Tag: live life in style

Snow Signs: Five decades of the Snowflakes timepieces by Tudor

One of the many factors that makes a brand stand out is the iconic component that is unique to its identity. For the Swiss horology brand Tudor, this exclusive element is undoubtedly the Snowflakes emblem – angular hand needles with square shaped hour calibres, which has been featured on countless timepieces across the decades.

Snowflakes

Originally introduced on two diving watches in 1969, this innovation allowed watch manufacturers to add luminescence to it – resulting in timepieces that are legible in any given lighting condition and fitting for the house’s tagline #BornToDare.

Snowflakes

In the decades to follow, Snowflakes became well-known not only among watch collectors, but amassed new followers among the divers of navy forces from all over the world including France, Canada, Italy, who all started sporting timepieces that featured this specification by Tudor.

Snowflakes

Initially a configuration that appeared only on diving watches, the high-end Swiss watchmaker later reinforced this unique element on its Black Bay and Pelagos models that were launched at the Baselworld 2012.

Fast forward to fifty years from its very first appearance, Snowflakes has continued to be one of Tudor’s defining features that is immediately recognised by watch aficionados globally.

Snowflakes

Home Comforts: Gaia Group introduces fine-dining delivery service

While staying indoors and eating home food is the safest option – especially in times of a virus outbreak like the Coronavirus – our choices can get pretty repetitive. Fortunately, fine-dining fare can still be had in the comforts of your own home thanks to Gaia Group, with the restaurant company having just introduced its delivery service to bring you their tastiest cuisines to your doorstep.

Gaia Group

Allowing you to enjoy a great gastronomic experience without the need to venture forth outdoors, you can order from restaurants including the bastion of contemporary Chinese cuisine, Shè, the authentic Italian choice Velo and all the other outlets under the group. Best of all, you can place an order from different restaurants at the same time, just in case your family can’t agree on just one eatery.

Gaia Group

Since debuting in 2000, Gaia Group has seen continuous, significant success across the years – not just in Hong Kong but in Shanghai, Beijing, and Bangkok too. Known for strategically planning, keen awareness of consumer tastes and adapting to the market, the launch of this new service shows the way the group successfully keeps up with the changing time and scenario.

Gaia Group

Fill in the form to place your order or WhatsApp (852) 9877 2635 or (852) 6056 8505. Moreover, you can get a free delivery when you purchase for HK$1,000 or more.

If you have any further queries please contact Gaia Group via email – contactus@gaiagroup.com.hk

Davidoff of Geneva at the Peninsula: A new chapter in the cigar brand’s success story.

Loved by cigar aficionados all over the world, it is no doubt that the premium brand Davidoff has made a particularly significant impact in the Asia-Pacific region through flagship stores in locations including Hong Kong, Seoul, Taiwan, Tokyo and more. Building on this success, the Swiss luxury label has opened a new Davidoff of Geneva flagship store in Hong Kong’s long-loved high-end hospitality hotspot, The Peninsula.

Davidoff

Returning to where it originally started in Asia – The Peninsula was home to Davidoff’s first-ever Asian outpost decades ago. The new store is designed to mimic a cigar box much like its Central-based shop at The Landmark. It houses a variety of products including cigar humidors, ashtrays, lighters, pipes and more.

This store which is located at the Mezzanine Floor of The Peninsula is three times bigger than the one on the ground floor. With a lounge that can occupy up to 20 people, this outlet brings the brand’s ‘retail and lounge’ concept to Hong Kong for the first time.

Davidoff

Celebrating the inauguration of the Davidoff of Geneva Peninsula store, a new cigar emblazoned with the words ‘Peninsula 2020’ on the second ring label is out. It is a special edition of the Toro format cigars – Davidoff Aniversario No.3.

Davidoff

Speaking about the commencement of this new store, Laurent de Rougemont, the Managing Director of Davidoff Asia said, “The challenge in designing this cigar boutique was to preserve the company’s history but to continue our mission to delight and surprise our customers worldwide by delivering unique brands and unrivalled retail experiences.”

For more information, please visit this website.

Flower Empowered

The lingering chill of the wintery months inevitably leaves true style-setters longing for more haute couture-friendly hotter days – a desire fully fermented by the first glimpse of the upcoming summer chiccery.  It’s a syndrome that’s likely to be particularly acute at present, given that many SS20 collections are flirtatiously floral affairs replete with blossom-bedecked numbers. Lovers of sheer sophistication will undoubtedly fall in love with the silhouette-hugging creations on offer from the likes of Fendi and Loewe. For those bewitched by bolder designs, it’s worth checking out Moschino’s ’60s-inspired flower-power print dress and Chanel’s gloriously flower-studded black gown, all of which will ensure that any true femme fashionistas will ensnare every passing gaze…

Valentine’s Day Gift: Best ways to express an eternal love

If you’re at a loss for that perfect Valentine’s Day gift to wow that special lady in your life, fear not, for we at Gafencu have shortlisted some of the most dazzling, bejewelled gems that are sure to have them floored.

Cartier

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Cartier, that most exclusive of haute joaillerie brands, has launched several new creations as part of its Panthère de Cartier collection. With the panther being a style statement for over a hundred years, it is reminiscent of love’s   timelessness. The collection includes jewellery, accessories and perfumes that can be worn everyday making each a meaningful and practical addition to any fashionista’s collection.

Valentine's Day gift

Boucheron

If all Valentine’s Day jewellery were to be personified, the ones from the luxury brand Boucheron can be seen as an outspoken person. With each different collection – Quatre, Jack de Boucheron, Plume de Paon and Pivoine – created to express something unique, the bijouterie from the French maison reflects romance without question. For instance, the Jack de Boucheron collection which is made of flexible gold wires –  giving room to endless creations – represents indefinite freedom.

Valentine's Day gift

Omega

Comparing love to wings that can help you reach new heights, Swiss luxury watchmaker Omega has ringed its iconic De Ville Trésor watches with a feathered motif. The 2020 Valentine’s Day iterations come in two avatars, including a blue co-axial master chronometer with 18K white gold markings on the dial for men and a Quartz 36mm with diamonds mounted on the bezel for women. What better Valentine’s Day gift than a timepiece to remind you that every moment with your loved ones is precious.

Valentine's Day gift

Blancpain

Every year without fail, Swiss watchmaker Blancpain has created feminine timepieces that celebrate Valentine’s Day, and this year is no exception. The “Valentine’s Day 2020” special watch is remarkable, featuring a white gold rectangular frame studded with diamonds and a mother-of-pearl dial embellished with diamonds and rubies. Limited to only 14 pieces, this celebratory timepieces takes its inspiration from a cocktail watch that was originally owned by the well-known screen siren, Marilyn Monroe.

Valentine's Day gift

Buccellati

Emblematic of an eternal romance, the Macri collection and the Opera Gold collection are the Italian luxury house Buccellati’s top picks for the perfect Valentine’s Day gifts this year. The Opera Gold collection that is highly influenced by the art of Italian Renaissance, highlighting the beauty of love with its floral pattern combined with the brand’s logo. The Macri collection, meanwhile, boasts, with flowing lines that embody the unbreakable bond of true love.

Valentine's Day gift

 

 

 

Freywille

The bijouterie brand Freywille is known for creating artistic jewellery collections that take inspiration from some of the most renowned artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Alphonse Mucha, Claude Monet and more. For this most romantic day of the year, the Viennese brand has put together a specially curated selection of pieces that celebrate love in all its myriad forms –  the Pepita Rose collection with floral patterns, the Poésie d’Armour collection, the Paris Pop collection and the Wedding Collection Fine Jewellery.

Valentine's Day gift

 

Sleep Tight

There’s no question that good beds promote good sleep, and lots of it. But, in the case of one innovative new model that’s about to debut – the HiBed Canopy Smart Bed – that’s definitely not the only thing it does by a long shot.

HiBed

Indeed, if the promotional literature is to be believed, it affords users a one-stop solution for your holistic health, wellness and entertainment needs. To break that down, it comes fitted with health tracking technology that monitors your sleep without the need for any wearable devices, and offers tips on how to increase your daily productivity. The cocoon-like design is also fitted with a pull-out desk, reading lights and below-bed lights – perfect for those midnight trips to the bathroom.

What’s more, the canopied bed is also equipped with an entertainment system – thereby negating the need for a separate TV in your bedroom – from which you can watch the latest Netflix series or listen to your favourite tunes. Created by Hi-Interiors, an Italian start-up that sees itself as the “early explorers of the Internet of Furniture”, this high-tech bed truly does seem like an all-in-one design. Then again, for US$40,077, it had better be. hi-interiors.com

Chopard highlights rare gemstones

The recent Paris Couture Week was the chosen venue for renowned haute joaillerie house Chopard to unveil its stunning new Bijouterie Collection, which featured some truly arresting gemstones that wowed the crowed for all the right reasons.

gemstones

Chopard’s new collection debuted several rare solitaires for the very first time, among which the highlight was undoubtedly a 21.04 carat unheated sapphire. Pear-shaped pigeon’s blood ruby, Colombian emeralds and more exceptional stones were also on display. Another stunning stone came in the form of a dark grey greenish yellow diamond – referred to as Chameleon for its ability to change colours.

gemstones

According to Caroline Scheufele, the Co-President and Artistic Director of the fashion house, revealing the beauty of these fine stones is “a jeweller’s true vocation.” Likewise, all the pieces in the array of ornaments were crafted in such a way that the allure of all these one-of-a-kind gemstones became the main focus – a perfect showcase of Chopard’s flawless craftsmanship and its growth.

Trim Class

Any style aficionado would agree that faux fur adds elegance to high fashion effortlessly. The fabric’s ubiquitous presence on runways – appearing on Chanel boots, Miu Miu capes and more – is a visible proof of its undeniable allure. In admiration of the fabric, we at Gafencu have put together a list of products that define the charm of fur-trimmed fashion.

Valentine’s Day Dinners: Romance your loved one with a truly spectacular meal

There’s no better occasion than Valentine’s Day to show that special someone in your life just how much you appreciate them. To help, Hong Kong’s finest eateries have put together a smorgasbord of romantic menus to enhance the day even further. Below, we highlight some of the best Valentine’s Day dinners to be had come February 14th. Best book fast to ensure your evening is one to remember. 

Épure 

Valentine's Day dinners

There is no doubt that the right ingredient can immediately transform any romantic Valentine’s dinner. With that in mind, the French fine dining restaurant Épure is offering a special eight-course Valentine’s day dinner menu with the much-coveted Black Truffles as its central motif, created by Executive Chef Nicolas Boutin. Besides, this one Michelin starred restaurant’s view of the Victoria Harbour adds to the intimate dining experience. Call (852) 3185 8338 or email reservations@epure.hk to book your table. 

Location: Shop 403, 4/F, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.

Price: HK$2,088 onwards + 10% per person.

Takumi by Daisuke Mori 

Valentine's Day dinners

On a day to celebrate the love shared by two people, Takumi by Daisuke Mori, a restaurant that brings together two different cuisines – French and Japanese goes well with the theme. Crafted by Michelin-starred Chef Daisuke, the nine-course menu served on Valentine’s Day features dishes like HIDA Tenderloin Sandwich, Hairy Crab Shogoin-turnip and Blue Lobster Rolled Pumpkin and Nori. There’s also a wine-pairing option of four glasses of wine for HK$880 or six glasses for HK$1,180, both of which will be subject to 10% service charges. For more details click here. 

Location: Shop 1, G/F, The Oakhill, 16 Wood Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong.

Price: HK$2,080 + 10% service charges.

Madame Fù

Valentine's Day dinners

If you believe in the popular phrase ‘sharing is caring’, the Valentine’s Day dinner menu served by the contemporary Chinese restaurant Madame Fù definitely looks set to please. The five-course menu features dishes such as  Seafood Honey Bean Dumplings, French Blue Lobster with Dan Dan Noodles and Wasabi Angus Beef with Okra and more. With four out of seven rooms specially decorated for Valentine’s Day, there’s no doubt the atmosphere and culinary treats here will help enhance the romance of the evening. Click here to make your reservation. 

Location: Madame Fù, 3rd Floor, Barrack Block, Tai Kwun, No.10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong. 

Price: From HK$1,800.

The Tiffany Blue Box Cafe

Valentine's Day dinners

Be it gifting your partner a beautiful piece of jewellery or surprising them with a remarkable dinner, with the creation of The Tiffany Blue Box Cafe, the American brand Tiffany and Co. knows how to put exquisiteness in both. Starting with the rich taste of Iberico Ham with Green Asparagus Panna Cotta and ending with the cafe’s homemade Lemon Madeleine and Dark Chocolate Madeleine, the five-course meal is sure to impress your taste buds and your date’s too. Click here to book your table.

Location: 2/F, Shop No. 7-8 One Peking, No.1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Price: HK$1,688 + Perrier-Jouët Champagne: HK$150/glass. 

Mott 32

Valentine's Day dinners

If you are looking to eat to your heart’s content with your loved one, the long-lauded modern Chinese cuisine Mott 32 could be the perfect destination for Valentine’s Day. The Central-set restaurant’s nine-dish set menu includes mouth watering dishes like Foie Gras with Chinese Hwa Tiao, Egg White, Pumpkin Soup, and Baked Red Date Puff with Red Beancurd. Served exclusively on February 14, this feast is surely a wholesome gastronomic journey. Click here to make your reservation. 

Location: Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4-4a Des Voeux Road, Central, Hong Kong.

Price: HK$1,480 + 10% per person.

The Landmark Mandarin Oriental

Valentine's Day dinners

Everyone likes to have choices and those at the luxury restaurant The Landmark Mandarin Oriental offers that to you. If you choose to go on an afternoon date, the eatery offers a selection of pastries including Green tea matcha cheesecake, Coconut and mango bowl, and more, which you can pair with a bottle of pink Moët & Chandon rosé champagne. If you are looking to dine later in the evening or even midnight (till 1:00am), The Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s bar Please Don’t Tell serves Caviar tots and Moët & Chandon champagne or a classic Martini cocktail and a dessert of your liking. Both these dining options will be available from February 11 to February 17. Make your reservations via email – lmhkg-mobar@mohg.com or phone – (852) 2132 0077. 

Location: The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong.

Prices: From HK$338 to HK$1,998.

Hue

Valentine's Day dinners

Be it satisfying your visual senses with a panoramic view of Victoria Harbour or treating your taste buds with its mouthwatering menu, the contemporary Australian restaurant Hue has it all. This Valentine’s Day, Hue will be serving a three-course dinner menu in the evening (6:00pm and 6:30pm seatings) and a four-course menu at its 8:30pm seating. With options like Beetroot salad with goat’s milk curd and luxurious truffle for starters and Yam and ricotta dumplings with pickled squash served with truffle and burnt butter sauce for the main course, you can relish in a satiating, soul-satisfying Valentine’s Day dinner menu. Call (852) 3500 5888 or click here to make your reservation. 

Location: 1/F Hong Kong Museum of Art, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, HK.

Price: Three-course dinner menu: HK$880+10% per person; Four-course dinner menu:  HK$980+10% per person.

Arcane

Valentine's Day dinners

Located in a quiet corner in Central, the one Michelin-starred hotel Arcane is a great dining option for couples looking for an intimate meal. Indulge in a six-course tasting menu with dishes including Seared Hokkaido scallop with roasted carrot oil, yamaimo, salsa verde and mustard frill; Slow braised wagyu short rib with sweet potato purée, brussels sprouts and maitake mushroom and other delicacies. With contemporary art work by Flowers Gallery filling the room, this restaurant provides the right ambience for a romantic dinner making it to our list of best Valentine’s Day dinners. 

Location: Arcane, 3rd Floor, 18 On Lan St, Central.

Price: HK$1,388.

Scent Master

Patrick Hui, founder of Scented Niche, on his favourite fragrances, finding boutique scents and delivering independent labels to his discerning Hong Kong clientele.

When did you personally become involved with fragrances? Can you give us a little bit of your own background?

I first started using perfumes when I was in high school, but it was when I went to study in the UK that I realised just how big that world really was. Europe has such a mature perfume culture, for example, there are 700 perfume boutiques in Italy alone. I’ve been enamoured with scents ever since then.

Scented Niche
Patrick Hui, founder of Scented Niche

Tell us a little about Scented Niche.

Scented Niche is a boutique perfume shop that brings exclusive scents to our scent lovers in Asia. We try to keep everything minimalist, only carrying creations from independent houses, rather than mass produced ones. Currently we have eight brands in all, which includes a range of perfumes, scented candles and home fragrances.

So these are all scents from independent houses?

All of them are from independently owned houses. For me, there’s a big difference between independent brands and designer perfumes. Big brands usually produce scents formulaically so as to develop a best-seller. Independently-owned perfumeries are different, they try to create something unique, something that doesn’t follow the trends, that are classic and timeless. Fine fragrances – those made by independent houses – can take anywhere from six months to three years to develop for each perfume.

Scented Niche

You have said that fragrances shouldn’t be mass produced. Why do you think that?

Most of the designer perfumes are mass produced. The company spends a lot of money on marketing and also the packaging of the perfume bottle itself. All of this cuts into the budget to actually create a great, unique scent. Also, big brands have a really wide channel distribution. We could see it on counters, department stores, a lot of companies and online channels. This cuts down on the exclusivity of the actual product.

Scented Niche

What can customers expect when they visit Scented Niche?

The first thing that they will experience is our friendly staff, all of whom are passionate about perfumes. They are trained to help visitors find just the right scent that they’re looking for, based on personal scent preferences, previous fragrances they’ve bought and so forth. They can then introduce them to those products created by the independent brands we carry and find a perfect match. In many cases, customers have previously relied on designer perfumes, but have become disenchanted with their short lifespan and want something that will be more unique while also long-lasting.

How do you find new products for Scented Niche?

We work directly with perfume houses and then we have them send the samples here. So we test  their scents but we also evaluate how their development strategy is over the next year. We just want to make sure they are not too mass-market, that they have no plans to enter wide  distribution channels like department stores. We will also evaluate the sellers’ online sales – particularly because many Hongkongers purchase their perfumes digitally. In both instances, wide distribution can confuse consumers and cause deregulated prices for goods, which we try to avoid.

Do you guys also do crowd testing before you introduce your products?

Not in any formal capacity, not, but every time we find something with potential, we ask our important VIP clients to also test them out. After all, many of our customers personally own 600 to 900 bottles in their fragrance collections. They’ve smelled many scents and they know what they like, so they help us gage how other people will feel about it as well.

You started Scented Niche in Hong Kong. Why did you choose Hong Kong as your place?

Hong Kong consumers are quite unique. It’s a very mature market and they’re very multicultural. They know what they want. In many cases, true perfume aficionados either have to travel overseas to find new, unique scents or to settle for more mass market designer perfumes that aren’t as exclusive as what they’re looking for. Ultimately, we thought Scented Niche’s motto of finding the best boutique fragrances would definitely be embraced by these discerning customers.

Scented Niche

Given you have all the perfumes here, do you have any favourite scents and why?

I do have some favourite fragrances among the current stock we have here. Chypre Palatin from Parfums MDCI is one of my favourites because it is something I wear for occasions when I go out in the night. I won’t wear it every day. It is not as linear as the other daily-wear perfumes, it’s a statement-making scent.

Can you give us an idea of what kind of smell it is?

It is a very complicated perfume made by world class perfumer, Bertrand Duchaufour. Even  though it has a vintage Chypre structure (citrus opening with a combination of floral notes at the heart, oak moss and balsamic resins at the base), it doesn’t smell too old with all the floral absolutes in the heart. I would say it’s good for both men and women, even though it was created as a masculine perfume. It’s a very modern homage to the nostalgic scents of yesteryears.

Scented Niche

Finally, do you have any new projects on the horizon?

This past year has been a very big one for us at Scented Niche, and we believe 2020 will be even better. We’re looking to open a second location in Hong Kong, which I’m super excited for, and we also want to expand on our current collections of offerings so that our customers can find even more fragrances that they like.

Thank you.