Celebrating the Art of Fine Jewellery with the ‘Ageless’ Panellists at UltraLuxe
7 trailblazing women unveil their secrets of wellness with fine jewellery from independent designers at this year’s UltraLuxe festival.
As they say, diamonds are a girl’s best friend. There’s just something about being adorned in jewels that adds an air of elegance and flair. With the detailed craftsmanship of fine jewellery, that special feeling turns into empowerment and confidence.
Returning for its second installment, the UltraLuxe festival is a celebration of fine jewellery and watch designers hailing from across the globe, promising an exclusive luxury experience. Featuring over 100 international and Singaporean designers, UltraLuxe spotlights independent designers for those on the hunt for pieces that are truly one-of-a-kind.
Within the beauty industry, there’s an antiquated fixation on youth – as if aging is something to fear. As part of the UltraLuxe/Advocacy initiative, seven extraordinary women will be taking centre stage during the ‘Ageless’ panel to reveal their secrets to embracing their inner (and outer) beauty. At the heart of each of them is a love for the finer things in life, and jewellery is no exception.
But feeling good is just as important as looking good. Beyond the surface, the panellists have made it their life purpose to contribute to various factions of society. For these seven ladies, their charitable endeavours have given them a life of beauty from within.
Louisa Lee
Founder and CEO of DP Healthverse Holdings
Meet Louisa Lee, who serves a number of communities in Singapore, including the Rotary Club of Singapore as Director of the Youth Services Committee. Her dedication to social entrepreneurs has shown her the importance of passion and drive.
It is that same drive that requires TLC and self-care from time to time, which is how Louisa sees jewellery. Embellishing herself in jewels is her form is self-care, and we couldn’t agree more. Louisa loves the Tendresse Ruby Suite Collection from La Joie, which employs rubies from Mozambique and white diamonds. It’s in these little moments of me-time that Louisa feels empowered.
Selina Ong
Co-founder of Coulisse Heir
For the modern woman, finding practical jewellery to wear daily can be a struggle. But for Coulisse Heir co-founder Selina Ong, the choice is an easy one. With an appreciation for pieces with a modern twist, Italian label Fope’s fine jewellery is Selina’s top pick. FOPE’s lightweight designs are easy on the wrist and neck, so they work as well for everyday glam as they do for special occasions. Selina wears statement pieces from the maison’s Luna and Solo collections, which focus on innovation and experimentation.
Kelly Keak
Managing Director at MTM Labo
MTM Labo’s Managing Director Kelly Keak has come a long way, since taking over her mother’s skincare brand. The winner of the Women Entrepreneurs Award this year, Kelly finds peace in supporting other women through United Women Singapore, all without neglecting self-love.
Self-love is all about doing things for yourself. And Kelly’s obsession with rings does just that. There isn’t a dull day with fine rings, and Kelly cherishes those from heritage maison Piranesi. The one she’s wearing holds a Pink Tourmaline with a carat weight of 6.41 and a round diamond of 1.31 carats and is from the Botanica Collection.
Cindy Shan
Founder, Dancin Plus Academy
Another admirer of Piranesi is Cindy Shan, the founder of a dance academy, who considers fine jewellery to be the crowning touch to any ensemble. Cindy achieved her initial milestone when she established her own enterprise — Dancin Plus Academy. She dedicates her energies to supporting the Sian Chay charity, with a particular emphasis on elderly care. Her objective is to enhance the accessibility and affordability of medical treatment for seniors.
High-quality accessories possess the ability to utterly transform an appearance, and as a performer, Cindy understands the profound impact a touch of sparkle can have on one's life. She adorns herself with pieces from the Cabochon collection, matching the grace she carries as a dancer. The dazzling arm candy features a stunning 70.16 carats of sapphires, all cut from the same rough stone for perfect saturation matching.
Bonnie Wong
CEO of Creative Eateries
For Bonnie Wong, her life philosophy is all about making things work and coming up with new ideas. This led her to leave her corporate job to join her father in his venture, Creative Eateries, before taking over the reins as CEO. Creative Eateries also uses its platform to do good, appointing the Make-A-Wish Foundation as its charity of the year. To her, jewellery is not just beautifying but everlasting items that hold precious memories. For instance her favourite piece of jewellery — The Tiffany Paloma's Graffiti X necklace, which she received from his husband and wears daily for both its beauty and sentimental value.
Channelling her girl boss energy, Bonnie wears star pieces from Piranesi’s Gemma collection. The ruby necklace carries cushion rubies totalling 46.77 carats, along with diamonds of 8.72 carats.
Pooja Vig
CEO of The Nutrition Clinic
CEO of The Nutrition Clinic Pooja Vig says the key to staying ageless is all about health. She explains, “I don't just mean the absence of disease but to feel truly healthy and engaged with life. We tend to focus so much on the external but in my opinion, the real focus must be on within—having vitality and energy, understanding and being able to navigate your own emotions, having a purpose and having an inner anchor that helps you cope with ups and downs.”
Having a purpose for Pooja comes through being a mentor at SINDA (Singapore Indian Development Association). And with her purpose, comes the need for easy-to-wear pieces that remain classic through the years, like those of Marilyn Tan Fine Jewellery. The Silver Light collection, as seen on Pooja, plays on fluid forms with a contemporary twist.
Vanessa Ong
Entrepreneur & Managing Director at Gernise Global Pte Ltd
If it’s craftsmanship you’re after, Paolo Costagli is the way to go, according to entrepreneur Vanessa Ong. Vanessa’s keen eye for detail revels in Paolo Costagli’s intricate workmanship that shines through their classic designs. Plus, these pieces, as seen on Vanessa, from the Brillante collection boast 18kt gold. As someone with a passion for enacting positive change in the world, Vanessa has been working to uplift local farmers, women and cancer patients in different respects. But when it comes to showing herself love, jewellery is Vanessa’s simple way of bringing more positivity and colour into her own life.
Visit www.ultraluxe.io to learn more about the designers that will be participating in this year’s festival.
Photography: Natsuko Teruya
Makeup: Cle de Peau Beaute
Hairstyling: Evolve Salon with Oribe
Shoot Location: ReCasa Living
