With home prices out of reach, sharing the cost of a mortgage can make homeownership a reality. But there are risks.
Don’t Let Pests Take Over: Tips for a Pest-Free Home
As the weather starts to warm up and we spend more time outdoors, we should start thinking about pest control in our homes. From ants invading our pantries to cockroaches scurrying across our floors, pests can quickly become a nuisance and disrupt the comfort of our living spaces. Apart from being unsightly, they can also […]
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How Has Vaping Evolved Over the Years?
It can be hard to imagine a world now without vaping, with people of all ages enjoying this more socially acceptable alternative to smoking. However, have you ever wondered how vaping came about or how it has evolved over the years? Explore the exciting world of vape development in the below timeline. Plus, find out […]
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Start Every Morning With a Fancy Cup of Coffee via QVC’s Nespresso Bundle Deal – CNET
Leave overspending on artisanal coffee in the past and grab this discounted Nespresso Vertuo Plus bundle so you can make specialty coffee and espresso drinks at home.
Surprising Benefits of Creating Your Own Music
Creating your music is not only a deeply personal and rewarding hobby but also comes with a range of surprising benefits that extend beyond the joy of composition. This creative endeavor can have a profound impact on your cognitive functions, emotional well-being, and social connections. From enhancing your problem-solving skills and boosting your mood to […]
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Are You Paying for Moving Boxes? You’re Doing It Wrong – CNET
Moving? How to get free cardboard boxes so you don’t have to pay for them.
Time Goes Public: Interview with Nelson Lee of Singapore Watch Fair
In recent years, Singapore has become well-established as one of the world’s top export markets for watches, boasting some of the world’s most engaged enthusiasts and collectors. As interest in horology continues to blossom here, it is inevitable that tastes develop beyond superficial interest in the usual top manufacturers. It is only natural that an appetite for vintage timepieces and independent watchmakers is burgeoning. In recognition of the increasingly diverse tastes in Singapore, Ali Nael and Nelson Lee began the Singapore Watch Fair (SWF), with the goal of helping establish Singapore as a regional hub for watchmaking and collecting. Since founding the Fair in 2017, it has grown, mirroring the island’s growth as a watch export market: from initially being the watch component of the luxury festival Jeweluxe to becoming a standalone event, supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Resorts World Sentosa (RWS).
This year’s event, taking place at Resorts World Sentosa from 2-6 October, is set to build on the success of last year’s, with both STB and RWS continuing their support. Focus-wise, SWF will also continue to heavily feature independent watchmakers, whilst featuring more appearances from top manufactures, amongst other displays of watchmaking savoir-faire. Watches will remain the central attractions but this show is not just for collectors; there will be something for everyone as SWF demonstrates how and why beautiful watches are central to Singapore’s cultural landscape.
In our recent chat with festival director Nelson, he reflected on the story of SWF thus far, and the new experiences attendees can expect to look forward to at this year’s edition.
Does the world need another watch fair?
NL: Yes – especially one that is able to bridge the geographical distance between Switzerland and the region – not just in terms of bringing watchmaking expertise to Singapore, but also being able to gather regional interest in one place. There have been stellar examples of such events in the past, but there hasn’t really been one that is consistently held on an annual basis.
Moreover, given how Singapore has cemented itself as a top export market for Swiss watches, there definitely is local demand for such events to be held in Singapore, which last year’s SWF proved. So, it wouldn’t be so much that the world needs another watch fair, but more that the region needs an annual watch fair in Asia to look forward to each year – one that caters to local interests, and that is able to form a point of convergence for the best of horology and devoted aficionados in the region.
A key focus of the SWF is that we’re always looking towards the future – this underlines our commitment to showcasing a variety of independent watchmakers every year, which stems from our belief that these independents represent the future of watchmaking, for instance, Krayon and L’Epee 1839…
Why has it taken so long for there to be a standalone watch fair in Singapore?
Nelson Lee (NL): To begin with, I believe it’s only in the past five or so years that widespread interest in independent watchmakers and vintage collecting has begun to solidify and take off. As with the rest of the world, the value and appeal of watches only really entered the mainstream consciousness during the COVID period of socio-economic volatility. In the years since, tastes have only developed and diversified to include appreciation for the fine work of independent watchmakers. The SWF has always mainly focused on independent watchmakers and vintage collecting – areas where we felt demand was concrete, and a platform on which we could showcase how far watchmaking has come, and how it could develop, through the juxtaposition of timeless vintage pieces with the finest craftmanship and avant-garde innovation that contemporary watchmaking has to offer.
In terms of practicality, it was only in 2023 that we were able to secure the support of a second key partner, Resorts World Sentosa. Even then (and the support of STB since 2017), despite the fact that we are more motivated by passion than by profit, the cost factor is not something that can be easily ignored.
How is the SWF improving upon the success of last year’s event?
NL: In 2022 and 2023, the panel discussions spotlighting women who collect watches – conducted by TickTock Belles’ Stephanie Soh and Deborah Wong, amongst others – proved to be very popular. We see this as a reflection of change within the collectors’ demographic – where women are now keener to create a space for themselves in what is a traditionally male-dominated sphere, so we’re definitely retaining that and bringing more engaging perspectives from our female collectors.
Besides the various watch panels and plenary sessions, we’re also looking to ramp up the interactivity of the event: through new, on-site, immersive audio-visual driven launches and dinners, as well as a new interactive activity driven by watch expert Carson Chan, perhaps better known on social media by his IG handle @watchprofessor.
In terms of a more hands-on experience, there will also be a strap-making workshop conducted by master craftsmen, which we hope will highlight the innovation and intricate craftsmanship of an oft-underrated aspect of watchmaking.
We are also looking to bring in two more established international watch manufacturers, to add a different dimension to the craftsmanship and innovation expertise that the independent watchmakers will bring.
For more on the 2024 edition of Singapore Watch Fair, click here.
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How to Wake Up from the Painful Trance of Unworthiness
“When we experience our lives through this lens of personal insufficiency, we are imprisoned in what I call the trance of unworthiness. Trapped in this trance, we are unable to perceive the truth of who we really are.” ~Tara Brach
Breaking free from the trance of unworthiness is a key part of our evolution process, both at an individual and collective level.
Let me explain why.
What I observe with clients and what resonates with my own experiences is that most (if not all) triggers, limitations we impose on ourselves, and fears of failure or success stem from a deep and profound trance we all find ourselves in at various points in our lives: the trance of feeling “not good enough.”
Once we’re enmeshed in this trance, where we truly feel that low vibration of unworthiness, and the shame that comes with it, we want to hide.
We want to ensure that no one discovers our perceived worthlessness, because that would mean rejection. And rejection is oh so painful. Because we still feel it as being abandoned from the tribe in our emotional body, emotion that’s imprinted during our formative years when our samskaras (impressions or patterns of thinking/feeling/reacting) are being created.
Therefore, humans naturally want to avoid rejection as much as possible.
From then on, we mask. We hide. We reject our true selves and put on a façade that we believe is valuable to the tribe, thinking that we’ll be loved for it. There are different types of masks we can opt for depending on our “culturescape” and family patterns of beliefs.
Your mask might resemble being an achiever. Constantly doing, constantly setting yourself up for success in whatever way your tribe defines it (a university degree, money in your bank account, the size of your house…).
Or your mask might be that of a “good girl” or “good boy,” a people pleaser. Staying nice, acting nice, not too ambitious, not too lazy, making sure you do not make mistakes or get in trouble because getting in trouble would be bad.
Or it could be a mask of service. You serve others, forgetting yourself in the process because thinking of yourself might be seen as selfish.
But all masks have limits. There comes a time when your mask does not serve you, or them. It serves no one because it is not you. So you end up fooling yourself and others into believing that the mask is you. And this misalignment feels awkward, tight, rigid, and stressful because it is stressful not to be yourself. It takes effort to constantly put on an act. It is tiring.
So there comes a time when you get really tired of it. Maybe you call this the mid-life crisis or the dark night of the soul.
It’s just that your soul is tired of the constant acting.
But your mask is really holding on, fearing that if it were to fall off, everyone would discover how worthless you are. So it works hard to stay and punishes you with harsh self-criticism each time you go off track and maybe show a bit more vulnerability, a bit more of yourself.
So how do you remove your mask? Well, it’s not easy. It takes effort and dedication. It’s a long, non-linear journey, more like a spiraling up and down movement. But it’s oh so worth it.
I too had a big mask on for a long time, and figuring out who I was without it was uncomfortable. So much resistance. So much fear. So many limiting beliefs.
I wore a perfectionist mask to keep myself safe for years.
I had a perfect body (according to the standards that were imposed on me at the time through magazines, society’s comments, women’s comments on their bodies), a perfect level of fitness (monitoring what I ate, struggling with anorexia), a perfect job (engineering, as per my family’s expectations).
I was a feminist, working woman (the strict version of feminism that was transmitted to me was to work full-time and not be at home because it was not valued) and an independent woman (able to do everything myself).
On the other side of the trance of unworthiness, life is so different from what your mask was expecting you to live. Maybe the big house you live in is not what lights you up anymore, or maybe it is. But you might find more joy and love in the small moments of life.
It’s so much nicer on the other side, so much more authentic; more energizing, fluid, and beautiful. Not all happy. But authenticity brings some lightness to your life even in the midst of life’s messiness.
Here are a few key steps to practice to break free from the trance and rediscover your true self.
1. Check in with your readiness.
First you need to be ready for it. You need to be willing. You need a strong energy of yes to change and no to staying the same, in that loop of constant self-doubt and feeling unworthy.
2. Practice radical honesty.
Be radically honest with yourself that you have been wearing a mask that kept you safe for a while but was inauthentic.
Feel the mask in your body. How do you feel when you wear it? What physical sensations do you experience? What’s the voice in your head like? What is your inner critic telling you?
Observe all of it. Each time you are back in this sensation, with this inner voice, catch it. Thank it for all the good work and beautiful protective intention all those years but be firm: you are in charge now.
3. Allow the feeling of discomfort.
Spend some time in the discomfort of removing the mask and being formless. Feel the resistance. Observe the internal battle. Feel it in your body.
After the internal resistance, there will be grief. Feel the grief fully. You are letting go of a part of yourself that defined you for most of your life. You will need to feel the loss. Take your time. There is no rushing grief.
4. Ask yourself: Who do I choose to be?
In your redefinition process, ask yourself who you want to be, what quality of being you want to embody. What lit you up when you were young, and what is lighting you up now? How do you want to show up in the world? How do you want to feel? You have the power to be whoever you want to be. What will you choose?
5. Remember your inherent worth.
Remember that you are inherently worthy of love. You were born worthy—a little newborn, a bubble of love. And you still are. Just as worthy of love, regardless of your age and the mistakes you made along the way. You are worthy of love because you exist.
6. Embrace forgiveness.
Forgive yourself for your mistakes. Forgive yourself for abandoning yourself so many times. Forgive others for anything they said or did that caused you to want to hide.
7. Decide that it’s time to shine.
It’s time to wear that new skin. It will feel weird for a while, but it will settle into something beautiful and relaxing. Eventually. Like when you meet someone you can be yourself with, it feels so easy and beautiful. Same feeling.
The world needs the whole of you. Your unique identity. Your unique vibration. Live authentically. Cry when you need to cry. Share how you feel with love and courage, without blaming others. Shine brightly when you feel that energy. Follow those steps that take you toward the vision of yourself you’ve set, those inspiring, energizing steps.
The journey is not going to be all rosy, but acknowledge the impermanence of the ebbs and flows in life so you can move through the challenging parts with trust.
8. Do what lights you up.
Do the things that make you feel awesome, whatever they are. For me, it’s yoga, walks, nature, spending time with good friends, and connecting with my kids.
9. Spend time in nature.
Nature brings out our authentic nature, our worthy nature, because nature is non-judgmental. Nature is authentic. Nature is powerfully beautiful. Nature is healing.
10. Surround yourself with a supportive tribe.
As you remove your masks, as you grow and heal, your relationships will shift. You might find that you cannot hang out with the same people you used to—because they might still be wearing their masks, and because they might struggle with your “new” vibration. That is okay and part of the process. Learn to let go. This will create space for new relationships to come through.
Find a tribe where you feel worthy and valued!
11. Be compassionate to yourself.
Because the mask will want to come back for a while, on and off, in different forms. Your inner critic will get loud. Be patient. Hold this part of yourself and the part s/he is protecting tight. You got this… until the next time where you peel another layer and release another mask.
Don’t forget, the journey isn’t meant to be tackled alone. Getting support from friends, a coach, or therapist is incredibly valuable. It speeds up growth and makes it easier to have someone to guide and cheer you on along the way.
*Image generated by AI
About Dorothee Marossero
Dorothee is a conscious, compassionate empowerment coach who is redefining what women were conditioned to believe success, beauty, and life ought to be. Dorothee supports women who are struggling with a harsh inner critic, a sense of misalignment, and lack of clarity in their life, to reconnect to their inner-powers and rediscover self-love, presence, and joy. Download her FREE booklet: “Nurturing Harmony: A Guide To Thriving As A Highly Sensitive Being.” here IG: @dorotheemarossero
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15 Minutes With…Nicolas Bos, CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels
How does Van Cleef & Arpels’ latest high jewellery collection, Le Grand Tour, fit in with the Maison’s tradition of high jewellery?
Nicolas Bos (NB): It’s a narrative collection in the sense that it follows a journey. You have collections that are more like landscapes, where there is not necessarily a hierarchy or chronology in the pieces, but we try to create a whole universe when you see all the pieces together in a display and exhibition, for instance, a collection like Under the Stars or The Diamond Collection or The Treasure of Rubies. Meanwhile, Le Grand Tour was more of a narrative, and it was a celebration of places and a way to revisit a subject that’s very important in the history of jewellery and decorative arts, which is the celebration of travel and discovery of cultures. The Grand Tour story is interesting because it was the origin, at least for Europeans, of individual travel to experience culture and art and for discovery, as opposed to travel for trade or conquest. We found it was quite a fascinating story to explore, and we worked with historians and experts to expose that whole phenomenon again.
How do all the themes and concepts that Van Cleef & Arpels has explored through its jewellery and watches contribute to the ethos of the Maison?
NB: It’s pretty much the way we try to work: we try to stay true to the brand’s territory of expression, which covers a certain number of sources of inspiration, approaches and ways to design that define the style of the house. And then of course, there are craftsmanship techniques and technical choices and signatures that have been developed along the way. So there is quite a well-defined territory of expression that can be identified. What we hear is that a lot of our pieces can be recognisable but don’t necessarily need a logo—there is a recognisable signature style, but at the same time, you don’t want to repeat yourself and do the same thing over and over. And I believe that this territory of expression is, on the one hand, recognisable enough, but, on the other, rich enough and wide enough so that you can continue to explore and develop it.
Read More: 15 Minutes With… Claire Choisne, Creative Director Of Boucheron
I always try to find a starting point that resonates with the maison and with creations from the past, and that is not necessarily already being explored as such and that can, at the same time, ensure continuity and open new doors. For instance, when we do a high jewellery collection based on Romeo and Juliet, you see there are obvious connections throughout history with the celebration of love, abstract or figurative. Then there is the link with dance, because it’s about also about the ballet of Romeo and Juliet, so we can associate that inspiration and the whole story of Van Cleef & Arpels with the world of dance. And at the same time, it’s a timeless and universal story, so for people who love ballet and literature, you can almost have infinite levels of reading.
How does the Maison create jewellery and watches that are fresh and yet immediately identifiable as Van Cleef & Arpels creations, that suit contemporary tastes now and will remain attractive far into the future? How do you balance all those considerations?
NB: By not thinking too much about them? (laughs) Because then it would be too complicated! Though, thank you for saying that, because I think it is really a compliment to the collections. It pretty much goes back to that territory of expression and trying to be good at doing what we do. We have a history and previous sensitivity and expertise for some techniques, representations or inspirations that we try to translate into jewellery or into watches. The results might not be relevant for everyone, but I think that they’re relevant for some people, so even if it’s not to their taste—because it’s often figurative, delicate and ornate—there are always people who appreciate the quality of what we do and the level of detail.
What’s your view on how interest in and appetites for jewellery and watches have evolved over time, and how has the Maison responded to these changes?
NB: What I definitely noticed in the past 25 years or so is that there is much higher interest in this type of activity and craft. And we’ve seen that through print and online media, and in exhibitions, fairs and museums. There are a lot of platforms now that offer access to this culture of jewellery and high watchmaking, which a couple of decades ago was much more secretive and discreet, and restricted to a handful of wealthy collectors and experts. It’s difficult to identify specific trends, but I think there’s a very high diversity of propositions, from the very simple and abstract to the super figurative and ornate, and I think there’s a high diversity of tastes and expectations from clients, collectors and visitors.
There are so many components to the Van Cleef & Arpels story: its contemporary and heritage jewellery and watches, its support of dance through Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, and its support of jewellery craftsmanship and education through L’ÉCOLE School of Jewelry Arts. How would you describe the throughline among all these varied approaches and efforts?
NB: I think they all have to do with the identity of the brand and its territory of expression. Of course we’re quite specialised—we’re not a lifestyle brand—so we stick to this expertise and these product categories. There are some values that have been very important, that are really part of that territory and that have to do with education and access to art, and there are some artistic disciplines like poetry and dance that have been important since the very early days of the Maison. We celebrate these disciplines through our collections because they are still a source of inspiration—such as our ballerina brooches or Poetic Complications watches—but we also love to collaborate with disciplines independently from the jewels. And it’s the same for the school: the transmission of expertise, stories and inspiration has been always central in the workshops, stores and exhibitions.
Now that the Maison is synonymous with jewellery and watches, the arts in general and dance in particular, is the process of legacy-building ever complete?
NB: Never, because it would be super depressing if it was complete—we wouldn’t be able to have a job! I think that the great thing with all these stories and disciplines is that they’ve been there forever, and they’ve been permanent sources of renewal and creation. Though sometimes we feel that everything has been done, but no, there are combinations that are being done and inspirations that haven’t been explored. There’s always an evolution, in technical complexity, taste, and inspiration.
This article was first seen on Grazia.sg
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Reviewing the Girard-Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement
This is a watch that completely skipped our attention last year, and one that the editor made a special note to have me explain. Like us (this writer included), you might have looked at this and thought nothing of it – just a rehash or relook at an existing watch. But the Neo Constant Escapement actually does live up to its name on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Girard-Perregaux debuting its groundbreaking Constant Escapement. To put it out there, if you think the Constant Escapement model has been a staple at Girard-Perregaux since 2013, you are just wrong.
Going all the way back to the beginning for a bit, the original model was the culmination of a horological dream from back in the days when the late Luigi Macaluso was still in charge. Indeed, it is widely known (though never in the official literature) that the story started sometime in the aughts – the part about a young watchmaker being inspired by how a train ticket reacts to pressure is part of the official story now. As a bit of a refresher, here is how a traditional Swiss lever-style watch works: kinetic energy stored up in the spring is released to turn the wheels of the going train; the release of said energy is controlled by the oscillations of another spring, allowing the aforementioned wheels to drive the hands of the watch. Everything stays steady as, well, clockwork, except clockwork is not all that steady, which is what leads watchmakers to try to improve matters. The Constant Escapement, called the Echappement Constant on its 2008/2009 debut is one such attempt.
The editor himself wrote the following description of the Constant Escapement in 2019: “Basically, what happens here is that two torsion blades within a large butterfly-shaped component in silicon provide resistance to the force delivered through the going train. When the force reaches a peak, both blades bend for a fraction of a second – less than the blink of an eye – to allow the escape wheel to advance. In this way, energy and the rate are both kept constant at each impulse.” In recognition of the success of the Neo Constant Escapement, the watch is certified by COSC as a chronometer, which is a significant achievement for a novel technical development.
Moving on to the basics of the rest of the watch, this is a 45mm titanium proposition with a rubber strap that sits relatively tall, at 14.8mm thick. The centrally mounted hands add a measure of symmetrical harmony, what with the two mainspring barrels up top balanced by the constant escapement and the regulating organs. The going train, visible caseback side, is arranged along the vertical axis of the watch, anchored by the balance wheel. Without a doubt, this is a watch for watchmaking enthusiasts who revel in watching how a mechanical calibre goes about its business.
Movement: Manual-winding GP09200-1153 with power reserve indicator; 7-day power reserve (minimum)
Case: 45mm in titanium; water-resistant to 30m
Strap: Rubber
Price: SGD 95,000
This article first appeared on WOW’s Spring 2024 issue.
For more on the latest in watch reads, click here.
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