Inside Jewelmer’s paradise of pearls and art
On a Makati City penthouse floor overlooking the ever-changing cityscape below, a pair of mother-of-pearl doors—crafted with approximately 11,800 chips, and which took around three-and-a-half months to make—opens to a small museum featuring artworks and artifacts that are meaningful to the illustrious French-Filipino fine jewelry brand. In the intervening space is a sensory immersion of sound, scent, and sight (a necklace of strung-together 17-mm to 27-mm silvery pearls is definitely arresting) that leads to the glow of the collection room.
Maison Jewelmer, which can only be accessed via invitation or appointment, was a dream that took many years in the making. The brand collaborated with French design agency La Meute to create the different looks in each room, putting painstaking attention to the smallest details, from the furniture and art pieces flown in from various parts of the country and the globe down to the different textures in the wallpaper.
According to Jewelmer CEO Jacques Christophe Branellec, the designers really tried to understand the history of the brand as well as the foundations on which it is built on to create the look of the rooms.
“If you notice, every room is different. Because when they went to Palawan, the designers noticed the texture of the sand, the texture of the wood, the texture of the oyster, of the pearl. They chose wallpaper based on look and texture.”
One wall is covered in wallpaper handwoven with abaca, while another contains crystals.
“There are a lot of elements of wabi-sabi,” he added, referring to the Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection. Jewelmer, after all, thrives in the value and beauty of South Sea pearls, which remain precious amid imperfections.
From jewelry to art
While it wasn’t created as a selling space, exclusive and one-of-a-kind bijoux can be viewed in Maison Jewelmer. At the center is the house’s newest collection as it steps toward wearable art. Inspired by four elements of the universe—earth, fire, water, and air—the pieces from the Objet d’Art collection instantly transform from glittering accessory to artwork and back again.
But those aren’t the only things to ogle in the luxurious space. There are a few 15th-century Chinese and Vietnamese treasures from the Pandanan shipwreck that one of Jewelmer’s pearl farmers found back in the early 1990s; a masterpiece by Chinese national artist Bukuk Chai that took inspiration from the pearl and the beauty of Palawan; immersive artwork by French-Filipino artist Olivia d’Aboville; and décor from Cebu-based brands Casa Selma and Obra Cebuana.
“Every detail, every element has a story, has a link, has a meaning to what Jewelmer is,” added Branellec. Indeed, many of the items on display are part of Jewelmer’s history as well as showcasing its roots in the Philippines and the country’s beauty and hospitality.
“We have collectors all around the world that will be visiting the Maison, and it’s not only a chance for them to discover the beautiful collections of Jewelmer, but for them to also discover Filipino hospitality in this amazing view of our city, which is forever evolving in the right direction,” said Branellec.
Bespoke experience
Though the Maison is not open to the public at the moment, Branellec said they want to make sure that they are able to give every person who comes to visit that “bespoke experience.”
“We want people to leave here and say, ‘Only in Jewelmer.’”
Aside from hosting VIPs and beloved clients for afternoon tea and Malagos coffee, Branellec revealed their plans for holding learning events as well, inviting speakers from the fashion, art, and cultural industries, among others.
“We may have speakers from famous Champagne houses in France; we may have a class of ikebana from Japan,” he expounded.
“The purpose of this is to bring that experiential aspect to the brand to go a little bit deeper in the relationships that we are fostering,” said Branellec. “They can also have their birthdays here, they can come just for afternoon tea and everything.
“This is also going to be, in a way, a space to say ‘thank you’ to all of our collectors.”
