Beads of gold, another Van Cleef & Arpels signature, outline the motifs to sparkling effect. A craftsman working on ...

Once the motifs are accurately re-outlined to seamlessly match the original work, the process moves to re-colouring using time-honoured techniques that preserve the vibrancy of the original hues.

At 22, Liang was forced to lay down his brush and take up miscellaneous jobs, from farming to construction, to make a living. Even so, he never let go of the craft entirely. "I kept painting from time ...