My Current Favorites – [September 2025]: Bibliophilia, Bazi, Jewelry, Bompard
My birthday
This year is a milestone year because I’m entering a new decade. To mark the occasion, I received lots of gifts, including experiences here, here , and and there. But the most meaningful gift (which I gave myself) is an exceptional book: a facsimile numbered limited edition of an illuminated manuscript by my idol, William Morris (The Odes of Horace, whose original is kept at the Bodleian Library in Oxford). This is very important to me because I wantedan object that lasts to mark this birthday (something that isn’t a watch or a piece of jewelry). It’s the rarest book in my modest collection of bibliophile books. I had the choice between two editions, and I preferred this one for its full leather Bradel binding, which closely resembles the original, and the solander box that accompanies it.
Printed on Tatami paper with colored inks and gold and silver leaf by Castelli Bolis in Bergamo, Italy, a specialist in hot foil stamping, these limited edition books were then sent to the artisanal bookbinding workshop Smith Settle in Yorkshire to be bound in smooth-grain Indian goatskin – with five raised bands on the spine. Every detail, from the different shades of gold to the green-black hue of the leather, was meticulously reproduced to match Morris’s original work as closely as possible. Each book is presented in a solander box with a green and aubergine interior and gold calligraphy.
“If I were asked what is the most important artistic creation and what is most ardently desired, I would answer: a beautiful house. And if I were then pressed to name the creation that follows in importance and the desire that comes next, I would answer: a beautiful book.” — said William Morris
Bazi
Right after my trip to Paris,my best friend took the same train as me to go from Paris to Lille and spend a few days on vacation. We were supposed to enjoy the Braderie de Lille together, but since he dreads (rightly so) the crowds, he preferred to come before the event. In the end, it was a good idea: there was already a festive atmosphere in the shops a few days before, without the hustle and bustle of the big crowds. I’ve known him since high school, and it’s truly precious to have someone to evolve with over the years. We perfectly remember who we were back then, the path we’ve each taken, and where we stand today.
His mother is an expert in Bazi (Chinese astrology) and introduced him to it from childhood. So he has solid knowledge, even though, obviously, his mother has a true gift. This only confirms my intuition: in this kind of field, the essence doesn’t come just from knowledge, but especially from intuition. I took advantage of these few days with him to deepen my understanding of Bazi, which I had already tried to learn, without success, because of the many Chinese terms.
He explained to me that Bazi also works in cycles of 5, 10, and 20 years. Three elements would define a person’s “fortune”: the energy of their birth date (the famous “eight characters” – their destiny), the luck of the moment, and the energy of the current year. Some are truly born “under a lucky star” (literally) and maintain constant luck throughout their active period. Even in less favorable phases, they remain objectively luckier than average, and their fortune only begins to decline slightly at retirement age, without negative consequences.
He also explained that the key is to have a balance of the five elements (earth, fire, wood, metal, and water) at any given moment. A person born at a date considered unfavorable can still rebalance their destiny if their luck is good. But the opposite is also true. Indeed, a person born with a harmonious balance can see that harmony disrupted by the luck of the moment or by the influence of the current year. This makes me reflect: perhaps we shouldn’t aim for an immutable perfection. On the contrary, leaving room for imperfection opens the door to opportunities and allows others to shape us, enrich us, and help us grow.
I asked him how to achieve this balance, and he replied that a simple solution is to wear colors that match the energy of the moment. However, it’s not always necessary to consult a Bazi master, because if you trust yourself enough, you naturally feel an attraction to colors that bring you well-being. When his mother analyzed my Bazi, she gave me a list of colors to favor and others to avoid. Interestingly, they are precisely the shades I instinctively liked or rejected. Lately, I’ve also felt an attraction to pearls, as I’m starting a new cycle.
P.S.: this knowledge does not contradict the list of 5 elements determining a person’s fortune discussed in my other article.
The spiritual mentor
While scrolling on Facebook, I came across this comment that I found accurate:
Living requires the ability to let go and accept the idea of sufficiency, because true happiness comes from this acceptance. Yet, few people achieve this state of consciousness, even at the end of their lives. Happiness arises from welcoming reality as it is, detaching from what doesn’t belong to us, and acknowledging our own limitations. Suffering, ultimately, comes from resistance to this reality and attachment to unlimited desires..
My sad reflections following the visit to Oxford find comfort in this phrase: “accepting the idea of enough,” and also accepting one’s own limits.
We don’t know when to stop; we always want more, to go further and faster. On social media, there’s a lot of talk about the importance of finding a mentor to go faster. Certainly, having a mentor is a valuable asset in building a career. However, it is often even more crucial to have a spiritual mentor. Even exceptional people like Oprah Winfrey recognize the importance of a spiritual mentor in their lives (Oprah chose Marianne Williamson). This mentor offers a safe space to explore existential questions and provides a perspective that transcends mere material goals.
I’ve occasionally been fortunate enough to be guided by spiritual mentors. They provide valuable answers by shedding light on the workings of karma, but above all, on life as a whole, as if they held a real ” manual for life “. As I delved deeper into my research, I turned to the I Ching, that ancient and fundamental book of Asian wisdom, which can indeed be considered a universal manual for life. Thanks to it, I understood why in certain situations I thought I had done good, but on the contrary, I hurt people.
Let’s look at two examples:
- Zilu saves a drowning man: When his disciple Zilu saved someone from drowning and accepted an ox as a thank-you, Confucius praised him. He predicted that this attitude would encourage others to help, as they would see that heroic acts can be rewarded.
- Zigong buys back slaves: Another disciple, Zigong, bought back fellow countrymen enslaved abroad but refused the official reward. Confucius disapproved of this attitude, predicting that no one would perform such acts in the future. Indeed, people would think that accepting the reward was frowned upon, but without compensation, they would hesitate to act.
What seems good on the surface is not necessarily truly good. The wise, however, know the causes and future consequences.
HBO Max
When my best friend came over, I got an HBO Max subscription (7-day free trial) on Prime Video. I kept the HBO Max subscription for the next 3 months because I want to watch The Gilded Age, The White Lotus, Rome, The Tudors, Dune Prophecy, House of Dragon, The Great, Gentleman Jack etc. Plus, JB just got himself a new computer screen, so I suddenly have his old screen to watch my series in the bedroom.
Illumination
Following my illumination internship in August, I took up this new art on my own. You can learn more about my internship here, my first exercise here (on my other blog) , and here. Since I’m watching a lot of series right now, the two activities go really well together.
Eric Bompard
I have a friend who only buys the best things in the world, like me, and I asked her where she buys cashmere. She answered Eric Bompard. I looked into that brand a bit more. I found their Chinese supplier (but who sells B2C only in China) and the Chinese prices are also very, very high. That made me want to complete my Eric Bompard collection.
I found a 4-ply Eric Bompard cardigan almost new on Vinted and I asked the seller if the sweater had shrunk because the price was too low (Eric Bompard sweaters have the famous tendency to shrink dramatically if you don’t know how to wash them properly). On receipt, I received a handwritten letter explaining how to wash cashmere properly. The sweater smelled so good that I could only follow her advice: (1) put the sweater in a mesh bag (2) use Eric Bompard shampoo (3) machine wash on wool/silk program (4) dry flat. I already do all that EXCEPT point 2.
And there I was at Eric Bompard just to buy a shampoo. But 4 salespeople explained to me that a week before the sale, all old collections are discounted. Who left with 2 new clothing items? Me!!! A cardigan at -70% and a boat-neck sweater (so beautiful that even JB went “woooow”) at -50%. Plus, I had all the time and space to try everything BEFORE the sale. I always have scarves & pashmina and cashmere sweaters in reserve because prices keep rising and I wear them all the time.
When I got home, I immediately washed one of the sweaters with the new Eric Bompard shampoo (one capful is enough, less is more) and I found that wonderful smell that the sweater from that Vintie had. I highly recommend it!
Jewelry
In July, I was saying that faced with the huge choice of jewelry findings, I felt useless and not creative enough. Well, it was just a matter of time, once again. I spent several evenings watching series and browsing findings at the same time. The more I look at them, the more jewelry ideas come to mind. I now know exactly which clasp I need!!! and I placed a big order for findings on Taobao.
To my great delight, I keep putting together and taking apart my pearl necklace to better learn the art of tying knots between two pearls.
I think that for jewelers, selling pearls is much more profitable than selling gold or silver jewelry. To sell gold or silver, you need to stand out with unique design. But for pearl necklaces, there is ONE classic model and a few variations, and the raw material (I mean freshwater pearls) is cheap.
Let’s calculate the margin on these two necklaces:
- Freshwater pearl necklace sold for €199 with €33 VAT: €40 for pearls, €3 for stringing, €1 for silk thread, €15 for gold clasp => €107 margin
- Gold necklace: 7.2g of 18k gold €630 with €105 VAT: about €450 for raw materials & manufacturing => only €75 margin
Anyway, I’m very happy because I tell myself that even if I’m moving slowly right now, every day I do something new and in a year, I’ll have accumulated so many new experiences that my dexterity will have improved.
Access to Chinese, American & Japanese markets
I like to treat myself to the best in the world, and sometimes these products are only available to locals. Now that I’m settled, I can’t just go to Japan, the USA, etc. to buy them anymore. I have to have them shipped from abroad. I recently re-tested parcel forwarding services and updated the following articles for you:
- receiving parcels from the United States
- receiving parcels Taobao from China
- receiving parcels from Japan
If you have access to producer countries, and especially to their products designed for the local market, you can come across real gems. Personally, I’m particularly interested in Japanese products, because they often meet needs that aren’t articulated elsewhere. They are discreet innovations, designed for everyday use, but they rarely cross borders. As for Chinese products, I buy silk, findings (for jewelry & leather goods), and pure silver (99.99%). From the United States, I mainly have cosmetics shipped. I also found someone to forward parcels from the UK, but I need to test their service. For the UK, it will mainly be for buying books.
