Heirlooms and the Filipino memory of love
Heirlooms move through families with intention. They carry the hours worked, the love invested, and the relationships built to secure a better future for the next generation. In the Philippines, where households expand into communities and lineages, these objects do more than decorate. They preserve how families rise, endure, and dream. Jewelry becomes proof of care, of sacrifice, and of resilience.
I grew up with that belief. My grandmother set aside jewelry for each of her children to enjoy and eventually pass forward. I still wait for the moment her pieces reach me. She and my grandfather built the foundation our family stands on, one rooted in comfort, connection, and steady values. Their legacy shows how objects can hold memory and security at once.
As a jeweler, I see families draw strength from heirloom pieces during uncertain seasons. The right jewel protects. It retains value. It carries history. It lasts.
Janeena Chan and the earrings that followed her into marriage
For Janeena Chan, a pair of diamond earrings represents much more than beauty. They trace the journey of three generations of women who shaped her life. Her grandmother kept them tucked away for rare occasions. Her mother safeguarded them for years, waiting for the right moment.
When she finally passed them on as Chan prepared for marriage, the gesture felt ceremonial. It marked a shift in role and responsibility.
The earrings arrived in perfect condition. She wore them during her pre-nup shoot and felt grounded, as if guided by the two women who steadied her from childhood to adulthood. The timing deepened the gesture. It felt like a blessing from the strength that formed her.
She still reaches for the earrings on days that call for meaning. Sometimes she rotates them sideways to create an ear-crawler look, giving the piece a modern edge while keeping its essence intact. It is a quiet reminder that heritage evolves without losing its roots.
The earrings resemble her well: understated at first glance, strong in presence, and versatile enough to grow with her through the seasons of her life. They remind her that heirlooms are living objects, gaining depth through use, care, and intention. She hopes the next wearer feels the same strength she found in them and adds their own memories to the piece.
Gretchen Choa and the paraiba ring that arrived when life shifted
Gretchen Choa received her heirloom during a season marked by loss. After her mother passed, she and her sister were entrusted with a paraiba and diamond ring that their mother kept close but rarely wore. The timing shaped how deeply she connected with it. Choa had admired paraiba since 2015 and even placed the stone on her vision board. She never knew her mother already owned the ring she dreamed of.
Discovering that her mother purchased the piece around the same time she fell in love with paraiba felt like a quiet alignment. It became a bridge between their instincts, linked by taste, timing, and affection. The ring now serves as a reminder of a bond that continues beyond grief.
Crafted by designer Ginny Dizon, the piece carries both refinement and strength. Choa kept it exactly as her mother left it. She has worn it only once, on Mother’s Day, in a moment that felt grounding, sincere, and filled with memory. The ring holds emotion, guidance, and the lessons her mother passed on through the way she lived.
The paraiba reflects Choa’s style: intentional, refined, and quietly strong. She plans to keep it in the family and hopes its next wearer feels the love it carries and treats it with the same care her mother once did.
The Filipino story, held in small objects
Heirlooms travel through time carrying more than craftsmanship. They hold the sacrifices that built a home, the creativity that shaped a livelihood, and the resilience that helped families survive difficult seasons.
But jewelry is only one example. Filipino families pass down many meaningful objects: a diary, a sewing machine, a favorite ring, a set of pearls. These items teach continuity, gratitude, and strength.
The heirlooms Janeena Chan and Gretchen Choa shared represent two different pathways shaped by love. One was passed on during a moment of celebration. The other arrived in a moment of loss. Both continue stories that began long before either of them was born.
Their pieces honor the work of mothers and grandparents who built stable lives through effort and vision. They reveal how Filipino families protect their history while preparing future generations to dream further.
Objects survive when families care for them. Families thrive when they care for each other.
