her coffin were the three most important symbols of the British monarchy: the Imperial State Crown, Sovereign’s Sceptre and Sovereign’s Orb. Massive and unwieldy, they embody the great weight of the office they denote, but the woman who carried them – mostly only figuratively –... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3198275/history-behind-queen-elizabeths-dazzling-jewellery-late-british-monarch-shone-imperial-state-crown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3198275/history-behind-queen-elizabeths-dazzling-jewellery-late-british-monarch-shone-imperial-state-crown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Nov 2022 10:00:24 +0000 Few watch designs have the staying power of the Reverso – appropriately enough, given that it was developed in 1931 at the request of British officers in the Indian Army, who were eager to protect their watches from damage during polo matches. The request eventually came to the attention of Jaeger-LeCoultre in their workshops in the famous Vallée de Joux, Switzerland, and they set to work. Inside BTS’ US$1 million luxury watch collection – who spent the most? According to the brand, the Reverso... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3195155/why-jaeger-lecoultre-reverso-still-rules-after-90-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3195155/why-jaeger-lecoultre-reverso-still-rules-after-90-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Oct 2022 00:00:11 +0000 Parisian high jewellery maison Chaumet has crafted a diverse range of exceptional pieces over many decades – from rings, tiaras and necklaces, to jewellery watches. These have often been inspired by Empress Joséphine, the first wife of Napoleon I, who has sparked the brand’s creativity for over two centuries. But how did she become Chaumet’s most important muse? History has it that the French Emperor loved Joséphine passionately and indulged the empress’ insatiable love for jewellery. This led... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3191958/chaumets-royal-muse-jewellery-brand-was-beloved-empress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3191958/chaumets-royal-muse-jewellery-brand-was-beloved-empress?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Sep 2022 09:09:07 +0000 Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but what really adds to their allure? Jewellers talk of the “four Cs” used to describe a stone, but the colour, carat and clarity are out of our hands, determined by the natural world. That leaves the cut, to really make it sparkle, and that’s all about precision, geometry and artistry, requiring huge expertise and an innate understanding of the diamond. Luxury maisons create their masterpieces using a mix of diamond cuts, from traditional favourites to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3178302/what-are-most-important-diamond-cuts-know-high-jewellery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3178302/what-are-most-important-diamond-cuts-know-high-jewellery?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2022 03:47:16 +0000 Since the #MeToo watershed broke in 2015, the ripples of change have been felt across our social landscape, with long-overdue efforts to promote gender equality and empower women kick-started in almost every field, and the watch and jewellery industry has made its own collective response. Brands today are actively thinking beyond gender – not merely in terms of product design and user appeal, but also in workforce and talent incubation. Today, it’s not enough to simply have bankable female... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3174737/how-luxury-watch-and-jewellery-houses-are-supporting-gender?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3174737/how-luxury-watch-and-jewellery-houses-are-supporting-gender?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Apr 2022 04:55:13 +0000