LOUIS VUITTON AND YANA PEEL RECENTLY HOSTED AN 'ART FOR BABY' RECEPTION AT ESPACE LOUIS VUITTON HONG KONG. THE 'ART FOR BABY' EXHIBITION BROUGHT TOGETHER IN CELEBRATION OF THE ASIA LAUNCH OF THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED BOOK BY THE SAME NAME. IT SHOWCASES THE 20th CENTURY'S MOST PROLIFIC PAINTERS FFROM AMERICA, EUROPE AND ASIA, WITH WORKS BY DAMIAN HIRST, GARY HUME, JULIAN OPE AND TAKASHI MURAKAMI. CHOSEN FROM AMONG WORKS BY KASMIR MALEVICH, PAUL MORRISON, BIDGET RILEY AND DAVID SHRIGLEY, EACH OF WHOM IS ALSO FEATURED IN THE ART FOR BABY BOOK. THE BOOK ART FOR BABY WAS CONCEIVED BY YANA PEEL ON THE BASIS OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT WHEN BABIES ARE FIRST BORN, THEY CAN SEE COLOUR BUT HAVE NOT YET DEVELOPED THE ABILITY TO DISTINGUISH SIMILAR TONES. AS A RESULT, BOLD GRAPHICS ALONG WITH MONOCHROMATIC BLACK AND WHITE CONTRASTS PROVIDE THEM WITH THE TOOLS TO NURTURE THEIR VISUAL SKILLS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME INTRODUCE THEM TO THE WORLD OF ART. THE ART FOR BABY EXHIBITION CONTINUES UNTIL APRIL.2011, AT ESPACE LOUIS VUITTON, 5 CANTON ROAD, HONG KONG, WITH ALL BOOK SALES GOING TO THE OUTSET CONTEMPORATY ART FUND.

LOUIS VUITTON'S 'ART FOR BABY'

LOUIS VUITTON AND YANA PEEL RECENTLY HOSTED AN 'ART FOR BABY' RECEPTION AT ESPACE LOUIS VUITTON HONG KONG. THE 'ART FOR BABY' EXHIBITION BROUGHT TOGETHER IN CELEBRATION OF THE ASIA LAUNCH OF THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED BOOK BY THE SAME NAME. IT SHOWCASES THE 20th CENTURY'S MOST PROLIFIC PAINTERS FFROM AMERICA, EUROPE AND ASIA, WITH WORKS BY DAMIAN HIRST, GARY HUME, JULIAN OPE AND TAKASHI MURAKAMI. CHOSEN FROM AMONG WORKS BY KASMIR MALEVICH, PAUL MORRISON, BIDGET RILEY AND DAVID SHRIGLEY, EACH OF WHOM IS ALSO FEATURED IN THE ART FOR BABY BOOK. THE BOOK ART FOR BABY WAS CONCEIVED BY YANA PEEL ON THE BASIS OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT WHEN BABIES ARE FIRST BORN, THEY CAN SEE COLOUR BUT HAVE NOT YET DEVELOPED THE ABILITY TO DISTINGUISH SIMILAR TONES. AS A RESULT, BOLD GRAPHICS ALONG WITH MONOCHROMATIC BLACK AND WHITE CONTRASTS PROVIDE THEM WITH THE TOOLS TO NURTURE THEIR VISUAL SKILLS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME INTRODUCE THEM TO THE WORLD OF ART. THE ART FOR BABY EXHIBITION CONTINUES UNTIL APRIL.2011, AT ESPACE LOUIS VUITTON, 5 CANTON ROAD, HONG KONG, WITH ALL BOOK SALES GOING TO THE OUTSET CONTEMPORATY ART FUND.

LOUIS VUITTON'S 'ART FOR BABY'

IN CELEBRATION OF THE FESTIVE HOLIDAY SEASON, SWAROVSKI PRESENTED A 30 METER HIGH OUTDOOR CRYSTAL CHRISTMAS TREE AT STATUE SQUARE IN CENTRAL HONG KONG. INSPIRED BY URBAN EFFERVESCENCE, AND A LANDSCAPE DOMINATED BY SKYSCRAPERS AND BUILDINGS WITH A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS NUMBER OF WINDOWS, THE SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL CHRISTMAS TREE TOWERS OVER 30 METERS. RHOMBAS-SHAPED MIRRORS IN SILVER AND GOLD, REMINISCENT OF WINDOW PANES, SHEATH THE TREE. THEY ARE EMBELLISHED WITH OVER 20 MILLION PIECES OF SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS. AT NIGHT, THE SWAROVSKI CHRISTMAS TREE DAZZLES BY MEANS OF INTERACTIVE LIGHTS FROM OVER 200 PIECES OF SWAROVSKI ANNUAL EDITION 2010 CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS.

SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL CHRISTMAS TREE

IN CELEBRATION OF THE FESTIVE HOLIDAY SEASON, SWAROVSKI PRESENTED A 30 METER HIGH OUTDOOR CRYSTAL CHRISTMAS TREE AT STATUE SQUARE IN CENTRAL HONG KONG. INSPIRED BY URBAN EFFERVESCENCE, AND A LANDSCAPE DOMINATED BY SKYSCRAPERS AND BUILDINGS WITH A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS NUMBER OF WINDOWS, THE SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL CHRISTMAS TREE TOWERS OVER 30 METERS. RHOMBAS-SHAPED MIRRORS IN SILVER AND GOLD, REMINISCENT OF WINDOW PANES, SHEATH THE TREE. THEY ARE EMBELLISHED WITH OVER 20 MILLION PIECES OF SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS. AT NIGHT, THE SWAROVSKI CHRISTMAS TREE DAZZLES BY MEANS OF INTERACTIVE LIGHTS FROM OVER 200 PIECES OF SWAROVSKI ANNUAL EDITION 2010 CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS.

SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL CHRISTMAS TREE

CARTIER, THE NUMBER ONE LUXURY JEWELRY BRAND IN CHINA, CONTINUES TO BUILD UP ITS PRESENCE IN THE ASIAN MARKET WITH THE OPENING OF YET ANOTHER STUNNING FLAGSHIP ON FRIDAY. THE NEW STORE, WHICH SPANS 900 SQUARE METERS, IS HOUSED INSIDE THE PRINCE'S BUILDING, AN UPSCALE SHOPPING CENTER IN HONG KONG. THE THREE-STORY BOUTIQUE REPLACES CARTIER'S OLD STORE, OPENED IN 1970, THAT WAS LOCATED ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE SAME BUILDING. THE NEW SPACE IS OPULENTLY DECORATED WITH OAK-CLAD AND BRONZE INTERIORS, CHANDELIERS AND MIRRORED WALLS. IN ADDITION TO CARTIER'S FULL RANGE OF TIMEPIECES AND FINE JEWELRY, THE NEW PANTHER DE CARTIER COLLECTION WILL BE ON VIEW HERE THOUGH ITS OFFICIAL RELEASE ISN'T SLATED UNTIL NEXT YEAR. THE PANTHER DE CARTIER COLLECTION WILL BE CRAFTED IN JADE, DIAMONDS AND JADEITE AND IS EXPECTED TO BE A HIT AMONG LOCAL SHOPPERS SINCE THE CHINESE CONSIDER JADE AN AUSPICIOUS STONE. CARTIER TOLD THE WALL STREET JOURNAL THAT IT EXPERIENCED DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH IN ASIA SINCE THE FINANCIAL CRISIS TWO YEARS AGO. CARTIER, WHICH INTENDS TO DOUBLE ITS BOUTIQUES ACROSS CHINA IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS, IS HARDLY THE ONLY WESTERN LUXURY BRAND WITH ITS EYES SET ON THE ASIAN MARKET. TIFFANY & CO RECENTLY ANNOUNCED PLANS TO OPEN 25-30 NEW STORES IN CHINA IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS. AND, FRENCH JEWELER VAN CLEEF & ARPELS OPENED FOUR NEW BOUTIQUES THIS YEAR, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SHOPS IN CHINA FROM FOUR TO EIGHT.

CARTIER OPENS NEW BOUTIQUE IN HONG KONG

CARTIER, THE NUMBER ONE LUXURY JEWELRY BRAND IN CHINA, CONTINUES TO BUILD UP ITS PRESENCE IN THE ASIAN MARKET WITH THE OPENING OF YET ANOTHER STUNNING FLAGSHIP ON FRIDAY. THE NEW STORE, WHICH SPANS 900 SQUARE METERS, IS HOUSED INSIDE THE PRINCE'S BUILDING, AN UPSCALE SHOPPING CENTER IN HONG KONG. THE THREE-STORY BOUTIQUE REPLACES CARTIER'S OLD STORE, OPENED IN 1970, THAT WAS LOCATED ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE SAME BUILDING. THE NEW SPACE IS OPULENTLY DECORATED WITH OAK-CLAD AND BRONZE INTERIORS, CHANDELIERS AND MIRRORED WALLS. IN ADDITION TO CARTIER'S FULL RANGE OF TIMEPIECES AND FINE JEWELRY, THE NEW PANTHER DE CARTIER COLLECTION WILL BE ON VIEW HERE THOUGH ITS OFFICIAL RELEASE ISN'T SLATED UNTIL NEXT YEAR. THE PANTHER DE CARTIER COLLECTION WILL BE CRAFTED IN JADE, DIAMONDS AND JADEITE AND IS EXPECTED TO BE A HIT AMONG LOCAL SHOPPERS SINCE THE CHINESE CONSIDER JADE AN AUSPICIOUS STONE. CARTIER TOLD THE WALL STREET JOURNAL THAT IT EXPERIENCED DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH IN ASIA SINCE THE FINANCIAL CRISIS TWO YEARS AGO. CARTIER, WHICH INTENDS TO DOUBLE ITS BOUTIQUES ACROSS CHINA IN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS, IS HARDLY THE ONLY WESTERN LUXURY BRAND WITH ITS EYES SET ON THE ASIAN MARKET. TIFFANY & CO RECENTLY ANNOUNCED PLANS TO OPEN 25-30 NEW STORES IN CHINA IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS. AND, FRENCH JEWELER VAN CLEEF & ARPELS OPENED FOUR NEW BOUTIQUES THIS YEAR, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SHOPS IN CHINA FROM FOUR TO EIGHT.

CARTIER OPENS NEW BOUTIQUE IN HONG KONG

BONHAMS HONG KONG RECENTLY CELEBRATED ITS SECOND 'GOLDEN GAVEL AUCTION', WHEN PART II OF THE WORLD'S FINEST COLLECTION OF IMPORTANT CHINESE SNUFF BOTTLES, THE MARY AND GEORGE BLOCH COLLECTION, SOLD 100% AND ACHIEVED WORLD RECORD PRICES. AGAINST PRESALE
ESTIMATES OF HK$24,000,000, THE SALE TOTAL WAS HK$54,832,000 (£4, 437,930) WITH EVERY ONE OF THE 155 RARE BOTTLES SUCCESSFULLY SOLD. A GOOD NUMBER OF THE LOTS SOLD FOR TWICE TO FOUR TIMES ITS ESTIMATE. A NEW WORLD RECORD FOR A PORCELAIN SNUFF BOTTLE WAS REACHED WHEN LOT 121 SOLD FOR A STAGGERING HK$8,384,000 (£678,815), FOR TIMES ITS ESTIMATE PRICE. COMMISSIONED BY THE QIANLONG EMPEROR AND ENAMELED IN THE WORKSHOPS OF THE IMPERIAL PALACE BETWEEN 1736 AND 1760, THIS EXTRAORDINARY SNUFF BOTTLE, DECORATED WITH 'DOUBLE-GOURDS', SYMBOLIC OF LONG LIFE, IS IDENTICAL TO ANOTHER RARE EXAMPLE STILL PRESERVED IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY PALACE MUSEUM. THE HIGHEST PRICE OF THE SALE, AND NEW WORLD RECORD FOR A GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE WAS ACHIEVED BY LOT 152, A 'FAMILLE-ROSE' ENAMELED GOLD-GROUND GLASS 'LOTUS' SNUFF BOTTLE, WHICH SOLD FOR HK$9,056,000 (£732,921), ALMOST FOUR TIMES ITS PRESALE ESTIMATE. THE EXQUISITE SNUFF BOTTLE WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE QIANLONG EMPEROR AND DECORATED WITH LOTUS FLOWERS AGAINST A RICH GOLDEN GROUND, AND INCISED ON THE BASE WITH THE IMPERIAL MARK. PART III OF THE SNUFF BOTTLES FROM THE MARY AND GEORGE BLOCH COLLECTION WILL TAKE CENTER STAGE AT BONHAMS SPRING 2011 AUCTIONS TO BE HELD IN MAY 2011.

BONHAMS BREAKS RECORDS WITH SNUFF BOTTLE SALE

BONHAMS HONG KONG RECENTLY CELEBRATED ITS SECOND 'GOLDEN GAVEL AUCTION', WHEN PART II OF THE WORLD'S FINEST COLLECTION OF IMPORTANT CHINESE SNUFF BOTTLES, THE MARY AND GEORGE BLOCH COLLECTION, SOLD 100% AND ACHIEVED WORLD RECORD PRICES. AGAINST PRESALE
ESTIMATES OF HK$24,000,000, THE SALE TOTAL WAS HK$54,832,000 (£4, 437,930) WITH EVERY ONE OF THE 155 RARE BOTTLES SUCCESSFULLY SOLD. A GOOD NUMBER OF THE LOTS SOLD FOR TWICE TO FOUR TIMES ITS ESTIMATE. A NEW WORLD RECORD FOR A PORCELAIN SNUFF BOTTLE WAS REACHED WHEN LOT 121 SOLD FOR A STAGGERING HK$8,384,000 (£678,815), FOR TIMES ITS ESTIMATE PRICE. COMMISSIONED BY THE QIANLONG EMPEROR AND ENAMELED IN THE WORKSHOPS OF THE IMPERIAL PALACE BETWEEN 1736 AND 1760, THIS EXTRAORDINARY SNUFF BOTTLE, DECORATED WITH 'DOUBLE-GOURDS', SYMBOLIC OF LONG LIFE, IS IDENTICAL TO ANOTHER RARE EXAMPLE STILL PRESERVED IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY PALACE MUSEUM. THE HIGHEST PRICE OF THE SALE, AND NEW WORLD RECORD FOR A GLASS SNUFF BOTTLE WAS ACHIEVED BY LOT 152, A 'FAMILLE-ROSE' ENAMELED GOLD-GROUND GLASS 'LOTUS' SNUFF BOTTLE, WHICH SOLD FOR HK$9,056,000 (£732,921), ALMOST FOUR TIMES ITS PRESALE ESTIMATE. THE EXQUISITE SNUFF BOTTLE WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE QIANLONG EMPEROR AND DECORATED WITH LOTUS FLOWERS AGAINST A RICH GOLDEN GROUND, AND INCISED ON THE BASE WITH THE IMPERIAL MARK. PART III OF THE SNUFF BOTTLES FROM THE MARY AND GEORGE BLOCH COLLECTION WILL TAKE CENTER STAGE AT BONHAMS SPRING 2011 AUCTIONS TO BE HELD IN MAY 2011.

BONHAMS BREAKS RECORDS WITH SNUFF BOTTLE SALE

THE NEW RITZ-CARLTON HONG KONG WILL BE THE TALLEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD AND THERE WILL BE AN INFINITY-EDGE POOL ON THE TOP FLOOR. THE CURRENT RECORD FOR THE HIGHEST HOTEL POOL IS THE INFINITY POOL ON THE EDGE OF THE MARINA BAY SAND HOTEL IN SINGAPORE, AN OPEN-AIR POOL PERCHED 55 STORIES UP. LIKE THE MARINA BAY SANDS, THE RITZ-CARLTON POOL WILL ALSO BE AN INFINITY POOL, BUT IT WILL BE LOCATED INDOORS ON THE 188th FLOOR. THE HOTEL IN THE MAKING WILL BE THE FLAGSHIP PROPERTY FOR THE RITZ-CARLTON IN ASIA, OCCUPYING LEVELS 102 TO 118 OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE CENTER. AT THE BASE OF THE ICC TOWER, THE ELEMENTS SHOPPING MALL OFFERS SOME OF THE FINEST LUXURY SHOPPING IN HONG KONG WITH BRAND NAMES AND INTERNATIONAL FASHION BRANDS FIGHTING FOR SPACE IN THE WORLD-CLASS LOCATION. THE BUILDING SITS DIRECTLY ACROSS VICTORIA HABOUR AND OFFERS MAGNIFICENT VIEWS OF THE HARBOR, HONG KONG AND THE NEW TERRITORIES. THE RITZ-CARLTON HONG KONG IS SET TO OPEN MARCH OF 2011.

RITZ-CARLTON HONG KONG TO HAVE WORLD'S TALLEST INFINITY POOL