The Warisan Renda Collection

The Choo Yilin Warisan Renda Necklace and Studs

A Homage to the Peranakan Kebaya

The Warisan Renda collection that we first revealed to the world in November 2021 was our homage to the intricate lacework of the Peranakan Kebaya that has been around since the 15th Century in South-East Asia. 

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Intricate Lacework

The Kebaya, which was nominated for UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity in 2023, has evolved tremendously over the centuries, but the lacework is one of the most enduring traits of it. Some of the lacework is so intricate that it can take over a year to make a single kebaya.

Today, the Kebaya is worn by South-East Asian women from all walks of life, celebrated as a unifying, iconic symbol of the region. The Kebaya was historically seen as a luxury item with the lace, hugely expensive and imported from Europe, meticulously created by hand, afforded by few. 

One of the hallmarks of the lacework of the Kebaya is its intricacy, communicating femininity and the highest craftsmanship with its delicate swirls. Our challenge as jewellers was to translate that same feel into 18KT white gold and diamonds. Capturing the spirit of the lacework was a design milestone for Choo Yilin, because it was so incredibly different from the traditional halo. 

East meets West

Whilst the motif we wanted to capture was a quintessentially South-East Asian one, our technical inspirations came from a distinctly different era - the turn of the 20th Century, also known as the Edwardian age in Western Europe. 

Edwardian fine jewellery often feature diamonds that look like they are floating in mid-air, because of the intricate metalwork and milgrain. It’s the era known for pioneering this technique, and this piece would not have been possible without them.  

Plate 504. A ruby and diamond belt plaque, c.1905, pierced and millegrain set with circular cut stones. The plaque has been subsequently mounted as a brooch. 

Image credit: Understanding Jewellery by David Bennett & Daniela Mascetti (2007)

Plate 436. A diamond hair ornament, German, c.1910, mounted entirely in platinum. By 1910 platinum had taken over from gold and silver as the preferred setting metal for diamonds. 

Image credit: Understanding Jewellery by David Bennett & Daniela Mascetti (2007)

Plate 494. A diamond oval plaque pendant, c.1905-10. Note the characteristic pierced trellis, and the way the coloured diamonds are millegrain-set.

Image credit: Understanding Jewellery by David Bennett & Daniela Mascetti (2007)

Plate 444. A diamond necklace, by Lacloche, c.1910. The illustrates the perfection of the ‘garland style’.

Image credit: Understanding Jewellery by David Bennett & Daniela Mascetti (2007)

A 21st Century Hallmark of Intricacy and Craftsmanship 

Our collection features Choo Yilin’s signature Type A Ice Jade cabochon, woven around a complex, intricate web of milgrained swirls and diamonds resembling the floating lacework of the Edwardian era and the beloved Kebaya. The Warisan Renda, created in 21st Century South-East Asia, would not have been possible without these two disparate influences. 

May you fall in love with the Warisan Renda and think about those that came before it, as you celebrate the journeys that you’ve embarked on, and journeys that have yet to come. 

The Choo Yilin Warisan Renda Jade Rings