Guests on Uniworld’s new S.S. Victoria and S.S. Elisabeth will get to enjoy the brand’s iconic, all-inclusive experience while visiting historic cities and beautiful villages. Traveling from Basel to Amsterdam on the 8-day ‘Castles Along the Rhine’ itinerary, guests of Uniworld visit towering castles that were once mighty fortresses; explore historic cities and tale-like towns; and sample fine wines in the villages where winemaking traditions date back centuries. In Belgium and The Netherlands with the 8-day ‘Holland & Belgium at Tulip Time’ tour, they get the classic Amsterdam ..read more

by Marc Almagro, photos courtesy of Gaurav Gupta   Gaurav Gupta’s fame as a couturier supports his efforts to protect traditions, livelihoods, and the environment Anyone who believes that high fashion is created in a hothouse environment can stop now. Renowned couturier Gaurav Gupta, who has dressed international celebrities in his one-of-a-kind creations, works with an eye on what is happening beyond his workplace. He even decided to set up his atelier in Noida, just outside Delhi, for the number of skilled craftsmen who live in the vicinity. “We discourage the mass migration of craftspe ..read more

by Marc Almagro, Photos courtesy of UBS Art Collection   How Mary Rozell is providing public access to a private bank’s formidable art collection We’ve been collecting art since the 1960s, and it’s part of our identity and heritage,” begins Mary Rozell, Global Head of the UBS Art Collection. We are sitting in the UBS lounge at ArtSG, surrounded by works of Indonesian contemporary artist Eko Nugroho and the people who have been allowed into the exclusive space. Mary is in town to observe the goings on at the fair, and although she has yet to do her walkabout, she appears excited. Mary Roze ..read more

by Marc Almagro, Photos by Zulfadli bin Rahman assisted by Tracey Nguyen, Hair & Makeup by Nikki Fu The motoring enthusiast and socialite moves through life as if she’s on the driver’s seat: she knows her destination and the best way to get there. Just to be clear, I wasn’t ingratiating myself with Amanda Toh-Steckler, socialite, philanthropist, mother, motoring enthusiast, whom I met in person only twice, but whose passion for supercars has left such an impression on me that when a car chase in a series I was watching came on, I immediately texted her. Whatever, I thought, if she didn’t r ..read more

An amber brooch belonging to her grandmother ignited Olga Oleksenko’s deep appreciation for jewellery. “Thanks to her and her adornments, I became aware of the beauty of jewellery,” she says. “They weren’t expensive pieces, but she wore them in a way that brought out their distinct beauty. From that time onward, I began paying special attention to brooches.” They are versatile and able to transform a look, she says, and that they evoke memories of her grandmother’s impeccable style made them her favourite type of jewellery. Before Olga launched Strong & Precious Art Foundation, a platform ..read more

Designer Terence Chan, founder of Terre Studio, has designed the bar cabinet that you may want for your home this holiday season. The piece is inspired by someone who prefers to keep his precious collection behind closed doors, and only reveal them at the right moment. Dubbed ‘Whisky Bar’, the handsome piece is fully customisable with a range of finishes and materials. In Terence’s art- and collectibles-filled man cave/showroom—admission is strictly by invitation—is a standard model that is 1200mm wide, 600mm deep, and 1500mm high. Outside, the carcass is a heavily sandblasted spruce veneer ..read more

The prodigious talent and output of jewellery designers Ilya Kluyev and Wallis Hong have the world in thrall. While Kluyev puts a modern spin to traditional jewellery design of his native Russia, China-born, Madrid-based Hong mines the arts for his dreamy pieces. In this back-to-back profile, we look at the inspirations, thought processes, and insights from two of jewellery’s most sparkling talents. IIya Kluyev: Upholding Traditions If you’re yearning for nostalgic jewellery pieces that you can brandish on on extra-special occasions, you will be well-advised to turn to Russian jewellery desig ..read more

Barney Cheng became acquainted with gemstones prior to his initiation into jewellery design. “We had Thai passports when we were younger, which required annual family trips to Bangkok, and it was in Thailand that my Mom took me to visit local sapphire mines, and I was gifted sapphire roughs and rejects from the polishing wheel.” On those workshop visits, he recalls watching the craftsmen intently as they brought fire and colour to the unassuming roughs. “Mom would always return to Hong Kong with several nice parures from each trip: cat’s eyes, star rubies and sapphires, rainbow-coloured gems ..read more

A new range of collectible jewellery shines in the RISIS Spring-Summer 2024 Collection   1974. Just as Barbra Streisand’s The Way We Were ruled the airwaves as the year’s No. 1 hit song, disco, along with the fashion it would inspire, was gaining popularity underground. ABBA won the Eurovision with Waterloo, their first taste of global fame. Gold hit a record $161.31 per ounce in London in January, and $188 in Paris a month later. (from top) 1974 Doritaenopsis Hair Comb, 1974 Brassidium Cuff Bangle (Limited Edition) In August that year, President Nixon would resign under the dense clouds ..read more

by Isabella Yan, Photos courtesy of respective brands   Sellers and buyers reported brisk business activities and positive sentiments all around The 2024 edition of the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and the Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show attracted over 81,000 buyers from 137 countries across the globe, underscoring the shows’ leading world position. According to Sophia Chong, Deputy Executive Director of the HKTDC, the shows’ organiser: “The twin jewellery shows successfully attracted buyers from around the world to return to Hong Kong, and it is very encou ..read more