Beautiful Beginnings The story of DeFRED began with Fred Ho Chi Kwong, an artistic Hong Kong boy, born into a family already steeped in the jewellery trade. At 12, while many boys his age were plotting ways to skip school, Fred had a veritable "go free" card when his father pulled him out of school. It wasn't that Fred was languishing in class; in fact, the creatively-inclined young man had already demonstrated his artistic ability with the numerous art prizes he won at school. Sensing an artist in the making, Ho Senior decided to waste no time and installed Fred right into the trade, training him as a designer within the family's jewellery factory in Hong Kong. By the time Fred turned 18, the family patriarch decided that formal training was in order and Fred was sent to New York to further his design education. Marking His Own Chapters Perhaps it was the taste of freedom, of personal definition, or the idealism of the American spirit that Fred had been inspired by. After his return, rather than join the family business as a safe route, the entrepreneurial bug struck; Fred ventured to Singapore as a supplier of precious gems to jewellery here. But within a few years, the yearning to make his own mark struck Fred hard and the bold leap to setting up his own boutique, DeFred, began. Pure Perfection Jewels DeFred had always been clear about what it is a specialised, quality jewellery boutique that catered for personalised service, customised designs and impeccable quality. Since the doors first opened its first boutique at Lucky Plaza and later at Grand Hyatt Singapore, local jewellery aficionados, regional royal families and nobility, as well as society's leading lights, would seek out Fred's mind and hands to devise and design their very own special pieces. Fred's extensive knowledge of gemstones and workmanship quietly assured the discerning clients, who implicitly trusted the jeweller and the company for its commitment. As a perfectionist with exacting expectations on himself, Fred would see to every piece of jewellery before it is unveiled in the boutique to the buyer. A diamond is forever, and so are DeFred's values. To this end, in order to ensure that unwavering level of commitment to his customers, Fred regularly travels to countries such as Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia to personally take special orders from his titled clientele. To find that perfect stone, he would even accompany his customers to source countries such as Sri Lanka, Columbia or South Africa to advise on the best buys.