Jewel intentions

There is a current renaissance in jewelry that has been in absence in fashion for quite some time. Back then, jewelry was something intimate and personal. Today, its revival in fashion’s runway to reality has undergone a reinvention of its use from day to night, night to day and every day.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth, it was an era of fascination when jewels beautifully embellished royalty with the rarest and most precious. A few have been preserved and remain with the most notable museums, while the many that were lost are remembered and can be found in the archives of libraries, paintings or historical books.

In the 20th century, it was iconic Coco Chanel that pioneered the use of jewelry from ornamentation to fashion as seen in her trademark brooches and endless pearls. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, chic excess was the look claimed by no other than the legendary style maven Diana Vreeland. No doubt that the current trending of stacked and multiple accessorizing is a homage to her chic style. The ‘80s and early ‘90s was when jewelry made a big mark in the style scene when layers and layers of gold chains, pearls and cross necklaces were worn in excess, a look created by design master Karl Lagerfeld.                      

According to Harper’s Bazaar (May ‘08 issue), chokers to key cuffs are the season’s must-haves for accessories. In the global runways, designers have proclaimed the necklace as the chic-est piece of the moment with its undeniable appearance in majority of the collections in New York, Milan and Paris. In W magazine’s recent issue, the glorious comeback of razzling and dazzling pieces and its impact on up-to-date fashion is given much attention. Although style bible Vogue has no mention of these flights of fancy, past issues have extensively featured a vast range of chic accessories of importance that complement and define style today.

The art of jewelry making in the Philippines is a prized jewel of vast history. Its early beginnings date back to pre-colonial times when tribal communities indulge in what was then called ornamentation. Gold, silver and precious stones and metals were not only worn by royalty but also commoners who used them for trading. Historically, through the years of colonial rule, exemplary fine pieces of adornment were made by the renowned plateros. The brilliance of talent, glorified through masterpieces, showcased masterful artistry and excellent craftsmanship.  Their uniqueness and originality have made an astounding distinction through more than a century in Philippine society’s heirloom cultural traditions.

Jewelry then had a compelling appeal that represented social class, power, prestige, beauty and one’s crowning glory. Though modern dazzling incantations today are defined by cutting-edge design, form and function, the fine art of adoration and ornamentation seems passé and lost in translation.

Today, visionary Helena Carratala (the woman behind the famed Azabache) is a key mover in reviving this traditional art through her jewelry line Mangenguey. With masterpieces created  in collaboration with  silversmiths of Meycauyan, Bulacan and the Cordilleras, the prospects of this forgotten industry is bright. Beautifully intricate, these material world wonders of irresistible settings celebrate the passion for perfection and worship for detail. The glittering allure of its grandeur and lustrous appeal bring the past to the future. There is a need to revive this dying art of finery before it is disregarded and become nothing but a mere memory of the old world.  There is greatness in value and magnitude in the preservation of a tradition that is part of our Filipino heritage. .

(E-mail the author at mymultiplechoice@yahoo.com)