Singapore Tatler Jewels & Time
CARMEN OW, 30
Her love for hot wheels is a well-known fact with her often joining her father, Victor Ow, on driving trips. Not only does she enjoy the adrenaline rush, she also appreciates the finer details and craftsmanship in making the supercars she drives the thoroughbred mechanical beasts they are. Similarly with watches and jewellery, the director at property developer Clydesbuilt Group looks beyond merely aesthetics, seeking that special connection with the pieces before she makes a decision to acquire them.
My first jewellery purchase... It was probably when I was eight or nine on a family trip to Florence, Italy. I saw this yellow gold charm bracelet filled with animal motifs at a tiny jewellery shop there. My late aunt, who doted on me a lot, knew that I liked it and she was so sweet—she went back to the shop to secretly buy it before surprising me with it later on during the trip. Now, it’s too small to be worn but I still have it with me.
Acquisition criteria: design, brand or savoir faire? Craftsmanship and design definitely play a part in swaying my decision on which pieces to acquire. But I tend to be influenced by my emotions—what matters most is how I feel about the piece on first impression. Sometimes, after I try it on, the piece evokes a different feeling—for better or worse—too. So, it’s really about my feeling towards the creation.
The item on my current wishlist The Balcone brooch from Van Cleef & Arpels’ latest Romeo & Juliet high jewellery collection. It features the balcony scene from the play, which is one of the highlights of the Shakespearean classic. On the front is a just beautifully crafted balcony but hidden behind the clip, where the pin is, are the two figurines of Romeo & Juliet. I particularly love that little secret twist, which shows their forbidden relationship as they declare their love in the darkness.