You can live in Hong Kong for twenty years, walk past a building every other day, and never be curious as to what's inside. That was the case for me with Annette, a jewellery boutique located on the third floor of Pedder Building in Central. It's been open since 2006, and the press release for the shop has been sitting on my desk since maybe May, but neither shop nor release received much attention from me till today. But methinks next time I walk down Pedder, instead of just furiously inhaling the sent of ginger flower wafting from Shanghai Tang, I might just head into the building and into Annette.

Annette brings together a number of costume jewellery brands from around the world, as well as a small selection of vintage costume pieces from brands like Dior and Chanel. Being a sad little toad who lives in a small little pond and never ventures out, I know only a handful of jewellery brands (other than the big 'uns), so forgive me if you are already know these labels (my understanding of beauty products is even more woefully bad). You can tell from the selection that owner Cince Lee has a passion for the ornate, Victorian, vintage-inspired baubles, and you can expect to find chunky gold lockets, big rhinestones and crystals, metal-plated floral explosions and lots of pretty pretty turquoise. This being costume, the prices aren't astronomical, so you can pick up a piece for somewhere between HK600 (for pendants and charm necklaces) to around HK$3000 for the beautifully bombastic Tataborello necklace below. I'm loving the French boudoir-inspired interior, too. Brand list and more images after the cut.

Tataborello necklace (Italy), HK$3290.



Tataborello bracelet (Italy) HK$2390


Rachel Leigh snakeskin bangle (USA) HK$790 (reminds me of the Vita bangles that were a hit a couple years back)


La Vie Parisienne gold-plated locket necklace (France) HK$1190


Vintage 1960s Kenneth Jay Lane turquoise/rhinestone bracelet and earrings HK$6390


Vintage 1950s Christian Dior rhinestone earrings and brooch set HK$3,900



Brands carried include:
Tataborello, Italy
Azaara, USA
Diane Yang, USA
Dakini, Spain
Sophia & Chloe, USA
Rachel Leigh, USA
La Vie Parisenne, France
Abbie, Japan
Flying Lizard, USA
Metalfor, Spain
Be-Je Design, USA
By Boe, USA
Sheila Fajl, USA
Tomshot, Germany
Parure, Italy