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Francesca Fearon
SCMP Contributor
Francesca Fearon is a former journalist at the SCMP and now based in London is a long-time contributor to Style and the SCMP. As a freelance writer, she contributes to the Financial Times, HTSI, Rapaport, The National and The National’s Luxury magazine and Conde Nast Traveller Middle East, specialising in jewellery, watches and fashion. Her work also has been featured in Hong Kong Tatler, The Australian and Harper Bazaar Australia.
In a rapidly evolving industry, luxury brands are investing in education to safeguard the artisanal skills that transform design visions into exquisite jewellery.
Guests share their passion for elegant watches and are joined by the wider public to admire the exotic cars at the Concours d’Élégance ‘fashion’ show.
For a long time, the Scots were banned from producing and wearing their beloved textile; these days, designers like Vivienne Westwood are putting it front and centre in their fashion collections
As timepieces become more popular with women, Breitling is working with Victoria Beckham while Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet have partnered with designers of haute couture
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Van Cleef & Arpels and Cindy Chao use the ancient cire perdue, or ‘lost wax’, casting technique for their delicate creations, while Joel Arthur Rosenthal, Hemmerle and Forms are turning to aluminium
Say goodbye to solitaire round brilliants – bridal jewellery’s new must-haves are fancy-cut diamonds, as seen in Louis Vuitton’s LV Diamonds, and Tiffany & Co.’s heart, pear, oval and emerald cuts
Both Hong Kong-born and London-based, Chan and Wun had never met – until a certain A-list rapper paired her enormous earrings with his striking bronze and gold gown
It’s as if Britain’s well-heeled country set is stalking the fashion runways – blue-blooded brands such as Barbour are updating their quintessentially rural collections for modern urban lifestyles.
Fancy coloured diamonds in distinctive shapes are capturing increased interest, with yellow diamonds featuring prominently at Haute Couture Week, and Rio Tinto announcing a new Beyond Rare tender
From Cartier’s classic Tank and Van Cleef & Arpels’s ornate Ludo to Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak, these famous old watches are finding new fans today thanks to respectful reissues
The celebrity designer invented the cufflink specialist while living in Hong Kong, before founding her namesake brand, known for playful pieces favoured by Rihanna and Kate Middleton
High jewellery brooches by artists such as Cindy Chao remain in the ascendancy, with fans including Michelle Yeoh – Hong Kong collectors can view pieces by Hemmerle at The Upper House from November 20
July draws a global audience and high-net-worth buyers to Paris, and is also a chance for to rub shoulders with historic maisons like Cartier, Piaget, Van Cleef & Arpels, Chaumet and Chanel
‘Secret’ watches might be an antiquated holdover from a less egalitarian era, but Chanel, Dior, Piaget, Van Cleef & Arpels and Jaeger LeCoultre all just released new high jewellery designs for a reason
Luxury brands from Cartier and Tiffany & Co. to Bulgari and Boucheron love the slithering serpent – but it didn’t all start with Elizabeth Taylor sporting a Serpenti watch to promote Cleopatra
The coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla is shining a spotlight on British jewellers as Boodles, Yoko London and more luxury brands create tiaras inspired by the grand event
Dress to impress: these are the luxury brands blurring the lines between haute couture and jewellery, from Dior and Chopard to Van Cleef & Arpels and Cindy Chao
Over oval diamonds? Try trilliant, trapezoid and tapered baguette cuts – now in vogue as houses like Cartier and Chaumet seek fresh perspectives on traditional designs
Who says ladies’ watches have to be teeny and cutesy? As women seek bolder and more assertive looks, luxury watchmakers are making belated steps towards gender-neutral fashions
Forget traditional gold and platinum – the high jewellery world is turning to space tech, anodised alloys and colourful finishes to complement gem settings
The world of high jewellery lost none of its glitter during the pandemic, with online showcases and private viewings a driving factor
Former Royal Air Force pilot Nathan Jones talks Invictus Games success, his social enterprise promoting mental fitness and why Bremont Arrow is his favourite watch
The Earl of Snowdon has seen the auction house pivot online during the pandemic, bringing deals in cryptocurrency, sales of NFTs – and sleepless nights of email
Diadem, kokoshnik or wreath? Diamonds, sapphires, pearls or emeralds? Royals have always loved wedding tiaras, but there’s more to their designs – and history – than glittering glamour
Everything from 1990s rave music to Elizabeth Taylor movies inspired Chanel, Dior and Rolex’s acid bright 2020 collections
Male celebrities from Harry Styles and Trevor Noah to Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham are donning gender-bending jewels, prompting us to ask: is men’s jewellery the hottest new trend?
Royals and public figures don the high jewellery pieces to make a statement – and not just sartorially
Donned by royals like Queen Elizabeth and other heads of state, tiaras have been popular wedding jewellery pieces and heirlooms – now young Asian consumers are snapping up bespoke, transformable versions
A Breitling Christmas present got George Bamford started on tinkering, then trading, which he has turned into a successful business dealing with the biggest watch brands in the world
Trailblazer Pierre Cardin brought ready-to-wear to the masses, made Asia his muse, and was so obsessed with the Space Age, he tried on on Buzz Aldrin’s original spacesuit
