Louis Vuitton is the world’s most valuable luxury brand for the sixth consecutive year according to Millward Brown Optimor’s 2011 BrandZ study.

The brand, owned by Paris-based LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, has a value of $24.3 billion, an increase of 23 percent from 2010.

That’s almost as much as the combined values of Hermes, Gucci and Chanel, which ranked second, third and fourth in this year’s luxury-brand standings.

Luxury-brand awareness is growing among China’s super rich, who recognize 20% more of the lavish brands than they did last year, according to the Hurun Report.

The 2011 Best of The Best Survey, which interviewed 401 Chinese mainland millionaires, each with assets of more than 10 million yuan ($1.5 million), said the super rich in China are developing more sophisticated tastes in luxury products.

“Chinese entrepreneurs are getting more and more sophisticated, discerning and confident in their personal style, and what they aspire to, as they try to turn new money into old money,” said Rupert Hoogewerf, founder of the Hurun Report.

For Christmas, the Cartier panther reveals a selection of precious objects: accessories for Him and for Her, eternal diamonds, and more…

The French maker of jewelries and timepieces is promoting their seasonal offerings through their “Winter Tale” campaign which asks consumers to follow a panther cub through a winter wonderland of the luxury brand and their exclusive offerings.

The Winter Tale campaign includes a dedicated microsite at wintertale.cartier.com and the a 30-second video spot shown below.

A bracelet owned by Wallis Simpson, whose affair with Edward VIII led to his abdication, has sold for a world record-breaking £4.5m ($7m) at auction.

The diamond panther bracelet, was sold by Sotheby’s. It was the most expensive bracelet and most expensive Cartier item to be sold at any auction.

It was one of 20 pieces owned by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to go under the hammer in the sale, which raised a total of £7,975,550 ($12,417,369m).

The Astrotourbillon movement, which was introduced last year after five years of development in the Manufacture, now powers the Calibre de Cartier watch.

Cartier, the number one luxury jewelry brand in China, continues to ramp up its presence in the Asian country with the opening of yet another flagship on Friday.

The new store, which spans 900 square meters (9,687 square feet), is housed inside the Prince’s Building — an upscale shopping center in Hong Kong.

The three-story boutique replaces Cartier’s old store — opened in 1970 — that was located on the ground floor of the same building.