Hello everyone, and welcome to another Singaporean review! On this shiok Sunday, I’m reviewing the Curator bracelet from local jewelry label, Hoseiki.
I’ve been covering men’s accessories for some time now, and a common accessory that I’ve noticed Singaporean men wearing is the bracelet – specifically, a feng shui bracelet. So when Hoseiki approached me asking whether I’ll be interested in covering their signature Pixiu bracelets, I thought it would be a good opportunity to cater to a significant demographic of local men.
Hoseiki – the Brand
Hoseiki was founded by a chap named Darryl last year, after being motivated to do so due to a spiritual trip to Japan. The brand states that they create jewelry that “are not only visually stunning, but empowering to the wearer as well”. To do so, Hoseiki uses exotic stones sourced globally that’s meant to not only reflect the architecture of Japanese temples, but also the founder’s interest in Chinese metaphysics. Hoseiki claims that the Pixiu charms were blessed in Japanese temples, while the bracelets are hand-assembled in Singapore.
Hoseiki – Review
To get started, Hoseiki provides a free bazi reading, which requires you to provide them your date and time of birth. Based upon the reading, the brand will recommend you a bracelet according to whichever element you’re deemed to be missing. As I’m no feng shui master, here’s an article on bazi for those that are interested in learning more.
Based upon my bazi, I was told by Hoseiki that I lacked the Earth element, which represents stability. To increase order in my life, Hoseiki recommended that I choose a bracelet from their Earth collection. I had a quick look, and chose the Curator as I found it to be the most aesthetically pleasing. The bracelet arrived the next working day, and I was impressed by the packaging. The bracelet came in a green pouch (that reminded me of Rolex watch pouches) that encased in a royal green box adorned with the Hoseiki logo. It definitely made a great first impression, and I can imagine that it would make a good gift option.
Opening the green Hoseiki pouch revealed the Curator bracelet. Again, first impressions were positive – the bracelet feels solidly built, and the various stones look to be of high quality. I’m not an expert in exotic stones, but the stones of the Curator definitely felt premium.
The Curator bracelet features green phantom, copper bronzite, and serpentine stones. I’m not quite sure how it works, but I’ve been told by Hoseiki that these stones were selected specifically because they represent the “Earth” element. What I can attest to is their quality, which appears to be top-notch. I’m not versed in Feng Shui, but I am familiar with natural stones, especially in watches and jewelry, and these look good.
A key attraction of the bracelet is its twin Pixiu charms. Crafted out of 925 Sterling Silver and coated in either 18K rose gold or gold plating, Hoseiki states that the Pixiu charms have been blessed by temples in Japan. They appear to be intricately finished, with the little nuanced details of the winged lions evident, including the Hoseiki logo that’s subtly incorporated near the rear of the charms.
Hoseiki states that the Curator is “a keeper of wealth and wellbeing, enhancing one’s confidence, productivity and style”. Now, let me be clear – I can’t vouch for the feng shui stuff. I’m no snake oil salesman, so I can’t say that wearing this bracelet brought me wealth and a clean bill of health, and thus you should get one as well. Nothing particularly extraordinary happened to me during the duration that I wore it, though it’s worth noting that nothing negative occurred as well. What I say is that I found the bracelet to be well-made, and that it does look good even simply as a fashion accessory.
Though I found myself wearing the Curator bracelet most on my right hand (I wear my watch on my left hand), it does look good when paired with a timepiece. For example, I found the gold Pixiu charms complements the gilt dial of the Aries Gold Dreadnought nicely. A lot of feng shui bracelets come across as very “uncle”, but the Curator feels somewhat contemporary in its design, and thus suitable for even young adults to wear.
Conclusion – so Hoseiki “shiok” or not?
At the end of the day, feng shui is like the horoscope – either you believe in it or you don’t. To be honest, I’m not a believer myself, but I’m not going to say that it is hogwash either. What is irrefutable though is the fact that a significant amount of Singaporeans believe in feng shui. And if you’re one of them, and are looking for feng shui bracelets for either yourself or your loved ones, then I’ll recommend Hoseiki. The packaging is eye-catching, the bracelet is well-made, and on a whole it looks modern despite being traditionally inspired. And given that there’s a free bazi reading included as well, I would say that Hoseiki offers a compelling package.
For those interested in purchasing Hoseiki’s products, you can use the promo code “WAHSOSHIOK15” to enjoy 15% off all products from Hoseiki, as well as free Pablo Santo incense sticks (worth $42). After the discount, the Curator can be had for about S$220. That lands in the mid-range of feng shui bracelets, and given the quality of the stones used as well as the packaging, it’s fair value for what is being offered.
View the Curator here.
View the full range of Hoseiki’s offerings here.
P.S Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wahsoshiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
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P.S.S.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
