AMEE PHILIPS HONOURED AS SOLE SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMPANY INVITED TO THE LAUNCH OF 2013 ROLLS-ROYCE ENTHUSIASTS' CLUB YEARBOOK LAUNCH IN LONDON

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

Gina Philips, Andrew Philips, Amee Philips, Marie Philips and Richard Latsch Philips holding the 2013 Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club yearbook in front of 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Drophead

Andrew Philips, Richard, Marie, Gina and Amee Philips holding the 2013 Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club yearbook next to 1954 Bentley Continental Fastback

Amee Philips and her family at their stand at Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club yearbook launch at Dorchester ballroom

 Local jeweller Amee Philips was honoured as sole Southeast Asian company to be featured in the 2013 Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club yearbook.

It was first time lucky for upscale jeweller Amee Philips. She participated in the annual International Jewellery London fair in 2011 and was spotted by two directors from Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club.

They were so enamoured with Amee’s unusual designs and impeccable workmanship they invited her to participate in the launch of Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club 2013 yearbook!

Recalls Amee Philips with a grin, “I thought the caller was a prankster pulling my leg or conman. So I hung up. Twice! It was only when I received an invitation from the office of Jim Fleming, chairman of Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club followed by an email from St James House, the publisher of the RREC yearbook that I realised Lady Luck was smiling on me!”

The launch of Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club yearbook is one of London’s most glittering events as only 300 out of 10,000 members are invited. The 2013 yearbook was launched to great fanfare in the Grand Ballroom of Dorchester hotel, the ideal venue as its owner the Sultan of Brunei is one of Rolls-Royce biggest customer and owns dozens.

 The massive 444 page Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club 2013 yearbook weighs a hefty 2.5 kg and is titled ‘Celebrating 150 years of the Life and Legacy of Sir Henry Royce’. It contains 105 pages devoted to Rolls-Royce and Bentley with the rest taken by leading companies across the globe under various categories like Travel, Affluence, Exquisite, Ultimate Destinations, Luxury Living, Indulge and a guide to Skiing, Health, Wealth and Well-Being.

Amee Philips appears in the ‘Exquisite’ section for jewellery and watches and holds the honour for being the only Southeast Asian to be featured. Only three other Asian jewellers are included, Cindy Chao from Taiwan, Qeelin from China and Opulence from India. As these three are touted as the best from their homeland, Amee Philips is considered by Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club as the face of contemporary Malaysian jewellery!

The icing on the cake was the rare and unprecedented offer to Amee Philips to set up a stand during the launch!

There was only one other company with a stand---Dayekh from Antwerp, Belgium, established in 1975 when founder Hassan Dayekh fled Lebanon’s civil war.

Explained chairman Jim Fleming, “It is just a coincidence both are jewellers and I am amused that both share a familial trait. Amee Philips is mother-and-son business and Dayekh is father-and-two-sons show!”

This is the first time a Malaysian jeweller has been so honoured. Beamed Amee Philips, “Being invited to this prestigious and high-profile launch is proof Malaysia is up there with the best Europe can offer. Money alone cannot buy an invite let alone being allowed to put up a booth. This proves our Malaysia Boleh spirit continues to thrive!”

The market-savvy Amee Philips is even doing her bit in promoting Malaysian tourism. Each of the 300 wealthy guests was given a semi-precious gemstone and a voucher for 2 complimentary nights in a 5-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur!

She explained, “Amee Philips Jewellery is sponsoring 2 nights’ accommodation with no obligation to buy at our shop in Lot 10 and soon Mandarin Oriental. From our research, most British tourists stay at least a week to a fortnight and visit other states like Penang where we also have a store. Our offer is just an incentive for them and I see this as a form of investment in building longterm relationships.”

Just as a Malaysian conglomerate is developing Battersea Power Station touted as the Next Big Thing in housing, business, recreational and entertainment, two other Malaysian government agencies have participated in the yearbook.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall under www.visitkl.gov.my and Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (www.mhtc.org.my) are featured with a double-page spread each.

“The Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club yearbook vets each company, agency and product from yacht to hotel, champagne, holiday destination, ski resort, private banking and real estate,” said Jim Fleming. There is even St Andrew’s Hospice where you can die, er, comfortably so to speak.

THE PHOTOS, TAKEN BY KEE HUA CHEE USING LEICA, ARE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, STARTING FROM OUR ARRIVAL AT THE DORCHESTER HOTEL'S GRAND BALLROOM AND THE SETTING UP OF THE AMEE PHILIPS STAND TO THE CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT AND GENERAL MERRYMAKING!

Amee Philips and her family setting up shop in The Dorchester Hotel Grand Ballroom at 4pm

Richard Latsch, Gina Philips, Amee Philips, Andrew Philips and Marie Philips

Get cracking!

Amee Philips holding the 2013 Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club yearbook, opened to her double page spread on her jewellery business

Amee Philips's son, Richard, holding the book showing photo of her sister Lisbeth modelling her mum's bling

Richard Latsch holding the 2013 Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club yearbook with its cover

Amee Philips wearing the RM 1 million necklace with 132 carat aquamarine with 26 carats diamond in 18k white gold

Richard Latsch with 1954 Bentley R Type Continental Fastback

Richard  Latsch with 1954 Bentley R Type Continental Fastback

Richard Latsch with his dream car---1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Drophead

The world famous car and soon to be world famous jeweller

The world famous journalist Kee Hua Chee with world famous Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Drophead

Luxurious interior

Star of the show

2 cars inside the Ballroom of The Dorchester

The number plate 689 is a bit boring I must say but not the car!

Richard's attire matches the car's colour

Made for each other

The silvery 1954 Bentley R Type Continental Fastback

Richard Latsch with Bentley

The number plate 606 is nice

Side view of the 1954 Bentley

Amee Philips and family

Gina Philips, Andrew Philips, Amee Philips, Marie Philips and Richard Latsch Philips

Andrew Philips, Richard, Marie, Gina and Amee Philips

Happy family

Amee Philips and hubby and kids holding the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club yearbook for 2013 next to Prada bag and Bentley Continental Fastback

Amee Philips and family at her stand

Gina, Andrew, Amee Philips, Richard and Marie Philips

The Amee Philips family holding the RREC yearbook at their double spread

Gina Philips, Andrew Philips, Amee Philips, Richard Latsch Philips and Marie Philips at their stand with the RREC yearbook opened at their double spread

Looking good

Amee Philips and family

The Amee Philips clan

The entrance of the Dorchester, one of London's finest hotels

So many Rolls-Royces clogging the entrance of Dorchester

Richard Latsch Philips in front of Dorchester

Having a lookee mapukee at the bling in the windows

Miniature of The Dorchester hotel made of chocolate! All accurate and perfect to the last detail! Like an Amee Philips jewel!