treasured article; precious vessel; outstanding person
Literary or formal term for a treasured object or, metaphorically, a person of great worth. The metaphorical sense is less common in everyday speech.
Ancient treasured vessels are displayed in this museum.
He is truly a treasured asset to our company.
秘宝 emphasizes a treasure that is hidden or secret, whereas 宝器 stresses the item's status as a prized vessel or object without implying secrecy.
Compound of 宝 (treasure) and 器 (vessel, container). The metaphorical extension to a person of great worth is a natural semantic broadening.