The Gem of Life
# The Gem of Life

The Gem of Life (Traditional Chinese: 珠光寶氣) is a TVB grand production drama, that broadcast between October 2008 and February 2009. The series was specifically filmed to celebrate TVB's 41st Anniversary. Filming took place in many locations apart from Hong Kong, including Tibet, Taiwan, and France.

## Premise

The story centers around three sisters: Sylvia (oldest), Constance, and Jessica (youngest). Each of them faces a failing marriage and the subsequent loss of their comfortable lifestyle. The sisters and their mother, SiuYau, plot various schemes to recover their family honor and fortune.

## Cast

### The Hong family

| Cast | Role | Description |
| - | - | - |
| David Chiang | Hong Ching-Yeung 康青楊 | Owner, Cheok Mei Jewelry. Hong Bak Siu-Yau's husband. Sylvia, Constance, and Jessica Hong's father. |
| Louise Lee | Hong Bak Siu-Yau 康白筱柔 | Affectionately called "Xiao Jia" (Shanghainese for "miss" or "madam"). Hong Ching-Yeung's wife. Sylvia, Constance, and Jessica Hong's mother. |
| Maggie Shiu | Sylvia Hong 康雅言 | Affectionately called "Du Mei" (Shanghainese for "big sister"). Entertainment company manager. Constance and Jessica Hong's elder sister. Bok Mao's (博貿) CEO Tim Yip's ex-wife. Sunny Yau's close friend. |
| Gigi Lai | Constance Hong 康雅瞳 | Affectionately called "yi Mei" (Shanghainese for "the second sister"). Joint partner with Terrence and Jessica at Ego-Sky Enterprises & Miracle Holdings after Martin's death. Manager at Cheuk Mei Jewelry. Sylvia and Jessica Hong's sister. Terrence Ho's ex-wife. Derek's ex-girlfriend Frankie Fan's ex-wife |
| Ada Choi | Jessica Hong 康雅思 | Affectionately called "Xiao Mei" (Shanghainese for "the baby sister"). Joint partner with Constance and Terrence at Ego-Sky Enterprises & Miracle Holdings after her husband Martin's death. Sylvia and Constance Hong's younger sister. Martin Ho's widow. Patrick Yeung's ex-wife. |

### The Ho family

| Cast | Role | Description |
| - | - | - |
| Elliot Ngok | Martin Ho 賀峰 | Wealthy tycoon. Chairman of Ego-Sky Enterprises & Miracle Holdings. Terrence Ho and Ho Zit-Seon's father. Jessica Hong's late husband. |
| Moses Chan | Terrence Ho 賀哲男 | CEO of Miracle Holdings. Constance Hong's ex-husband. Joint partner with Constance and Jessica at Ego-Sky Enterprises & Miracle Holdings after his father's death. |
| | Ho Zit-Seon 賀哲迅 | Ho Fung & Jessica Hong's Son Terrence Ho's half brother. Died after kidnapped by Phillip Song. |

### The Shek family

| Cast | Role | Description |
| - | - | - |
| Wong Hei | Shek Tai-Wor 石泰禾 | Jewelry company factory assistant manager. William Shek's older brother. Jessica Hong's secret admirer. |
| Bosco Wong | William Shek 石泰川 | Businessman Inherited Melissa Yan's business empire - the Melissa Li Group. Melissa Yan's protege before her death. Shek Tai-Wor's younger brother. Elise Sung's secret admirer. |

### The Sung family

| Cast | Role | Description |
| - | - | - |
| Chan Hung Lit | Philip Sung 宋世萬 | Wealthy Business Tycoon Chairman of Wrestle Holdings. Elise Sung's grandfather. James Sung's older brother. |
| Helen Ma (馬海倫) | Margaret Sung-Kwok 宋郭婉儀 | Philip Sung's first wife. Terrence Ho's godmother. |
| Queenie Chu | Man Wai (Mandy) 文慧 | Philip Sung's ex-mistress. |
| Queena Chan (陳丹丹) | Charlie Cheuk Yi 卓凝 | Philip Sung's fourth mistress. Martin Ho's mole in Sung Sai-Man's organization |
| Linda Chung | Elise Sung 宋子凌 | William Shek's right hand person. Philip Sung's granddaughter. Philip Sung's mole in Melissa Li Group, after William Shek inherited it. Admires Terrance Ho and is the cause of his and Constance's divorce. Later, admires William. |
| Yu Yang | James Sung 宋世基 | Philip Sung's younger brother. |
| Cindy Lee | Kate Sung 宋佩嘉 | James Sung's daughter. Elise Sung's good friend. |

### The Ko family

| Cast | Role | Description |
| - | - | - |
| Lai Suen (黎宣) | | Ko Cheung-Shing's mother. |
| Bowie Lam | Calvin Ko 高長勝 | Bok Shing Corporation's CEO Sylvia Hong's ex-boyfriend, reconciled later. Sunny Yau's friend and partner. Shum Tsi-Tang's ex-husband. |

### Other cast

| Cast | Role | Description |
| - | - | - |
| Eddie Kwan (關禮傑) | Derek Chan 陳啟發 | Admirer of Constance Hong. |
| Kenny Wong (黃德斌) | Sunny Yau 游日東 | Calvin Ko's friend/business partner/admirer. Sylvia Hong's friend. Revealed to be a homosexual. |
| Rebecca Chan | Melissa Yan 虞葦庭 | Businesswoman head of Melissa Li Group Former ally of Martin Ho. |
| Lau Dan | Ryan Suen Wai-Tak 孫懷德 | Chairman of Kei Lei Jewelry. |
| Florence Kwok | Catherine Shum 沈之澄 | Chairwoman of L'ete Holdings. Calvin Ko's ex-wife. |
| Carrie Lam | Stephy | Model |
| Ram Chiang (蔣志光) | Patrick Yeung 楊志球 | Businessman. Jessica Hong's ex-husband. |
| Patrick Dunn | Tim Yip 葉富添 | Commercial airline pilot. Sylvia Hong's ex-husband. |
| Mat Yeung (揚明) | Oscar | Artist. Sylvia Hong's entertainment company artist Friend to Kate and Elise Sung. |
| Rocky Cheng (鄭健樂) | Frankie Fan 范禮奇 | Constance Hong's ex-husband. |
| Angelina Lo (盧宛茵) | Mrs. Ho 何太 | Hong Bak Siu-Yau's friend. |

## Awards and nominations

### TVB Anniversary Awards (2009)

* Best Drama
* Best Actor (Bowie Lam)
* Best Actress (Maggie Shiu)
* Best Actress (Gigi Lai)
* Best Actress (Ada Choi) - Top 5
* Best Supporting Actor (Elliot Ngok) - Top 5
* Best Supporting Actor (Kenny Wong)
* Best Supporting Actress (Linda Chung) - Top 5
* My Favourite Male Character (Moses Chan) - Top 5
* My Favourite Male Character (Bowie Lam)
* My Favourite Male Character (Kenny Wong)
* My Favourite Female Character (Maggie Shiu)
* My Favourite Female Character (Ada Choi)
* Most Improved Actress (Queenie Chu) - Top 5
* Most Improved Actress (Catherine Chau) - Top 5

### 15th Shanghai Television Festival

* Best Actress: Ada Choi

## Viewership ratings

| | Week | Episode | Average Points | Peaking Points |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | October 20, 2008 | 1 — 2 | 32 | 37 |
| 1 | October 21–23, 2008 | 3 — 5 | 31 | 36 |
| 2 | October 27–31, 2008 | 6 — 10 | 28 | 30 |
| 3 | November 3–7, 2008 | 11 — 15 | 29 | — |
| 4 | November 10–14, 2008 | 16 — 20 | 29 | — |
| 5 | November 17–21, 2008 | 21 — 24 | 28 | — |
| 6 | November 24–28, 2008 | 25 — 29 | 28 | — |
| 7 | December 1–5, 2008 | 30 — 33 | 28 | — |
| 8 | December 8–12, 2008 | 34 — 38 | 28 | 31 |
| 9 | December 15–19, 2008 | 39 — 43 | 25 | — |
| 10 | December 22–26, 2008 | 44 — 48 | 25 | — |
| 11 | December 29, 2008 - January 2, 2009 | 49 — 53 | 28 | 30 |
| 12 | January 5–9, 2009 | 54 — 58 | 27 | — |
| 13 | January 12–16, 2009 | 59 — 63 | 27 | — |
| 14 | January 19–22, 2009 | 64 — 67 | 27 | — |
| 14 | January 23, 2009 | 68 — 69 | 28 | 29 |
| 15 | January 28–30, 2009 | 70 — 72 | 25 | — |
| 16 | February 2–6, 2009 | 73 — 77 | 30 | 33 |
| 17 | February 9–13, 2009 | 78 — 82 | 29 | 35 |
