Antique Peranakan Jewellery

[spapeter]

im so glad u reply! yap i hv browse thru many many website try to locate this kind of jewelry. actually im trying to convince myself i hv the rite collection. u know my friends around me didnt understand why i like such old and not appealing piece. but to me they are great plesuare, i love to own or even just look at the photo!

so i extreme joyful when i see u ppl discuss online! im located in selangor. the piece is part of the 3 but i only hv 1. i oso hv the 3 set kerongsang, necklace, bracelet and ring and earing... haha

pls update more issue, im glad to hear from u all!

Intan, after going through the pieces at Wah Onn's web site, I could see that the workmanship is inferior to the old pieces i have seen. Since these are hand make ( i presume), you must look at the individual pieces carefully Buy only when it really appeals to you....

It is difficult to get good pieces where i live. The recent cache displayed in the shop in kuching is the collection of the owner and he is not that keen to sell so he marked up the prices quite a bit. But it is still cheaper than buying in singapore or west malaysia... Once the pieces are gone, i dont think i could see any more like that anymore for a long long time....

I bought a few silver belts when i was still in college and i have given my nieces one each.. They use them with their modern outfit and they look georgeous... used to cost me 200-300 ringgit each but now they are 4 to 5 times more...and only occasionally, one or two would turn up in the antique shop..

I have seen young people trading in their old pieces for modern jewelery..these would usually be the interesting ones and i would buy them from the shop after they have finished trading..These days, i hardly see any coming into the market.

will try to post some of my collection when i have the time...cheerio

 

[spapeter]

As someone who loves Peranakan jewellery, I do not think it is old-fashioned or unappealing. I guess I am used to it as it is part of my heritage and anyway I love floral designs. It is always possibel to wear these pieces in a modern way on plain, classic dresses, jackets and tops. I did go to see the Baba Bling exhibition and enjoyed it very much. Have a good time at the musuem Intan!.

I can't agree more.... Last year on my in law's 88th birthday, we came up with the theme, "Nonya Night" for the birthday party and it was fun when so many turned up in their kebaya and peranakan jewellery...so colourful and exclusive and we danced to the tunes from the early days...Everyone was super cool....definitely not unappealing or old fashioned!!!!

 

[cyne]

Hi There. I am new around this subforum. I hope you don't mind me dropping by to a couple of questions? I had some two years ago purchased a set of Kerosang from a little shop upstairs at Tanglin Shopping Centre. The shop was filled with antique Peranakan jewelries. So, silly me, I just assumed they were selling all old pieces. They knew I was interested in antique pieces. But somehow they failed to tell me that they were also selling more 'modern' pieces, most importantly, that the item I was looking to buy was made in the last 20 years or so. I did not ask too many questions and bought the set only to find out later that they were not at all "old". I don't mind newer pieces, but, I would not have paid what I paid for them had I known that they are recently made, although they are beautiful. I was most disappointed with their attitude. And the beautiful Kerosangs have ever since left a bit of bad taste in my mouth.

I certainly will not be going back there for more.

My questions are:

(1) do any of you know of this seller / store?
(2) can I ask someone here if there is a way, and if so where can I go to get these Kerosang valued? I think I have paid way too much for them. But what I mostly hope for with having a proper valuation on the Kerosang is so that I can provide a proper documentation of the Kerosang, when I approach jewelry stores here (I am not in Asia right now, and not a lot of people know about Kerosang around here), as I prefer to be respectable and upfront about these things

Thank you so much in advance!

Hi Bagpunk, I am also new to this forum. I hope I am also not "suckered" by the same shop in Tanglin Shopping Centre.

 

[cyne]

Hi I saw your posts on perankan jewlery. What do you think of my set of kerongsang? I am thinking to sell. They belong to my mom who got it from her aunt.

Intan, after going through the pieces at Wah Onn's web site, I could see that the workmanship is inferior to the old pieces i have seen. Since these are hand make ( i presume), you must look at the individual pieces carefully Buy only when it really appeals to you....

It is difficult to get good pieces where i live. The recent cache displayed in the shop in kuching is the collection of the owner and he is not that keen to sell so he marked up the prices quite a bit. But it is still cheaper than buying in singapore or west malaysia... Once the pieces are gone, i dont think i could see any more like that anymore for a long long time....

I bought a few silver belts when i was still in college and i have given my nieces one each.. They use them with their modern outfit and they look georgeous... used to cost me 200-300 ringgit each but now they are 4 to 5 times more...and only occasionally, one or two would turn up in the antique shop..

I have seen young people trading in their old pieces for modern jewelery..these would usually be the interesting ones and i would buy them from the shop after they have finished trading..These days, i hardly see any coming into the market.

will try to post some of my collection when i have the time...cheerio

 

[spapeter]

Hi I saw your posts on perankan jewlery. What do you think of my set of kerongsang? I am thinking to sell. They belong to my mom who got it from her aunt.

That is a real nice set you have there... and i am pretty sure it is an old set from the links used... shouldnt be that difficult to sell. Why do you want to sell something rare and has great sentimental value?... it would be difficult to replace if you decide to get one later on...

 

[periogirl28]

Hi I saw your posts on perankan jewlery. What do you think of my set of kerongsang? I am thinking to sell. They belong to my mom who got it from her aunt.

Don't sell this, it is getting more and more rare to find the real thing. I would keep heirlooms in the family.

 

[cyne]

Well, that's because I also have another set where the intan stones are bigger and more brilliant. Also this other set is twice the weight of the previous, maybe around 45g. The earlier one I posted is a little less than 20g. Please see this attached photo which I'd like to share with you. I think you would agree that this one is definitely much better than the previous, but you and Periodgirl28 also have a point that these have sentimental value. Maybe I should keep them both.

That is a real nice set you have there... and i am pretty sure it is an old set from the links used... shouldnt be that difficult to sell. Why do you want to sell something rare and has great sentimental value?... it would be difficult to replace if you decide to get one later on...

 

[spapeter]

Well, that's because I also have another set where the intan stones are bigger and more brilliant. Also this other set is twice the weight of the previous, maybe around 45g. The earlier one I posted is a little less than 20g. Please see this attached photo which I'd like to share with you. I think you would agree that this one is definitely much better than the previous, but you and Periodgirl28 also have a point that these have sentimental value. Maybe I should keep them both.

Cyne, i think both of them are beautiful!!! I would consider 20gm for a set of kerosong to be the "right" weight. I have some which are around 15 to 18gms only..your 45gms set is a heavy one..i have seen one close to that weight but it is round and very intricate..expensive too. When the set is too heavy, it is not so easy to pin them properly and they sag at times and difficult to keep upright...

I love your two sets !!!!!

 

[cyne]

Thank you SpaPeter. I am new to these antique jewellery and probably have a lot to learn about their value and such. I also have a pair of earrings which is probably the only piece that I really love from my mom's collection. She got this from her grandma, which dates back all the way to the early 1900's to 1930s pre-war. When the Japanese came, many of these valuable items were seized. I like this pair of earring simply because the workmanship is great for that era, (noting that it is difficult to work with pound gold). The intan are all very clear and brilliant. What do you think?

Cyne, i think both of them are beautiful!!! I would consider 20gm for a set of kerosong to be the "right" weight. I have some which are around 15 to 18gms only..your 45gms set is a heavy one..i have seen one close to that weight but it is round and very intricate..expensive too. When the set is too heavy, it is not so easy to pin them properly and they sag at times and difficult to keep upright...

I love your two sets !!!!!

 

[intan]

hi cyne,
yap i love your earing too! i wear peranakan earing sometimes, in daily use cos its juz so nice and fit me a lot haha. regarding the kerongsang, i never use it once but i may consider when i hv a special function.

well the 2 set of kerongsangs are dif design, as for me i don mind keeping unless i hv similar design.

 

[intan]

just to update regarding my previous trip to peranakan muzium, it was nice, a lot of new info. and i love the intan jewelry at true blue, the shop next to the muzium, however the price is a bit too high..

after the trip, v had lunch at true blue restaurant (same ownership as the souvenir shop), shoplots near the muzium, peranakan food, nice restaurant awarded with one of best restaurant in singapore.

the trip is juz too short in singapore, will visit again another time!

 

[cyne]

just to update regarding my previous trip to peranakan muzium, it was nice, a lot of new info. and i love the intan jewelry at true blue, the shop next to the muzium, however the price is a bit too high..

after the trip, v had lunch at true blue restaurant (same ownership as the souvenir shop), shoplots near the muzium, peranakan food, nice restaurant awarded with one of best restaurant in singapore.

the trip is juz too short in singapore, will visit again another time!

Hi Intan, glad that you enjoyed the museum. I know which shop you are talking about and the intan is lovely, but somehow I feel that they are too new to be antique. Plus, all the designs on each set of kerongsang are so symmetrical and exact. It looks like a recent reproduction really. Plus a closer look at the hook and lock at the back sort of confirmed it. The bracelets are lovely, but the catch is modern. That was my observation. I think if one is seriously looking for such items, we should look and consider intan stones, not "skins". By the way, I read that to qualify as "antique", the product has to be about 100 years old. Eg. If it is made in the 1920's and before, it's considered antique. Vintage is from 1930s to 1980s. A product is considered vintage when it is at least 25-30 years old. Otherwise, it's modern. Something to chew on....

 

[Perline]

Hi all, I am new to this forum! Ooh didn't know there are so many peranakan jewellery lovers like me out there!!! I just bought a very very nice set of kerosang during my vacation in malacca! I have attached the picture. The intan are all very clean and the workmanship is very exquisite! I simply love it! Do you think so?
Just to share with everyone, the place i bought the kerosang is a traditional goldsmith shop (like those in chinatown),located just opposite the hotel I am staying (hotel hallmark inn)! The shop was filled with antique Peranakan jewelries. How I wish I can buy every piece of art there!

 

[spapeter]

I just bought a very very nice set of kerosang during my vacation in malacca! I have attached the picture. The intan are all very clean and the workmanship is very exquisite! I simply love it! Do you think so?

A very nice set...first time I see this form/design...do you have any pictures of the other
pieces in the shop?

 

[intan]

cyne,
thanks for the sharing.. for these kind of peranakan jewelry, im still very new and many to learn from.
I really hope if there is a chance all of us can hv a meet up, wearing or bringing our best jewelry to show up and share together.. it could be very fun and enjoyable to meet up with all intan jewelry lovers.

i knew that there is a showcase on 1st july at e&o penang, too bad its by invitation only. any of u been there?