https://www.scmp.com/rss/517961/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on eBay. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press The US stock market is holding tentatively near its record heights on Monday, while oil prices climb with uncertainty about when oil tankers can resume crossing the Strait of Hormuz and restore the world’s flow of crude. Duelling claims about a possible Iranian strike on a US Navy vessel in the strait heightened the tensions. The S&P 500 slipped 0.1 per cent, coming off its latest all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 216 points, or 0.4 per cent, as of 9.35am Eastern time, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352398/wall-street-dips-oil-prices-rise-reports-strike-us-navy-vessel-near-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352398/wall-street-dips-oil-prices-rise-reports-strike-us-navy-vessel-near-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 12:44:31 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Remember the iPod? It is making a quiet comeback. Four years after Apple killed off its digital music player, second-hand sales are surging – fuelled in part by young people interested not just in its retro looks but in listening to music in a focused way and with playlists not determined by algorithms. “There’s a growing trend, particularly among younger users, to mitigate the ease with which they can be distracted by smartphones, often driven by mental health and well-being concerns,” says Ben... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3349514/how-get-ipod-and-set-it-apples-music-device-makes-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3349514/how-get-ipod-and-set-it-apples-music-device-makes-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service At the dawn of 2026, social media influencers proclaimed it the year of the “analogue lifestyle”, a call to reduce digital connectivity as smart tech and screen time dominate a person’s attention span. Selly Tan, an influencer from California, says people are “craving something real again” and vowed to print her photos, read more books and magazines, and take up hobbies that do not need Wi-fi. Rosie Okatcha, an influencer from the United Kingdom, proclaimed the year would be “The Age of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3345536/craving-something-real-why-people-are-going-analogue-and-cutting-digital-use?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3345536/craving-something-real-why-people-are-going-analogue-and-cutting-digital-use?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 03:15:07 +0000 Kavita Daswani Kavita Daswani For Dana Nakagawa, the Covid pandemic was especially challenging. “The day we went into lockdown, my mom passed away,” she says. “And then a couple of months later, I got laid off from my job.” At the time, Nakagawa was a 56-year-old single mother living in the US state of California with her teenage daughter. She had been working in advertising as an art director after decades as a graphic designer. “Suddenly I was jobless, and that was a huge shock … How was I going to survive?” she recalls... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3341766/japanese-american-influencer-60-who-went-viral-saying-its-never-too-late-start-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3341766/japanese-american-influencer-60-who-went-viral-saying-its-never-too-late-start-over?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:15:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press More online platforms are giving second-hand shopping a digital upgrade, rolling out features such as live-stream shopping and AI-powered search to make thrifting faster and more exciting. Although choosing second-hand over new is often the more sustainable option, experts say it is not a licence to overconsume. They warn that resale has its limits, since buying more than you need still fuels waste, and shopping online can add emissions from servers and shipping, thrifted or not. Here is how... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3327724/love-second-hand-clothing-how-find-quality-pieces-and-shop-sustainably?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3327724/love-second-hand-clothing-how-find-quality-pieces-and-shop-sustainably?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Oct 2025 08:15:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press People are listing smartphones preloaded with TikTok for tens of thousands of dollars on eBay, Facebook marketplace and other online storefronts – though it is not clear if there are many buyers at those prices. TikTok was briefly unavailable to users in the United States over the past weekend, but as of Sunday anyone who had previously downloaded it has been able to use it. Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing his Justice Department to pause... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3296272/tiktok-loaded-smartphones-us-lists-thousands-dollars-ebay-facebook?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3296272/tiktok-loaded-smartphones-us-lists-thousands-dollars-ebay-facebook?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jan 2025 10:02:46 +0000 While mainland China’s massive short video and live streaming sector continues to expand, mainland e-commerce merchants are in need of a boost to directly sell their goods to consumers in overseas markets, according to Hong Kong-born serial entrepreneur Jerry Luk Ting-kwan. Luk, co-founder and president of live-streaming commerce and digital transformation platform operator Firework, made this assessment in a recent discussion in Shenzhen with Chinese retailers – whose businesses range from... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3258133/china-e-commerce-how-softbank-backed-firework-aims-help-mainland-merchants-sell-directly-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3258133/china-e-commerce-how-softbank-backed-firework-aims-help-mainland-merchants-sell-directly-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Apr 2024 10:10:48 +0000 Few remember that before Kim Kardashian was a household name and the founder of Skims, she was a personal stylist for Paris Hilton and ran an eBay account Kimsaprincess, where she turned a profit by selling her and her celebrity friends’ clothes. Late last month, Kim K came under scrutiny for putting a “dirty” Hermès Birkin bag on sale for US$69,995 on the Kardashians’ very own reselling platform, the Kardashian Kloset. While the site has been around since October 2019, Kardashian’s recent... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3254930/what-kardashian-kloset-and-where-does-money-go-kim-kardashian-sparked-outrage-listing-her-dirty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3254930/what-kardashian-kloset-and-where-does-money-go-kim-kardashian-sparked-outrage-listing-her-dirty?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2024 11:00:11 +0000 French houses dominate Paris Fashion Week but – much like London – the city is also a magnet for international designers aiming to make a mark on a global level, especially ones from Asia. Vivienne Tam, the Chinese designer based between New York and Hong Kong, has already built an international business and has shown her collections in New York for many years, but this season she decamped to Paris to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her eponymous label and also the 60th anniversary of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3254050/paris-fashion-week-2024-exciting-show-highlights-including-striking-autumn/winter-designs-balenciaga?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3254050/paris-fashion-week-2024-exciting-show-highlights-including-striking-autumn/winter-designs-balenciaga?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Mar 2024 05:11:20 +0000 The health of American consumers is highly vulnerable to a torrent of Chinese goods entering the country through a loophole allowing shipments under US$800 to bypass import tariffs, most safety inspections and other oversight, according to testimony before a US congressional commission on Friday. Products qualifying under de minimis trade provisions – the object of two bipartisan bills in Congress aimed at limiting or outlawing the exemptions granted smaller imports – have expanded 30 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3253916/us-consumers-face-safety-risks-chinese-goods-flood-country-congressional-panel-hears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3253916/us-consumers-face-safety-risks-chinese-goods-flood-country-congressional-panel-hears?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Mar 2024 22:15:26 +0000 Temu spent big at the Super Bowl on Sunday night, airing its advertisement six times and offering US$10 million in giveaways as it hopes to reinvigorate wavering US growth. Observed sales fell 12.5 per cent month-on-month in December and 4.8 per cent in January, a sharp drop from the Chinese e-commerce app’s growth of more than 50 per cent in mid-2023, according to Bloomberg Second Measure data tracking a subset of US credit and debit card transactions. Overall US retail sales rose in... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3251885/temu-splashes-out-super-bowl-ads-interest-chinese-e-commerce-app-fades-among-us-shoppers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3251885/temu-splashes-out-super-bowl-ads-interest-chinese-e-commerce-app-fades-among-us-shoppers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Feb 2024 02:30:23 +0000 Having a home on a high floor with a harbour view is the holy grail for many a Hongkonger but architectural designer Gary Chang Chee-keung, founder of EDGE Design Institute, believes you should never underestimate the charm of a mountain view. When asked to redesign a 1,800 sq ft (167 square metre) flat on a low floor in a complex in Jardine’s Lookout in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island, he took the intense vegetation, which the property overlooks, as the central theme for his design. “I’m not... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/3251563/empty-nesters-home-renovation-art-deco-touches-exploits-tree-setting-create-restful-interior-natural?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/design-interiors/article/3251563/empty-nesters-home-renovation-art-deco-touches-exploits-tree-setting-create-restful-interior-natural?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Feb 2024 05:15:11 +0000 Other than Carrie Bradshaw sitting on a stoop wearing one with a silk slip and snakeskin boots, and Kate Hudson in Almost Famous, there are few people to wear a vintage fur coat quite like Rihanna. The singer, style icon and new mother has been snapped in several vintage fur coats this year, including the one she wore on her way to the Met Gala (before disrobing to reveal her jaw-dropping Valentino cocoon). She wore another on a night out in New York in November last year. How vintage fur... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/celebrity-style/article/3250108/how-get-mob-wife-aesthetic-vintage-fur-rihanna-sofia-coppola-and-mary-kate-and-ashley-olsen-classic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/celebrity-style/article/3250108/how-get-mob-wife-aesthetic-vintage-fur-rihanna-sofia-coppola-and-mary-kate-and-ashley-olsen-classic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jan 2024 06:00:34 +0000 eBay will cut about 1,000 jobs, or 9 per cent of its full-time employees, and reduce work for its outside contractors, saying its staffing and expenses have outpaced growth. The e-commerce company said it needs to be “more nimble” in the face of a “challenging” economic environment. “While we are making progress against our strategy, our overall headcount and expenses have outpaced the growth of our business,” the San Jose, California-based company said Tuesday in a statement. “To address this,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3249554/ebay-slash-1000-roles-or-9-full-time-employees-joining-tech-giants-amazon-alphabet-making-job-cuts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3249554/ebay-slash-1000-roles-or-9-full-time-employees-joining-tech-giants-amazon-alphabet-making-job-cuts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jan 2024 02:31:37 +0000 Chinese people are rushing to buy calendars from 1996, which are identical to one for 2024 because both are leap years beginning on a Monday – a coincidence that has triggered nostalgia for the 1990s. Prices for the vintage calendars range from five yuan to more than 1,000 yuan (US$140) on Xianyu, China’s leading second-hand trading app. A single date page from a 28-year-old calendar can sell for 60 yuan. Over the past week, searches for 1996 calendars on Xianyu rose 600 per cent and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3248389/why-are-chinese-people-buying-calendars-1996-2024?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3248389/why-are-chinese-people-buying-calendars-1996-2024?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Jan 2024 14:00:13 +0000 Online retailer eBay has agreed to pay US$3 million to resolve a US criminal probe into a campaign by several of its employees to stalk and harass a Massachusetts couple whose online newsletter was viewed as critical of the company. Federal prosecutors in Boston said on Thursday that eBay had entered into a deferred prosecution agreement to resolve the case after seven former eBay workers admitted to participating in an extensive campaign in 2019 that involved sending the couple cockroaches, fly... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3248155/ebay-pay-us3-million-after-employees-harassed-couple-sent-them-spiders-and-cockroaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3248155/ebay-pay-us3-million-after-employees-harassed-couple-sent-them-spiders-and-cockroaches?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jan 2024 03:12:03 +0000 Countless iterations of Barbra Streisand currently occupy six storage lockers in California’s Coachella Valley. There – sandwiched between corrugated metal walls and hefty layers of dust – the star’s iconic profile graces thousands of items, ranging from posters and record jackets to clocks and nesting dolls. It’s not unusual for Streisand to be everywhere: she has sold 68.5 million albums over the course of her career and is currently promoting her new memoir, My Name Is Barbra, and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3246664/she-inherited-dads-vast-barbra-streisand-memorabilia-collection-she-doesnt-want-keep-it-shes-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3246664/she-inherited-dads-vast-barbra-streisand-memorabilia-collection-she-doesnt-want-keep-it-shes-not?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Dec 2023 10:15:11 +0000 This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with John Buckley, a 59-year-old watch dealer with offices in New York City and New Jersey who’s the owner of TuscanyRose LLC and managing partner of Vookum Media Group. I’ve always loved watches. I began dealing in the NYC Diamond District in the late 1990s, mostly buying and selling watches and watch parts. I specialise in vintage and modern Rolexes, and while I have experience in all luxury brands, Rolex is my forte. View this post... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3244804/how-spot-fake-rolex-5-ways-tell-counterfeit-real-deal-while-vintage-or-second-hand-watch-shopping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3244804/how-spot-fake-rolex-5-ways-tell-counterfeit-real-deal-while-vintage-or-second-hand-watch-shopping?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Dec 2023 02:00:09 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Just this weekend, Creed actor Michael B. Jordan was involved in a dangerous collision when he slammed his Ferrari into a parked car in Los Angeles. Luckily the actor walked away unharmed. Over the years, there have been numerous other celebrity car accidents. From minor fender benders to potentially fatal incidents, here are five stars who had luck on their side and emerged unscathed from a car crash. 1. Michael B. Jordan Michael B Jordan's $430,000 Ferrari is DESTROYED in horror crash outside... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3244383/5-celebrities-who-walked-away-car-crashes-2023-and-earlier-cristiano-ronaldo-and-michael-b-jordan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3244383/5-celebrities-who-walked-away-car-crashes-2023-and-earlier-cristiano-ronaldo-and-michael-b-jordan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Dec 2023 21:00:09 +0000 Laila Harilela is public relations director of the Harilela Hotels group, which includes The Hari and the Holiday Inn Golden Mile. I’m a real foodie who eats everything. I guess it comes from my father, really. When all my sisters went off to study and moved out after marrying, I was left and he would recreate dishes from restaurants. Plus, my Chinese nanny was also a really good cook. I used to steam salted fish in my flat in the Harilela house and the whole floor would scold me. “What’s the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3242282/where-eat-perfect-bowl-noodles-hong-kong-harilela-hotels-public-relations-director-her-favourite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3242282/where-eat-perfect-bowl-noodles-hong-kong-harilela-hotels-public-relations-director-her-favourite?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Nov 2023 04:45:08 +0000 An eczema cream sold on a retail website based in Malaysia and on the Carousell app was found to have contained more than 430 times the allowed limits of arsenic, with health authorities warning users to see a doctor “as soon as possible”. The cream, Euzema Confidence Revival Cream, was among four products that were found to contain potent or banned ingredients, Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Tuesday. After using the cream for eczema for a year, a man in his 30s developed a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3242303/singapore-warns-arsenic-laced-eczema-cream-sold-malaysia-more-430-times-allowed-limit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3242303/singapore-warns-arsenic-laced-eczema-cream-sold-malaysia-more-430-times-allowed-limit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Nov 2023 08:30:08 +0000 You know someone has got the magic touch when they can bring together athletes, rappers, celebrities and heavyweight investors. Meet Michael Rubin, the man who is always seen hanging out with stars … and yet remains an enigma himself. But his story is actually quite simple: Rubin met rapper Meek Mill at a basketball game. They connected, got close, and then Meek went to jail for a parole violation. Rubin’s life changed as not only did he lose a pal to prison, but suddenly everyone wanted to know... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3241464/meet-michael-rubin-your-favourite-billionaires-billionaire-he-met-rapper-meek-mill-nba-game-then?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3241464/meet-michael-rubin-your-favourite-billionaires-billionaire-he-met-rapper-meek-mill-nba-game-then?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Nov 2023 20:00:17 +0000 My parents were first-generation Americans, the children of immigrants. My dad’s father came over in the 1880s from Vladivostok, Russia, and my mum’s parents were from Poland. My dad was an insurance broker. I was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1952. I’m the youngest of three and have an older brother and sister. When I was one, we moved to Freeport, about 25 miles from New York. My siblings were somewhat raucous, but for me it was a pretty idyllic childhood and I was given tons of freedom. In... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/3237070/he-built-huge-unique-collection-west-china-and-vice-versa-hong-kong-based-lawyers-life-collecting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/3237070/he-built-huge-unique-collection-west-china-and-vice-versa-hong-kong-based-lawyers-life-collecting?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Oct 2023 04:15:11 +0000 She may be the youngest member of the Beckham brood, but Harper Seven doesn’t suffer from being given hand me downs from her three older siblings. As the family’s only daughter – and with parents worth a combined US$450 million, per Celebrity Net Worth – quite the opposite is true. Instead, she is often spotted in versions of Victoria Beckham designs that have been created especially for her, and seems to have one of the most impressive sneaker collections of any tween we know. She’s no stranger... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3236250/victoria-and-david-beckhams-daughter-harpers-incredible-style-evolution-posh-and-becks-youngest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3236250/victoria-and-david-beckhams-daughter-harpers-incredible-style-evolution-posh-and-becks-youngest?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Oct 2023 20:00:18 +0000 A year has passed slowly for Devi Athok, an Indonesian man whose two teenage daughters died in a crush of fans at a football stadium in East Java last October after police fired tear gas, setting off a panicked run for the exits that left 135 people dead. The crowd surge in Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang city was among the world’s worst sporting tragedies. Some 43 children died and around 580 people were injured in the incident. Chaos broke out after Persebaya Surabaya defeated Arema Malang 3-2 in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3236463/one-year-after-deadly-fan-crush-indonesia-football-stadium-families-still-seek-justice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3236463/one-year-after-deadly-fan-crush-indonesia-football-stadium-families-still-seek-justice?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Oct 2023 17:12:33 +0000 India has one of the world’s most ancient civilisations, and a rich cultural heritage seen in, among other things, philosophy, food and dance. Around the world today, its culture is most obviously represented by Bollywood, the billion-dollar Hindi-language film industry that churns out 1,000 films a year, leaving Hollywood – which makes about 600 films a year – in its wake. “It’s true that much of what is known about India in places such as Hong Kong is Bollywood driven, because that is the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3236079/bollywood-yoga-music-and-more-hong-kongs-india-bay-festival-celebration-indian-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3236079/bollywood-yoga-music-and-more-hong-kongs-india-bay-festival-celebration-indian-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Sep 2023 04:45:09 +0000 I recently received a “designer” wallet as a gift. I use the qualifier reluctantly because I fail to identify any element of good design, aesthetic or functional, in an unremarkable wallet with the brand’s logo embossed on every conceivable surface. It is too small to be of any use to me because I still carry large quantities of banknotes and coins, along with cards, shop receipts that promise future discounts, a postage stamp or two, and a lai see packet containing US$100 for any emergency that... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3235322/chinas-society-goes-cashless-how-did-ancient-chinese-carry-their-money-around?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3235322/chinas-society-goes-cashless-how-did-ancient-chinese-carry-their-money-around?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Sep 2023 00:45:09 +0000 Plans to tackle Jakarta’s pollution crisis by tying road taxes to the emissions output of older cars and motorbikes have been pilloried by some city motorists as punitive, prone to abuse and targeting ordinary people rather than big businesses responsible for toxins in the air. The new regulations, currently being piloted in Jakarta this month, make it mandatory for motor vehicles over three years old to be tested for their emissions level, with a ‘pass’ the prerequisite for the annual road... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3235307/jakartas-motorists-say-outrageous-plan-punish-high-emissions-vehicles-targets-poor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3235307/jakartas-motorists-say-outrageous-plan-punish-high-emissions-vehicles-targets-poor?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Sep 2023 01:30:22 +0000 Philippine Nobel laureate Maria Ressa was acquitted on Tuesday of her final tax evasion charge, the latest legal victory for the veteran journalist as she battles to stay out of prison. Ressa smiled as the judge delivered the verdict in a case that has dragged on for nearly five years. The 59-year-old, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, has been fighting multiple charges filed during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, and still faces two cases. A vocal critic of Duterte and his... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3234214/philippines-journalist-maria-ressa-acquitted-tax-evasion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3234214/philippines-journalist-maria-ressa-acquitted-tax-evasion?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Sep 2023 03:33:07 +0000 Recently, a short video series titled Escape from the British Museum went viral on the Chinese internet. The three-part series tells the story of how a Chinese artefact – a jade teapot played by a vlogger as a damsel in distress – escapes from the British Museum and finds its way back home to China. The first episode was released on August 30 but, even before that, the trailer attracted much online attention against the backdrop of a theft scandal at the British Museum. In mid-August, the museum... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3233626/if-british-museum-isnt-taking-good-care-relics-chinese-want-theirs-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3233626/if-british-museum-isnt-taking-good-care-relics-chinese-want-theirs-back?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Sep 2023 17:00:12 +0000 Budget shopping app provider Temu, owned by multinational e-commerce group PDD Holdings, has started operations in the Philippines to kick off its expansion into Southeast Asia, where it faces tough head-to-head competition against Alibaba Group Holding unit Lazada, ByteDance’s TikTok Shop and Singapore-based Shopee. Temu over the weekend quietly made its “grand opening” in the Philippines, where the Boston-based sibling of Chinese online retailer Pinduoduo offered up to 90 per cent off items... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3232584/pdd-owned-temu-enters-philippines-heat-competition-southeast-asias-e-commerce-market-against?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3232584/pdd-owned-temu-enters-philippines-heat-competition-southeast-asias-e-commerce-market-against?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Aug 2023 11:30:08 +0000 The director of the British Museum said on Friday he was stepping down with immediate effect after admitting to failings in the museum’s investigation into the theft of items from its collection. Hartwig Fischer, a German art historian who was expected to leave his post next year, said the museum did not sufficiently respond to warnings that an employee may have been stealing items and the failings “must ultimately rest” with him. “Over the last few days I have been reviewing in detail the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3232378/british-museum-director-quits-over-stolen-items?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3232378/british-museum-director-quits-over-stolen-items?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Aug 2023 16:20:15 +0000 A sting operation at a London hotel helped authorities recover a 15th-century Chinese vase worth about 2 million pounds (US$2.5 million) and break up the criminal ring believed to have stolen the artefact from a Swiss museum, British police said on Saturday. The vase, which dates to the Yongle period of the Ming dynasty, was one of three items stolen from the Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva in 2019. The Metropolitan Police Service made the announcement after a London court on Friday found... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3231665/british-police-recover-stolen-ming-dynasty-vase-worth-us25-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3231665/british-police-recover-stolen-ming-dynasty-vase-worth-us25-million?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Aug 2023 15:45:22 +0000 A curator has been fired from the British Museum in London after stolen jewellery was found being sold cheaply on eBay, a report said. Some of the items were worth up to £50,000, or around US$63,000, and were listed on eBay for as little as £40 (US$50), according to British newspaper The Telegraph. An antiquities expert reported suspicion that a staff member was stealing from secure vaults at the museum in 2013, and the missing items began turning up on eBay three years later. Peter Higgs, 56,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3231651/stolen-british-museum-jewellery-worth-us63000-sold-ebay-little-us50?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3231651/stolen-british-museum-jewellery-worth-us63000-sold-ebay-little-us50?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Aug 2023 11:00:08 +0000 Since the pandemic, those in the know say people in the tech industry are fixating more on watches than ever before. “Much more of a statement – nobody leaves home without one!” says Victoria Hitchcock, a fashion lifestylist and personal brander in Silicon Valley, per Vox. Unlike professionals in finance who have long seen the value of “a statement,” those in the tech industry have been characterised – and even mocked – for their fixation on utility and simplicity. (Think the old tech bro... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3230608/9-watch-brands-tech-millionaires-love-elon-musk-and-jeff-bezos-wear-omega-and-bill-gates-goes-casio?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/watches/article/3230608/9-watch-brands-tech-millionaires-love-elon-musk-and-jeff-bezos-wear-omega-and-bill-gates-goes-casio?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Aug 2023 05:40:39 +0000 Since late 2022, Wall Street has been rife with predictions for the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate increases to wreak havoc in the US economy and stock market. But while the broader economy has held up surprisingly well, the monetary blitzkrieg has sparked a downturn of a different kind – a rout in the secondary market for luxury watches. The WatchCharts Overall Market Index – which tracks the prices of 60 timepieces from top brands including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet – has... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3229997/what-great-rolex-recession-and-it-really-here-amid-fears-economic-downturn-buyers-scale-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3229997/what-great-rolex-recession-and-it-really-here-amid-fears-economic-downturn-buyers-scale-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Aug 2023 09:02:00 +0000 Women will bear the brunt of extreme heat as more frequent heatwaves on a warming planet pose a growing threat to their work, earnings and lives, researchers have warned. The impacts of rising heat are disproportionately dangerous and costly to women – be it at home or on the job – according to a report titled “The Scorching Divide” by the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center (Arsht-Rock). The US-based non-profit’s research, which analysed India, Nigeria and the United States,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3229655/warming-world-brutalises-women-heatwaves-deepen-gender-divide-india-us-nigeria?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3229655/warming-world-brutalises-women-heatwaves-deepen-gender-divide-india-us-nigeria?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Aug 2023 22:00:21 +0000 A pair of vintage Apple trainers are on sale, but they cost more than what some people make in a year. Would you be willing to pay US$50,000 for rare Apple kicks? The Omega Sports Apple Computer trainers were made for Apple employees in the 1990s. They have never been officially sold by Apple to the public, but a mint-condition pair is currently available courtesy of Sotheby’s. The white trainers have a rainbow Apple logo on the tongue and on the sides. They are a US men’s size 10.5. Photos... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/3229581/would-you-splurge-us50000-apples-original-vintage-sneakers-tech-giants-1980s-merch-got-discontinued?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/3229581/would-you-splurge-us50000-apples-original-vintage-sneakers-tech-giants-1980s-merch-got-discontinued?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Aug 2023 04:38:51 +0000 Twitter’s rebrand as ‘X’ hasn’t quite gone to plan in Indonesia, where the site has been temporarily blocked because the domain was previously used by websites that posted “negative” content, Al Jazeera reported. Elon Musk announced on Sunday that the domain X.com, which he previously used for PayPal, had started redirecting users to Twitter. But according to Al Jazeera, millions of Indonesians were subsequently unable to access the social media platform due to the country’s strict rules that... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3229039/elon-musks-twitter-rebrand-got-site-blocked-indonesia-where-xcom-was-once-linked-porn-gambling-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3229039/elon-musks-twitter-rebrand-got-site-blocked-indonesia-where-xcom-was-once-linked-porn-gambling-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jul 2023 20:00:25 +0000 For much of watchmaking history, pieces have been made to tackle all sorts of scenario-based time keeping – from racing and diving to international travel and alarms. They have followed their wearers to every sort of endeavour imaginable, even onto the moon. However, these days, precision instruments have taken the place of traditional wristwatches for many of these applications. As a result, watchmaking has pivoted to evoking a spirit of the frontier via design. So, if there are watches that... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3228109/5-best-futuristic-spaceship-inspired-watches-tomorrow-kickstarter-funded-argon-spaceone-and-mbfs-hm8?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3228109/5-best-futuristic-spaceship-inspired-watches-tomorrow-kickstarter-funded-argon-spaceone-and-mbfs-hm8?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jul 2023 00:00:09 +0000 Actor Stephen Au Kam-tong vividly remembers the morning of July 21, 1973. “I was still sleeping and I was woken up by my eldest sister,” the 60-year-old actor recalls in a video call in Vancouver, Canada. “She said, ‘Sai lo, sai lo [little brother] look! Bruce Lee is dead!’ I can still remember her voice was shivering. She couldn’t believe that. Nobody could believe that.” His sister then showed him the newspaper and the headline read: “The sudden death of Bruce Lee”. “These five Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3228053/bruce-lee-never-seen-footage-be-unveiled-hong-kong-actor-and-lifelong-fan-stephen-au-50th?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3228053/bruce-lee-never-seen-footage-be-unveiled-hong-kong-actor-and-lifelong-fan-stephen-au-50th?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jul 2023 10:15:18 +0000 Green dials on timepieces have gone from exceptionally rare to near-ubiquitous, and yet the trend shows no sign of wearing itself out, as watchmakers show increasingly ingenuity when adding a viridescent tinge to make their designs pop. It’s difficult these days – especially at Watches and Wonders – to avoid the wave of new releases featuring a green dial, simply because the world wants more. And it can prove extremely hard not to miss the growing list of green-dial variations of long-celebrated... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/3227700/8-daring-watches-redefining-green-dial-trend-2023-unlikely-kermit-frog-aston-martin-and-nespresso?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/tech-design/article/3227700/8-daring-watches-redefining-green-dial-trend-2023-unlikely-kermit-frog-aston-martin-and-nespresso?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jul 2023 23:00:08 +0000 The number of fake watches uncovered by pre-owned dealer Watchfinder & Co is rising – with Rolex replicas accounting for about half of the knock-offs in circulation. As many as 10 per cent of the watches received from sellers last year were determined to be fakes during an authentication process, according to Watchfinder CEO Arjen van de Vall. “Rolex is the most aspirational luxury watch brand and has the highest demand – hence, it’s the most replicated,” said van de Vall. 5 biggest watch... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3227521/half-all-fake-watches-are-rolex-knock-offs-and-replicas-are-harder-spot-ever-around-10-cent-pre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3227521/half-all-fake-watches-are-rolex-knock-offs-and-replicas-are-harder-spot-ever-around-10-cent-pre?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jul 2023 05:01:38 +0000 Omega, the Swiss watch brand known for its Speedmaster and Seamaster models, has raised prices by as much as 8 per cent in a move that could hurt sales, according to investment bank Morgan Stanley. Omega recently raised prices by 2 per cent in Switzerland and China – and by a whopping 8 per cent in the US – the biggest export market for Swiss timepieces, Morgan Stanley analysts wrote in a report, citing their own price tracking data. The move comes as other watch brands in the Swatch Group... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3227268/why-did-omega-just-raise-its-luxury-watch-prices-8-cent-swatch-groups-other-brands-longines-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3227268/why-did-omega-just-raise-its-luxury-watch-prices-8-cent-swatch-groups-other-brands-longines-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Jul 2023 05:07:47 +0000 An unassuming warehouse in Singapore probably seems like an unlikely place for a priceless collection of historic timepieces, including ornate Patek Philippe table clocks and vintage Audemars Piguet pocket watches. But that is exactly where a new watch museum, an initiative by watch investment advisory firm FutureGrail, is located. It houses over 200 ultra-rare timepieces unrestored and polished to perfection, and is open to the public by appointment. Highlights include the Navigator’s Watch by... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3226095/inside-futuregrails-new-watch-museum-singapore-how-private-museum-unassuming-warehouse-widening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3226095/inside-futuregrails-new-watch-museum-singapore-how-private-museum-unassuming-warehouse-widening?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jul 2023 02:00:10 +0000 High horology kept busy around the world as Dubai Watch Week and Watches and Wonders announced new fairs later in the year in Dubai and Shanghai respectively. Patek Philippe just concluded its exhibition in Tokyo, showcasing its entire collection as well as six stunning new releases, while Rihanna wore a watch choker at Louis Vuitton’s Paris Fashion Week show. Meanwhile, Bremont, Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux and more brands released new pieces borne out of collaborations, and Phillips just... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3226065/5-biggest-timepiece-moments-june-2023-audemars-piguets-spider-man-watch-marvel-and-rihannas-jacob-co?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3226065/5-biggest-timepiece-moments-june-2023-audemars-piguets-spider-man-watch-marvel-and-rihannas-jacob-co?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jun 2023 06:34:06 +0000 Last month, Rolex expanded its certified pre-owned (CPO) watch programme from Europe to the US. The second-hand timepieces come with a new two-year guarantee – and a hefty price premium. Every model except the Daytona is at least 17 per cent more expensive on average when certified by the crown. When Rolex announced its certified pre-owned watch programme last December, one big question on collectors’ minds was how much this authentication would affect prices. The answer? A lot. Used watches... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3225870/inside-rolex-certified-pre-owned-watches-hefty-premiums-less-popular-timepieces-date-datejust-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3225870/inside-rolex-certified-pre-owned-watches-hefty-premiums-less-popular-timepieces-date-datejust-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jun 2023 04:58:09 +0000 Rolex is arguably the most recognisable watch brand in existence – and for good reason. For more than a century, it has produced some of the best Swiss-made timepieces. Worn by everyone from US presidents and A-list celebrities to Cern scientists and professional scuba divers, Rolex is widely known as a watch brand that’s equally timeless in style and high-end in build. And if you’re in the early stages of acquiring your own, you’re likely looking for where to buy Rolex watches online. As one... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3224881/where-buy-new-and-pre-owned-rolexes-online-6-most-trustworthy-marketplaces-verify-authenticity-ebay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3224881/where-buy-new-and-pre-owned-rolexes-online-6-most-trustworthy-marketplaces-verify-authenticity-ebay?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jun 2023 09:21:07 +0000 Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group Holding, held an informal meeting with e-commerce executives in late May, advising them to refocus on Taobao and consumers to survive brutal competition and weather China’s economic slowdown, Chinese media LatePost reported, citing unidentified sources. The meeting came just weeks ahead of an announcement on Tuesday that the current head of Taobao, Eddie Wu Yongming, will take over as Alibaba’s chief executive starting September 10. Current CEO Daniel Zhang... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3224675/jack-ma-urges-alibabas-top-executives-go-back-taobao-fend-rivals-tough-e-commerce-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3224675/jack-ma-urges-alibabas-top-executives-go-back-taobao-fend-rivals-tough-e-commerce-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jun 2023 10:00:24 +0000 The Denver Nuggets sealed their first title in franchise history, beating the Miami Heat 94-89 to end a 47-season wait for a maiden NBA championship. Nikola Jokic scored 28 points with 16 rebounds as the Nuggets won the best-of-seven NBA Finals 4-1 to bring the Mile High City an NBA crown as a sell-out crowd roared in delight and pondered what more the young squad could achieve. “I’ve got news for everybody out there. We’re not satisfied with one,” Michael Malone, the Nuggets coach said. “We... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3223898/denver-nuggets-win-first-title-franchise-history-top-miami-heat-game-5-nba-finals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3223898/denver-nuggets-win-first-title-franchise-history-top-miami-heat-game-5-nba-finals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jun 2023 05:59:31 +0000