The jewellery pieces to dazzle and deflect your nosy relations

Don't get us wrong, we're all for the festive pigging out and red-themed, lantern-festooned gaiety this time of year. But while we love the huat, we could really do without the annual harassment that is 20 Questions, the Intrusive Edition. If fending off your relations and their supposed well-meaning enquiries — because pestering is caring according to CNY tradition — has gotten as stale as mouldy mandarin oranges, consider saying it best by saying nothing at all with fine jewellery that'll stop the pesky questions in their tracks.

From quizzing you on your love life to nitpicking your appearance, here's how to do battle against the medley of meddlers by letting your bling do the talking:

Nosy question #1: "Got boyfriend already not?"
Arm yourself with: Chanel Bouton de Camélia earrings
"Why, yes. See these gorgeous Chanel earrings my (imaginary) beau gifted me as a romantic gesture of his affections? I wore them specifically for Chinese New Year."

Nosy question #2: "So how much you earning now?"
Arm yourself with: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold
It's an AP Royal Oak. In gold. With a frosted bezel and bracelet crafted from the maison's unique jewellery technique to resemble a bazillion shimmering micro-diamonds. Yeah, you're doing okay.

Nosy question #3: "You going to have children soon?"
Arm yourself with: Cartier Love bracelet
Go twinsies with the hubby and make a millennial statement — bonus if you ruffle the feathers of certain annoying relations — by declaring you've already got the best kind of 'love', so there ain't no need for children running around underfoot.

Nosy question #4: "When you planning to get married?"
Arm yourself with: Van Cleef & Arpel Socrate Between the Finger ring
With all those diamonds embellishing a delicate floral posy in white gold, this is one ring that does double duty as an unconventional pseudo engagement band you can shove under people's noses. Talk to the finger, y'all.

Nosy question #5: "Moving out or not? When you getting your own house?"
Arm youself with: Graff Pink and White Diamond Bird Brooch
A house? In this real estate climate? Pfft. You're going a different route by investing your hard-earned dough in carats instead. Now that's a nest egg (pun intended) you can break out for round of admiration/envy among your folks.

BONUS
Nosy question #6: "Wah, you gained weight, is it?"
Arm yourself with: Chopard Silk Road collection necklace
Firstly, foot-in-mouth syndrome much? Secondly, when you've got this Guo Pei-designed bad boy flashing a 81.9ct emerald-cut centre stone as the ultimate attention-grabber, everything from the neck down doesn't matter.

Read more stories our Chinese New Year survival guide.