The Eye
Style, watches, hype, fashion, museums, bookshops and gifts in Singapore, with the price of taste made visible.
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Linen Explained: Why It Suits the Tropics and How to Care for It
Linen is woven from flax fibre, which conducts heat well and takes in and releases moisture quickly, so it feels cool in Singapore’s heat.…
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Gillman Barracks: The Galleries, Opening Hours and Visiting
Gillman Barracks is a free-to-visit contemporary art cluster in a 1936 British army camp off Alexandra Road, with galleries generally open 11am to 7pm…
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The Singapore Art Museum at Tanjong Pagar: What’s On and How to Visit
The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) shows contemporary art at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, 39 Keppel Road, open daily from 10am to 7pm. Singapore Citizens and…
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Antiques in Singapore: Where to Buy, Checking Authenticity and Export Rules
Singapore’s antique and vintage trade is spread across shophouses, industrial buildings and malls, from Craig Road to Havelock Road, now that Tanglin Shopping Centre…
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Silk Explained: Mulberry Silk, Momme Weight and How to Care for It
Mulberry silk comes from domesticated Bombyx silkworms, and momme measures how heavy the fabric is: one momme is about 4.34 grams per square metre,…
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Fountain Pens: Nibs, Inks and Where Enthusiasts Shop in Singapore
Choose a fountain pen by nib first: EF, F, M or B, remembering Japanese nibs run one to two sizes finer than European ones,…
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Singapore Design Icons: The Kopitiam Chair, the Dragon Playground and Other Classics
Singapore’s best-loved designs are everyday things: the bentwood ‘kopitiam chair’, based on Thonet’s 1859 No. 14, the marble-top coffee shop table, HDB’s 1979 dragon…
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Pottery in Singapore: Classes, the Dragon Kilns and What It Costs
A one-off pottery class in Singapore typically costs about S$45 to S$98 as of mid-2026, with wheel-throwing trials mostly around S$80, and fired pieces…
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Orchids: Singapore’s National Flower, the VIP Hybrids and Buying a Plant
Singapore’s national flower is the Vanda Miss Joaquim, a hybrid bred by Agnes Joaquim and named national flower on 15 April 1981. Since 1956,…
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Batik Explained: Hand-Drawn, Stamped or Printed, and How to Tell
True batik is a wax-resist dyeing craft: hand-drawn batik tulis uses a canting pen, batik cap uses a copper stamp, and printed ‘batik’ is…
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Visiting a Singapore Home at Festivals: Gifts, Oranges and Etiquette
At Chinese New Year, bring a pair of mandarin oranges and expect a pair back; at Hari Raya, greet elders first and bring halal…
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The Peranakan Museum: Ticket Prices, Galleries and What to See
Singaporeans and PRs see the Peranakan Museum’s permanent galleries free, or pay S$6 for all access including the special exhibition; foreign adults pay S$18…
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The Asian Civilisations Museum: What’s Free, Ticket Prices and What to See
Singaporeans and PRs enter the Asian Civilisations Museum’s permanent galleries free, or pay S$12 for an all-access ticket that includes the special exhibition. Foreign…
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Record Shops in Singapore: Vinyl Prices and Where Collectors Go
New vinyl LPs in Singapore start from about S$38, with limited editions costing more, while second-hand prices depend on pressing, condition and demand. Collectors…
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Shoe and Bag Repair: Resoling, Re-Dyeing and What It Costs
Small fixes such as heel tips, stitching and patches are quick and cheap at a neighbourhood cobbler, while full resoles, re-dyeing and handle replacements…
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Festive Dress in Singapore: Cheongsam, Baju Kurung and Saree, to Buy or Rent
Buy or tailor a festive outfit you will wear every year, and rent one for a single occasion such as a wedding, a photoshoot…
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Hair Salon Prices in Singapore: Cuts, Colour and What Adds to the Bill
A basic haircut in Singapore ranges from express chains and neighbourhood barbers in the teens of dollars to salon cuts costing several times that,…
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Reading Skincare Labels: Ingredients, Expiry Symbols and HSA Rules
In Singapore, skincare and other cosmetics must carry an English label with a full ingredient list, a batch number and the local company responsible,…
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Pre-Owned Luxury Handbags: How Pricing and Authentication Work
A pre-owned luxury handbag is priced on brand, model, condition, completeness and how hard it is to buy new. Authentication rests on the bag’s…
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Buying a Pre-Owned Luxury Watch: Box, Papers and Authentication
A pre-owned luxury watch is safest when the serial number matches its papers, the movement has been checked by someone independent, and you buy…
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Jewellery Hallmarks: How to Read Gold, Silver and Platinum Stamps
A purity stamp is the metal’s fineness in parts per thousand: 916 means 91.6% gold (22K), 750 means 75% (18K), 925 means sterling silver…
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Buying Art in Singapore: Originals, Prints and How Galleries Price Work
An original is one unique work; a print is one of an edition, numbered like 12/50, and a reproduction is a copy of an…
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The National Gallery Singapore: What’s Free, Ticket Prices and What to See
General admission to the National Gallery Singapore is free for Singapore citizens and PRs and $20 for other visitors, and the gallery opens daily…
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Bookshops in Singapore: The Big Chains, the Independents and Second-Hand Books
Singapore’s book trade has three layers: big chains such as Kinokuniya, POPULAR and Times for range and convenience, a lively circle of independent specialists,…
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Second-Hand Fashion: Thrift Shops, Consignment and Selling Online
In Singapore you can buy pre-loved clothes at charity thrift shops, sell them through resale or consignment services that pay cash or credit, list…
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Sneaker Resale and Authentication: How to Avoid Fakes
The safest way to buy resale sneakers is through a platform that inspects pairs before they ship or offers a refund if an item…
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Watch Servicing: How Often, What It Costs and Where to Go
Most mechanical watches need a full service every five to ten years depending on the brand, with Rolex citing about ten years and Omega…
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Sunscreen in the Tropics: SPF, PA Ratings and How Much to Use
SPF measures protection from UVB, the burning rays, and PA ratings from PA+ to PA++++ measure protection from UVA, the ageing rays; Singapore health…
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Sunglasses Explained: UV400, Polarised Lenses and Prescription Options
UV400 means the lens blocks ultraviolet light up to 400 nanometres, covering UVA and UVB, and it is the label that protects your eyes;…
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Ang Bao Rates: How Much to Give at Weddings and Chinese New Year
Wedding ang bao in Singapore is usually pitched to cover your seat at the banquet, with 2026 guides citing roughly $120 to $400 or…
