GREAT JEWELRY matched with great women are matches made in heaven. We can look at the jewelry collections of actress Elizabeth Taylor, for example, and think about the great, noisy, roaring life that she lived.

Actress, socialite, and senatorial spouse Love Marie Ongpauco-Escudero (screen name Heart Evangelista) joins the roster of bejewelled women with a collection done in collaboration with Royal Gem called “The Modern Muse.” The collection, consisting of rings, brooches, necklaces, and bracelets, kick off from Ms. Evangelista’s In Full Bloom exhibition of paintings. Images from the paintings are rendered in gold (printed on gold using a special technique from Italy), and carved as cameos on shells of the Queen Helmet conch, handmade by artisans.

“I feel that the Cameo collection is very unique because the pieces are extremely detailed. So much intricate work was put into creating each Cameo piece. Of course when making the collection, I had to make sure my designs would be timeless because these pieces of jewelry are the kind that you can keep forever,” Ms. Evangelista was quoted as saying in a release.

In an interview with BusinessWorld during the launch in BGC on Sept. 17 she said, “I love women in my paintings. I guess it also describes the emotions that I [went] through at that time. I feel that an image of a woman is relatable. It connects with the client.”

HER PERSONAL COLLECTIONS
Ms. Evangelista is known around the country for her amazing closets filled with designer handbags (even particularly rare ones), a collection of high heels, and of course, her jewelry and accessories. She told BusinessWorld that her favorites include rings from Van Cleef and Arpels, gold chain necklaces, and jewel studs. She also inherited a number of her mother’s pieces, which she mixed with newer pieces. “I love it how vintage pieces are coming back now.”

Ms. Evangelista has been seen at the front row of various fashion week events abroad, and had been featured on Harper’s Bazaar in a Crazy Rich Asians-themed shoot and story. She does however, have a secret: on her trips, well-documented on social media, she says, “When I travel, I usually bring all my fake jewelry.” She mixes costume pieces with real ones, and the costume jewelry are usually lookalikes of real pieces that she already owns.

In terms of investment, she says, “You don’t have to buy big diamonds. It’s really all about what connects with you.” — Joseph L. Garcia

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