How and why I got into jewelry in my 30s
When I was a kid, I remember that my mom would lend me her gold jewelry every time there was a school event. If there’s a recognition day, graduation, communion, prom, foundation day, whatever it is, I would be wearing something extra special even though I just had a school uniform on. She would always caution me before leaving, “Wag mo iwawala yan!” (“Don’t lose it!”) as if I needed a reminder. But then I really didn’t understand what gold was worth before anyway. If I knew, I suppose I would have been more nervous about wearing my mom’s things!
My dad though - I think he loves jewelry even more than my mom. If you ever meet him, you would know exactly what I’m talking about. When he was still working abroad, he would gift me with something gold when he came back to the Philippines every year. He was your quintessential OFW from Saudi, so he always got great deals when it came to gold! These gifts were the first real pieces of jewelry in my 20s that were actually mine and not borrowed from my mom. Again, I didn’t appreciate these objects for anything else other than their sentimental value.
What really got me into jewelry though was when James and I were planning our proposal to each other a couple of years ago. I got him a tasteful watch from Tokyo, which was straightforward enough, but we wanted a bespoke ring for myself. His mom gifted us with a diamond (she had one for each of her three sons, kept for decades, which to me is an incredible amount of foresight!) while we acquired a sapphire from Bangkok through our friend. Putting it together in a ring design was a whole adventure. Myself being an obsessive person, I researched it and found the perfect jeweler to work with.
That’s when I began to appreciate jewelry. Not just its peso value, but the beauty that results from good craftsmanship. I loved how just a couple of pieces can elevate any outfit. Jewelry, I found, is a language upon itself. It signals status and wealth yes, but what I’m most interested in is how each piece - especially a handmade, bespoke one - is imbued with so much meaning to the wearer. I love that. Jewelry is one of the few things we wear our body that capture the essence of a moment, a feeling, or a thought. It essentially tells a story about who we are and what we care about.
Persephone, P5,500 at Nobela Manila
Venus (14k gold), P9,995 at Nobela Manila
After my engagement ring, I started having a few things made for me. I love pearls more than any other gem because of their versatility and unique beauty. And myself being myself, my hobby became a business. I thought, why not design a few things and see what people thought of them? That’s how Nobela Manila was born. Right now it’s just an Instagram store, but I’m so happy about the response so far, and excited about all my plans for it.
The best thing about it? I design jewelry for work, and I get to wear them too! Though as my husband likes to remind me, “Don’t get high on your own supply.” Yes, that’s true. But at least I know my product is good, haha.
What is your favorite jewelry piece?
