32 Best Shopping in Hong Kong, China

Across from the sprawling Oolaa restaurant, two of Hong Kong's best vintage hangouts are in one convenient store. Select 18 has everything from typewriters to 1970s Hermès blouses. If you can tear yourself from the heaps of jewelry and handbags, a treasure trove awaits. Tucked in back, you'll find literally thousands of retro-styled specs from Mido Eyeglasses, priced from a couple of hundred to several thousand Hong Kong dollars. The big question: tortoise-shell cat eyes or classic wayfarers?

Elegant but uncomplicated, the interior of this established watch retailer is like its service. The informed staff will guide you through the countless luxury brands on show and in the catalogs from which you can also order. Prices here aren't the best in Hong Kong, but they're still lower than at home.

Forget the cheesy cubic zirconium of the past. One look at its stark showrooms, and you'll see that Carat has mastered the creation and presentation of synthetic gemstones. Hand-assembled in precious-metal settings, the large collection spans various eras of jewelry styles. Harbour City houses its flagship store, but you'll also find Carat in the IFC Mall and eight other Hong Kong locations.

In addition to its contemporary gold, diamond, jade, and wedding collections for the local market, this manufacturer and retailer also sources international brands. It has more than 370 shops in China.

Jade is not the only thing you'll see from this local chain founded in 1929. It also has fine jewelry in diamond, jadeite, ruby, sapphire, emerald, 18K gold, and more-traditional pure gold. And don't worry about tracking one down; Chow Tai Fook has more than 85 Hong Kong locations.

With more than 400 shops in Asia and locations all over Hong Kong, City Chain Co. Ltd. has a wide selection of watches for various budgets, including ones by Ellesse, Cyma, and Armani.

Everything about Edward Chiu is fabulous, from the flamboyant way he dresses to his high-end jade jewelry. The minimalist, geometric pieces use the entire jade spectrum, from deep greens to surprising lavenders. Inspired in part by art deco, Chiu is also famous for contrasting black-and-white jade, setting it in precious metals, and adding diamond or pearl touches.

At this deep emporium of watch brands, seek the advice of one of the older staffers who look like they've been there since the British landed. Brands include Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, and Tudor.

With luxury watch collectors in mind, Elegant Watch is an authorized dealer of more than 35 top brands such as Tag Heuer, Breitling, Franck Muller, and more.

This is the next-best option for midrange pearls if you can't make it to the Jade Market. Gallery One blends into Hollywood Road's backdrop of trinket-filled storefronts, but its selection of Japanese and freshwater pearls stands out. Prices are reasonable, and they will string together whichever combination of pearls and semiprecious stones you choose. Gallery One also carries Tibetan and Buddhist beads in wood and amber, as well as bronze sculptures.

This Australian designer has celebrities wearing her youthful yet elegant designs. Pieces contrast cultured, South Seas, and Tahitian pearls with onyx, diamonds, quartz, and other stones.

More salon than store, powdered elderly ladies who lunch and casually dressed tourists all come here for the same thing: quality pearls, fine jewelry, and excellent service. In addition to classic styles, K.S. Sze works closely with clients on custom orders.

Jade in every imaginable shade of green, from the milkiest apple tone to the richest emerald, fills the stalls of this Kowloon market. If you know your stuff and haggle insistently, you can get fabulous bargains. Otherwise, stick to cheap trinkets. Some of the so-called "jade" sold here is actually aventurine, bowenite, soapstone, serpentine, or Australian jade—all inferior to the real thing.

Hip utilitarian bags, soft fabrics, minimalist watches, comfy kicks, music, stationery—kapok is a one-stop shop for lifestyle products and accessories from independent brands. Meanwhile, the boutique's café serves up steamy French coffee that you're welcome to sip while browsing. If you're lucky, you'll catch one of the store's many exhibitions and pop-up collaborations.

When considering jewelry stores, longevity is a good thing. King Fook has been around since 1949, promising stringent quality control, quality craftsmanship, and professional service. Masterpiece by King Fook, the higher-end King Fook line, sells first-grade diamonds and precious jewelry. There are also shops at Pacific Place in Admiralty and The One on Nathan Road.

Established in 1967, Larry Jewelry is known for handcrafted pieces made from high-grade precious stones. There is a second store in Causeway Bay.

Specializing in strung pearls from Australia and the South Seas, Po Kwong will add clasps to your specifications. They also carry pearl earrings, rings, and pendants.

This shop carries timepieces made by more than 50 international brands, including Omega, Chopard, Breguet, and IWC. There's other jewelry on sale as well, which may entertain those accompanying the avid watch shopper.

With ancient Chinese culture for inspiration and In the Mood for Love actress Maggie Cheung as the muse, something extraordinary was bound to come from Qeelin, whose name is cleverly derived from the Chinese mythical animal and icon of love. Classic gold, platinum, and diamonds are mixed with colored jades, black diamonds, and unusual materials for truly unique effects. The meaningful creations of designer Dennis Chan are exemplified in the signature collection: Wulu, a minimalist form representing the mythical gourd as well as the lucky number eight. The IFC Mall store is one of five in Hong Kong.

Looking at the rocks in these windows can feel like a visit to a natural history museum. Large white- and rare-color diamonds sourced from all over the world are a specialty here, but the shop also deals in emeralds, sapphires, and rubies. With years of expertise, Abrams dispenses advice on both the aesthetic merits and the investment potential of each stone or piece of jewelry.

You might be wary of the lustrous pearls hanging at this little Jade Market stall. But the charming owner does, in fact, sell genuine cultured and freshwater pearl necklaces and earrings at reasonable prices. Some pieces are made from shell, which Sandra is always quick to point out, and could pass muster among the snobbiest collectors.

If you're looking for a local artisan, a reasonably priced piece of silver, semiprecious stones, and sometimes even gold jewelry—or you just want a chat with a nice lady—visit Maureen "Mo" Gerrard. Her place is just down the street from the hair salon of her son, Paul Gerrard. The shop repairs, cleans, plates, restrings, and polishes, too.

Everything Sin Sin does is dynamic, exciting, and unique. Her conceptual, minimalist clothing, jewelry, and accessories retain a Hong Kong character, while drawing from other influences—especially Indonesian. Garments are inspired by international fashion, and her silver jewelry features beautiful geometric designs that she calls "artsy yet wearable." The multitalented Sin Sin has a fine-art gallery across the street and also performs Cantonese opera in venues such as City Hall.

Discreetly tucked in a corner of Central, Super Star looks like any other small Hong Kong jewelry shop—with walls lined by display cases filled with the usual classic designs (old-fashioned to some) in predominantly gold and precious stones. What makes them stand out are the good prices and personalized service. The cultured pearls and mixed strands of colored freshwater pearls are not all shown, so ask Lily or one of her colleagues to bring them out.

Unusual colored "connoisseur" gemstones are set by hand in custom designs by Hong Kong–based jeweler Tayma Page Allies. The collection is designed to bring out the personality of the individual wearer, and includes oversize cocktail rings, distinctive bracelets, pretty earrings, and more.

Boho bags, bold jewelry, stylish sunglasses: The9thMuse is a treasure trove of accessories, sourced by twentysomethings Jing Zhang and Charlotte Hwang. Find jewelry from far-flung destinations that the pair stumbled upon while traveling, plus plenty of guilt-free, socially conscious brands that kick back funds to the creators. The sale rack in the back usually has some great deals on purses, scarves, and such—and it's not unlikely you'll find a pop-up shop featuring a local designer.

British fashion favorite Topshop opened a gargantuan space in the middle of the Central Business District in 2013. The 14,000-square-foot flagship store fills two stories, with a constant rotation of 300 new pieces a week. The place gets packed on weekends, so consider booking a free personal-shopping appointment with one of Topshop's stylists.

One of the big Hong Kong chains, TSL (Tse Sui Luen) specializes in diamond jewelry, and manufactures, retails, and exports its designs. Its range of 100-facet stones includes the Estrella cut, which reflects nine symmetrical hearts and comes with international certification. Although its contemporary designs use platinum settings, TSL also sells pure, bright, yellow-gold items targeted at Chinese customers.

You know it when you walk into a Vivienne Tam boutique—the strong Asian-motif prints and modern updates of traditional women's clothing are truly distinct. But don't let the bold, ready-to-wear collections distract you from the very pretty accessories, which include leather handbags and other items with artistic embellishments. Tam, who has seven shops here, is one of the best-known designers in Hong Kong—and, even though she's now based in New York, the city still claims her as its own.