Sector: Apparel Accessories and Luxury Goods

As hoteliers focus on wooing the high-spending Chinese tourists, they risk losing their core Western guests.

As China’s economy slows, Hong Kong-based luxury goods distributor Jebsen & Co. is seeing early signs of weaker consumer demand. CNBC’s Christine Tan spoke to Group Managing Director Helmuth Hennig about prospects in China, a country that is expected to surpass Japan as the world’s biggest luxury market this year.

About 14 years ago, I met an entrepreneur who wanted to open up coffee shops around China. I never thought the coffee business would work in the country. The Chinese would not easily give up their tea drinking culture for a bitter, overpriced drink, I told him.

Chinese shoppers have become a fixture of the luxury retail scene in the US and Europe, drawn by much cheaper prices than at home. But many upscale brands have yet to bond with China’s million millionaires. The Financial Times reports.

China at one time may have been better known for fashion knockoffs than catwalk creations, but Chinese haute-couture is now finding its feet on the international stage — even as it grows ever more popular with customers at home.

Sales growth at Richemont held up in the company's third quarter, easing fears the sector might be in for a marked slowdown this year and allowing the Swiss luxury goods group to confirm its profit goal for the year.

It pays to be young. but if you want to convey reliability, wisdom or gravitas, people over age 50 have the edge. They’ve been around the block a few times and have hard-earned knowledge that no education can compete with. Click ahead to see the new careers for workers over 50.

Any pull back in spending by wealthy Chinese could spell disaster for the luxury goods industry, which is looking to China for growth as markets in Japan and Europe slow.

The fashion conscious in this country of 50 million people will be able to shop for designer items alongside instant noodles at their local Seven-Eleven convenience store during the New Year's holiday season.

Divorced couples sometimes have to see each other at work. Some share ownership of a business but communicate only through lawyers and underlings. Others go on 300-day international stadium tours together.

Look for a huge corporate spin-off, a major apparel merger, rock bottom bond yields,  hedge fund failures and an election defeat for President Obama.

Many luxury goods have existed for centuries and enjoyed widespread popularity despite official bans, and stiff penalties and long prison sentences for those found trafficking in or purchasing such goods. What are some in-demand luxury goods that have been banned?

Contrary to what might be a popular perception, men and not women make up the bulk of consumers buying luxury goods in China.  Over the past 12 months, Chinese men on average spent 61 percent more than women on fragrances and 52 per cent more on watches, according to McKinsey.

Tiffany gave a holiday quarter profit outlook that missed Wall Street expectations, and signs that the recent torrid pace of its sales gains is slowing sent shares lower on the day.

Rarity, complexity and condition make all the difference when looking for a luxury watch. But while there are major gains to be made, it takes a good eye to know the difference between a clever investment, and a waste of time.