Latest news with #Alchemist
CNA
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Motherhood and a career pivot: How Tania Chan went from Chanel exec to high jewellery designer
Hong Kong native Tania Chan has designed high jewellery (haute joaillerie) for the past 17 years. The mother of two wears many hats; she's a lecturer at L'ecole, School of Jewellery Arts (supported by jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpel's), teaching Gouache. As a GIA-certified gemologist, metallurgist, and jewellery designer, she also leads the creative direction of Osmium, the rarest precious metal in the world, and works at her high-end jewellery atelier, Alchemist. Chan is fluent in French, English, Cantonese, and Mandarin and easily switches between the languages with her poetic descriptions of gouache, a traditional technique from the 18th century using paint pigments to capture precise three-dimensional designs on a 1:1 scale that jewellers use to craft pieces. Chan stresses the importance of accuracy and precision. 'Even the tiniest details of the prong, we must paint it exactly as it is. Gouache is the blueprint for the team to look at for reference,' she said. 'For the gemologist to pick up the gemstone with the same saturation of the gem's colours, we must paint it with absolute precision. If the ruby is pigeon blood red or a vivid red, you'd better paint it right. Without speaking, based on the gouache, the jewellery team will know precisely how to make it come alive.' At the annual trade show GemGeneve in Switzerland in May 2025, Chan conducted a series of Awakening the Senses workshops on Osmium gouache. There, she introduced an innovative modern technique to the centuries-old craft. Chan spent six months studying and experimenting with different brushes and brush stroke techniques before finally finding one that worked, creating a traditional three-dimensional gouache that comes alive with the texture of Osmium. Chan gave me a sampling of a gouche workshop. 'I call it the dance of the dragonfly,' she explained. 'The technique mimics the gentle, graceful rhythm where the dragonfly touches the pond's surface, flies away and returns. You often see dragonflies in Chinese paintings; they are graceful and ephemeral, and in Chinese, we say it's the 'dragonfly dotting the water'. Using the same approach, you use the brush with gouache to lightly dab on the surface, allow it to dry, et viola!' Chan likens working on gouache to yoga of the mind: 'It's meditative, and we focus on our inner strength and flexibility and connecting to our truest, highest self. I always get lost in the momentum of creating when I'm doing gouache." The 18th-century art of gouache has survived the test of time, as digital computer-aided design (CAD) cannot replicate the nuances of gemstones – the different cuts, colours, and hues. Gouache, the opaque paint pigment, can create the effects of light and shadow in three dimensions and to an exact scale. Chan accidentally fell into the craft and vocation of high jewellery as she searched for a career pivot after her first child was born. While looking to juggle full-time motherhood and find flexible part-time work, Chan left the corporate world and her regional roles with Chanel and Publicis Paris to sign up for a gemology course at GIA. She subsequently won a full scholarship to study jewellery design at GIA. Chan is best known for her transformer jewellery – one piece worn many ways. 'I believe all creatives are driven by passion. It speaks louder than words or actions. Passion speaks for itself through our creations, ideas, and thought processes. People can copy designs but can't take away someone's creativity and passion.' As a fifth-generation Hong Konger, Chan's late great-great-grandfather owned more than half of Hong Kong's pawnshops, and she grew up among an eclectic treasure trove of antiques from the family business. Chan reminisced: 'You name it gold, jade, Qing dynasty porcelain and all types of jewellery and decorative items.' With her laser focus on details, joy from problem-solving, and curiosity about how things work, she has designed beautiful, luxurious pieces that can be a ring, pendant, brooch, or scarf accessory all in one. 'I'm not making cheap costume jewellery,' she joked. 'So, when you purchase a one-of-a-kind piece, you better maximise it. One piece, several ways.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jewelry Designer & Graduate Gemologist GIA (@taniachanofficial) I felt like Alice in Wonderland entering Chan's world of transformative high jewellery. The beautiful pieces are not just what they seem, but so much more as she takes the jewellery piece apart, clicks, and reattaches parts like a magician. She created a thoughtful design as an engagement ring – the bride-to-be is a nurse and cannot wear her ring at work, so the ring transforms into a pendant during work hours. There are hoop earrings and rings with different motifs on rotation that can also accessorise scarves. Or a yellow diamond brooch that transforms into a ring. The symbols of alpha and omega inspire the butterfly pendant, designed with Osmium, and parts of the butterfly detach from the brooch to become a pendant. She designs each piece to be as versatile as possible for all occasions, and one can travel with just one piece of jewellery instead of a cumbersome set and risk losing it during the travels. Chan designs with style, power, and pragmatism in mind. "My jewellery is to give people pleasure and confidence. I want my designs to be emotional pieces, bringing joy, happiness, and connection.' Chan's core idea is that every day is a transformation, and her jewellery reflects this philosophy. Her designs are not static, but evolve with the wearer, adapting to the different roles they play throughout the day. This transformative approach to jewellery is not only innovative but also inspiring, encouraging the audience to embrace change and evolution in their daily lives. Chan moves gracefully and makes everything look effortless while having laser-sharp focus on details. She credits her background in luxury retail and the years she spent in Paris for her savoir-faire in haute couture and haute joaillerie. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jewelry Designer & Graduate Gemologist GIA (@taniachanofficial) Currently, Chan has been having fun working on a men's accessories collection as a personal project. She finds so many possibilities in transformative high jewellery that have yet to be explored. Chan's journey through the world of high jewellery is a remarkable blend of artistry, precision, and innovation. Her mastery of the ancient art of gouache not only preserves a traditional technique but has breathed new life into it with her modern interpretations. Her transformative jewellery pieces are designed to adapt to the wearer's lifestyle, brightening the everyday of those who wear them. Most of all, what I found truly inspiring was her pivot from motherhood, giving up a successful career to stay home with her children; while searching for answers, she went back to school to learn entirely new skills and found immense joy and success in this second career.
CNA
11-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
Singapore's Alchemist coffee debuts first international outlets in Tokyo
Singapore coffee brand Alchemist has opened its first international outlets in Tokyo, Japan. Located in the neighbourhoods of Aoyama and Asakusa, the two new outlets opened in late June this year. The Aoyama store stretches approximately 140sqm with a seating capacity of around 30 seats. Its design features textured panels and wooden blocks, according to the brand's website. Meanwhile, the Asakusa store boasts approximately 200sqm and a seating capacity of around 70 seats. It offers a quieter, more tranquil space. Both outlets will offer over 10 types of coffee with prices of single items between ¥600 (US$4) and ¥1,200 with tax included. Alchemist also has plans to open 10 stores across Tokyo by the end of 2028. Founded in 2016 by entrepreneur and barista Will Leow, Alchemist began as a humble 4sqm coffee stand in Singapore's bustling central business district. Now with 11 stores across Singapore, Alchemist is known for quality coffee, where in-season high quality beans are roasted in small batches using methods carefully adapted to each bean's unique characteristics and condition. They also offer a range of products from coffee beans to coffee capsules and tea bags. 'We've always admired Japan's deep-rooted coffee culture and attention to detail,' said Leow. 'Our mission has always been to create a moment of connection over coffee. Expanding into Tokyo felt like a natural step forward for us, and we're humbled by the warm reception from the local community. We are excited to share our vision with coffee lovers in Japan – a country that already has such a deep and refined appreciation for quality and craft.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alchemist (@
AsiaOne
10-07-2025
- Business
- AsiaOne
Singapore coffee brand Alchemist debuts 2 outlets in Japan, marking first overseas venture, Lifestyle News
Many Singapore-founded brands and companies have made a name for themselves overseas, and it seems coffee specialist Alchemist could be joining that list. The popular homegrown brand, which has several cafes in Singapore and is known for its minimalist aesthetic, has embarked on its first overseas venture with the opening of two outlets in Tokyo, it announced today (July 10). The new outlets, which debuted in late June, are located in the neighbourhoods of Aoyama and Asakusa, and serve more than 10 types of coffee, the brand shared. According to the brand, all coffee beans will be roasted in Singapore and the Tokyo outlets will also adopt Alchemist's philosophy of making quality coffee approachable and accessible for everyone. Both outlets have two floors, with the Aoyama outlet having a seating capacity of approximately 30 seats and the Asakusa outlet larger at about 70. Speaking on why he chose to venture out into Japan, Will Leow, founder of Alchemist, stated in a press release that they've always admired Japan's "deep-rooted coffee culture and attention to detail". "Our mission has always been to create a moment of connection over coffee. Expanding into Tokyo felt like a natural step forward for us, and we're humbled by the warm reception from the local community. We are excited to share our vision with coffee lovers in Japan," he said. Alchemist has plans to open 10 outlets across Tokyo by end 2028. For those who aren't familiar, Alchemist is a Singapore coffee brand founded in 2016 and currently has 11 locations islandwide. And like the new Tokyo outlets, each store in Singapore is also uniquely designed. There, in-season beans are roasted in small batches using methods adapted to each variant's characteristics and conditions, and every outlet consistently offers more than 10 coffee varieties. [[nid:716027]]
Straits Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Singapore coffee brand Alchemist opens its first Japan outlets in Tokyo
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE - Local coffee brand Alchemist has made its debut in Japan with the opening of two outlets in Tokyo, in the neighbourhoods of Aoyama and Asakusa, in late June. This is the first time the company, which was founded in 2016, has expanded outside of Singapore. Alchemist also has plans to open 10 stores across the Japanese city by the end of 2028. The 140 sq m Aoyama store seats 30 while the 200 sq m Asakusa store seats 70, with each single item priced between 600 yen (S$5.25) and 1,200 yen. Every Alchemist store carries more than 10 rotating menu items, and handles 80 to 100 single-origin coffees annually. In a media statement, Alchemist founder Will Leow says: 'We've always admired Japan's deep-rooted coffee culture and attention to detail. We are excited to share our vision with coffee lovers in Japan - a country that already has such a deep and refined appreciation for quality and craft.' Alchemist began as a humble 4 sq m coffee stand in Singapore's central business district, roasting its in-season beans in small batches. Today, Alchemist has expanded to 11 locations islandwide, with its flagship store in Khong Guan Building in MacTaggart Road boasting its own roastery.
CBC
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Timbaland used an independent producer's work to train AI — but without the artist's consent
Timbaland recently used hip-hop artist K Fresh's beat to train his artificial intelligence music platform, Suno — but without K Fresh's permission. This isn't the first time that the music producer has gotten into hot water around using AI in his music. But he's not the only big name using the technology to enhance his music. Fans also decried Erykah Badu and the Alchemist for using AI in the cover art of their new single together. Today on Commotion, guest host Rad Simonpillai speaks with music journalist Dylan Green and veteran music industry insider Michelle Santosuosso to discuss the Timbaland backlash and what protections artists need in the age of AI. We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud on your favourite podcast player. WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube: Rad: Timbaland was claiming that he's not trying to jack this original beat from this producer, he was just trying to demonstrate the ways that AI could be used to remix an already existing composition. Is that right? Dylan: That's what he claims. But a lot of people, myself included, think it really just borders on straight-up stealing. Generative AI is a whole bag of worms that I'm sure we're going to get into here, just in the sense that this is a computer spitting back out stuff that it's already learned, as opposed to creating anything — which is very, very close to theft, at least in my opinion. Rad: Dylan, you've written some criticisms about not just Timbaland, but other high profile artists like Erykah Badu and the Alchemist, who've all been receiving their fair share for using AI, with criticisms coming, in large part, from the hip-hop world. What are people saying? Dylan: People are upset that real artists are being cut out of actual financial opportunities. The fact that these are all people that can afford to put people on, essentially, and they're just not, in a way to save as much money as they can. Being a legacy artist, and a Gen Xer in particular, just trying to get in on the ground floor of what you think is going to be the most popping thing in five years, it just reeks of laziness in so many ways, in my and a lot of people in my circles' opinion. It starts to feel predatory after a while. Because it's a difference between being on TikTok and listening to people's music and giving criticisms, giving praise and then being like, "Hmm, I like this thing, let me see what happens if I feed it into this thing without telling them." It's an abuse of trust in a lot of ways. Rad: Michelle, speaking of that abuse of trust, because I think it's interesting that Timbaland is getting all this heat for how he's using AI and how troubling it is from an ethical perspective. But when we talk about the legal perspective, his actions actually seem okay. And that's baffling to me. But tell me, why is that? Michelle: It's because there's no real legislation around it. Now, using K Fresh's music without consent, that violated Suno's terms of service. But under current law, there's nothing that you need to delete if AI learned from that actual beat, from the ingestion of it. And this is the rub: music and lyrics that are 100 per cent made by AI are ineligible for copyright protection. But the legal complications, I call it the three C's: there are no laws around consent, credit or compensation for artists who generative AI is training on. So while these systems are freely training on both copyrighted material and independent artists — which is the case with this producer — until we get legislation around credit, compensation and consent to use it in the first place, this is, I agree with Dylan, it's mostly going to disenfranchise smaller artists that are trying to come up. Rad: Ultimately, how are you seeing these tensions — between AI and then human artists and then their fan bases and just the music industry at large — playing out? Michelle: It's clearly shaping up to be a battle. And unlike streaming's pro-rata royalty problem, which was very confusing for consumers, this subject has successfully hit the radar of the music consumers. But I want to point something out to people about artists' paycheques. I want to put it out that copyright ownership has a bundle of rights with it, that each of those rights has their own income stream attached to it, and there's five of them: to reproduce the work, to distribute the work, perform the work, make a derivative work, or display it. And each one of those has an income stream attached to it. So the tech oligarchy is going to continue to try to normalize copyright theft. If you look at how music has been devalued in the digital age already — and I'm saying from filesharing Napster, company that I actually worked at — it's upwards of 90 per cent from the sales area, in terms of the devaluation of music. So we have to compensate people for the artistic endeavors that they make. And that piece is not part of law.
