Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria H-Lee C..
Hi Victoria, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I come from a third-generation family business in luxury jewelry and watches, so in many ways my story began before me. My grandmother and mother built Chong Hing Jewelers into a trusted destination for craftsmanship and community in the San Gabriel Valley, and I grew up seeing how deeply those relationships mattered. After studying engineering and later law with a focus on entertainment, I found myself drawn back into the family business — not just to manage boutiques, but to reimagine what a modern legacy brand could be. Today, I oversee multiple boutiques and the launch of TimeVallée Arcadia, where I balance the operational side of luxury retail with creating meaningful experiences for clients.
At the same time, I’ve always been a storyteller. I founded Daring Minds Productions to pursue filmmaking — exploring themes of identity, perfectionism, and the surreal through short films like Overworkd. In a way, both worlds overlap: luxury and cinema both deal in craft, vision, and emotional resonance. My journey has been about weaving those threads together — honoring legacy while carving out my own voice as a creative multi-hyphenate and an entrepreneur.
https://hirakawalee.carbonmade.com/
https://chonghing.com/
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. Balancing a legacy family business with my own creative ambitions means I’m constantly shifting gears — one moment I’m navigating the technicalities of boutique build-outs, permits, or vendor negotiations, and the next I’m immersed in the world of film, chasing a surreal idea across the page or screen. The contrast can be jarring, but it’s also what fuels me.
There’s the weight of expectation too: in luxury retail, you’re entrusted with generational clients and renowned global partners, while in filmmaking you’re exposing your most personal ideas to critique. And then there are the growing pains — learning to find my own identity within a family legacy, to honor the heritage that shaped the company while carving out something uniquely mine.
It hasn’t always been easy, but the friction has been formative. The polish of luxury and the rawness of art don’t always sit comfortably together, yet it’s in that tension where my voice is carved.
As you know, we’re big fans of CH Jewelers . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Chong Hing Jewelers is a third-generation, family-owned destination for fine jewelry and Swiss watches. We represent a carefully curated portfolio of maisons — from Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Panerai, and Piaget to Chopard, Omega, and Mikimoto — and recently introduced TimeVallée Arcadia, Richemont’s multi-brand luxury concept, to the West Coast. What sets us apart is not only the breadth of our offerings but the way we approach them: with intention, heritage, and a deep-rooted connection to the communities we serve.
We’re known for pairing world-class collections with an intimate, personal touch; and sometimes even with a cultural touch. Many of our clients span generations, and we’re proud that families trust us not just as retailers but as stewards of milestones, celebrations, and legacies. Brand-wise, I’m especially proud of how we’ve continued to innovate while staying true to our roots — from hosting immersive events and cultural activations to bridging luxury with community through bespoke watch collaborations and seasonal traditions.
While I represent the face of third-generation leadership, I also see myself as more than a continuation of legacy. I’m building my own path as a filmmaker through Daring Minds Productions, where I explore surreal, emotionally charged stories that mirror themes I’ve lived in business: heritage, perfectionism, and identity. To me, luxury and film overlap more than people realize — both demand vision, strategy, and emotional resonance.
What I’d most like readers to know is that our work is personal and passion-driven. Whether in the boutique or on screen, I aim to create innovative experiences that carry meaning, connect people, and leave something lasting.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was a mix of curiosity and quiet intensity. As a high school stereotype, I was a quiet kid that no one got to know. I loved drawing, writing, and getting lost in stories, but I have a curious and creative mind — I wanted to understand the mechanism that made things worked, to take things apart and put them back together– in stories, in people, in craftsmanship. I was observant, sometimes introverted, but always driven, and I carried this need to overwork myself even as a child.
Art, fashion, and film became outlets for me to process feelings I didn’t always know how to put into words. At the same time, being surrounded by my family’s jewelry business gave me an appreciation for craft, detail, and heritage long before I knew I’d return to it. In hindsight, it makes sense — the curiosity, the discipline, the love for storytelling — they’re the same threads that run through tapestry of all that I do now.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hirakawalee.carbonmade.com/ (personal), https://chonghing.com/ (company)
- Instagram: @vcas88 (personal), @chjewelersofficial (company)
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-hirakawa-lee-castro-8090/
Image Credits
Nikolaus James Murray & Lijie Xie (boutique photos)
Sean Kara (profile photo)
