The Estate Collection No. 4 - Trio of Brooches and Bracelet
“Panton Kerosang
Bila Nyonya semat Kerosang di badan
Intan belian bersinar sinaran
Berenang bersuka suka di pakayan
Serupa bintang bersama bulan
(Translated) When a Nyonya pins brooches on herself
The Brilliant and rose-cut diamonds shine
Just like the stars and the moon
Awashed with glee on one’s clothes”
The Kerosang is widely recognised as the most iconic piece of jewellery in Peranakan culture. Embodying the old adage that nothing exists in a vacuum, the Kerosang as we know it today was adapted and born from cultures around us. In olden day Portugal, men gifted heart-shaped pendants coração (“heart” in Portuguese) to their beloveds as a symbol of their love. Popular in Portuguese Goa and Ceylon, the coração was later introduced to the British Straits Settlements, where it became widely used as the top pin in the set of three used to fasten traditional ethnic clothing like the Kebaya blouse or Baju Panjang.
This particular Kerosang was custom created in the 1950s, in a recovering post-war British Malaya, likely for a Nonya bride by her family. It is believed that this kerosang set stayed within the family for approximately 70 years before finding its way to the estate market and us.
Choo Yilin Kerosang Rantay (A Trio of Brooches with Chains) and Bracelet
The trio of brooches is kept for its original use, to be pinned in a row mimicking ornate buttons on a delicately embroidered kebaya. It can also be worn as single or double brooches on non-ethnic outfits in the 21st Century. The detachable chains, originally created as a safety precaution in case a piece becomes undone and drops off, have also been re-imagined as a diamond and ice jade bracelet.
Over the years, we have seen many vintage kerosang being sold as single brooches or incomplete sets, often having been misplaced or damaged with time. We were fortunate to be able to procure this in its full set.
This piece is part of a digital gallery exhibition and is not currently available for purchase.
The Estate Collection encompasses antique jewellery pieces thoughtfully restored to reflect our stories across time and continents — to honour history, to shape the present, and to hold space for what’s yet to unfold. Each piece is the only one of its kind in the world.
Read about The Estate collection and our founder's thoughts for more.