The A To Z of Collecting Jewellery And Watches

Accessible Pieces

Dr Bernard kicked our dialogue off with a simple yet important question. He asked what type of jewellery and watches young collectors might consider when starting out. I replied that the first thing one should collect is something they like and can afford. With that, we explored some accessible brands for both jewellery and watches, with interesting design features.

Color Change

That day, I was wearing my own cat’s eye alexandrite ring, which I cherish for its natural color-changing property. A smart alternative is French brand, Marie Mas, whose pieces change color as they flip when their wearers move. To demonstrate, I passed a beautiful necklace around for the audience to admire but my photos don’t do the dynamism justice. Check out their website http://www.mariemas.com/ for videos demonstrating this clever, patented design technology.

Illusion Of Movement

Similarly, movement can be channeled through thoughtful design. A great example is Magerit, a Spanish brand I had discussed in an earlier talk Jeweluxe And The Fellowship Of The Ring. Once again, I emphasized how none contained huge diamonds or precious stones, yet they were beautiful. One of the collections I admired was the one named Vitae which depicts a lady blowing life into seeds. As a mother and a physician, this story struck a chord with me. In addition I loved the illusion of movement created through the intricate carving and scattered diamonds.

To Have And To Hold

Now, there’s something I feel strongly about. I do believe jewellery and watches we buy, should be worn and enjoyed. One day, if one is fortunate enough to sell for profit, super. However, if there is pressure from being unable to sell at an optimum price, that could cause unnecessary stress. So, my advice is simply buy what one can comfortably afford.

Fortunately, tasteful jewellery need not cost the earth. To illustrate, I showed some handmade Florentine gold jewellery by Ferrari Firenze. I personally loved the pink sapphire necklace, at once feminine and fun.

Next, I passed around a tray from Maison Birks. Birks is a Canadian brand whose fans include the savvy Duchess of Sussex. On the tray, there were two versatile bracelets that could be enjoyed at both casual and formal occasions. One was made of mother-of-pearl & onyx, while another had small diamonds that coiled around my arm.

Watch This Space

Are there any Singaporean brands of jewellery and watches we are proud of? Absolutely. Homegrown exhibitors at Jeweluxe that I love included Mouawad, Simone & Yuli. As for watches, there were two represented by Red Army.

Azimuth, founded by Chris in 2003, challenges the status quo of aesthetics. We passed around a uniquely designed watch that looks like a robot. I also admired watches modeled after features of cars, as well as one with an actual roulette. It was easy to appreciate the talent that went into creating these complex mechanical works of art.

The other brand we discussed was Zelos, which means zeal in Greek. Zelos was founded in 2014 by Elshan, famous for obtaining initial funding through Kickstarter. Trained in mechanical engineering, he’s managed to shake the industry up with unconventional materials. Elshan isn’t afraid of being different and he isn’t hellbent on raking in massive profits. He’s just a guy who loves cool watches and he’s very good at making them inexpensively.

In fact, I returned the next day just to have an extended conversation with both founders. As I chatted with them, I was struck by their sincerity and passion.

Zenith Of One’s Collection

At some point, a mature collector may add valuable jewellery and watches to their treasure trove. One of the pieces of high jewellery we appreciated was this gorgeous bangle by Karen Suen, from Hong Kong. Encrusted with stunning emeralds of matching color, sparkling diamonds lined all sides, even the edges. Undoubtedly, the quality of stones and craftsmanship was captivating.

In response, Dr Bernard pulled out a boxful of sophisticated watches that he had amassed through the years. His personal stories about his collection kept listeners agog.