“I also love being surrounded by nature and engage in activities involving it. For example, I am very much into watersports... or simply just walking around the beach. I also love seeing beautiful landscapes around the world. It’s one of the things I love about travelling.” she adds. In order to capture nature’s grandeur, mystery and importance, the collection was developed in collaboration with a short story of the same name.

The story narrates an epic love story of the goddess of land, Aurora and the prince of the Sea, Supremo. In the end, the two do not end up together, but their love paves the way for peace to reign in the world. This is marked by the start of the first bloom.

“In the end of the story, land and water combine to create the first bloom, which essentially symbolizes the importance of both aspects of nature in creating and maintaining life, ” explains Ong.

The varied collection, which includes bangles, rings, earrings, etc., is a combination of the creations inspired by flowers (land) and sea creatures (water). It is an intricate mix of gold, color, shine that reflects the splendor of the land and the sea. Pieces were crafted meticulously in order to capture the natural movement and characteristics of their inspirations, as if one was seeing them in their natural habitat.

Aside from capturing nature, the collection was done in such a way that the pieces are relatable for the people who own it. “I want the wearers to be able to relate to the jewelry and appreciate the handcrafted detail and process that went through it from its conception, designing, to its production. The process is not limited to me, it’s a whole team of people working hard to perfect a piece. More often than not, my clients are drawn to particular pieces and they say that there's an irresistible calling that make them fall in love with the pieces.” she inputs. 

“Whether it's the stone or the craftsmanship that they fall in love with, each piece is designed to last a lifetime and be passed on to the next generation. Hopefully the next generation will also appreciate the craftsmanship and the process that happened to realize each piece. I want the clients to create beautiful memories with their jewelry and I want the jewelry to be timeless and be passed on to the next generation.”

The pieces of the collection are named as short narrations and parts of the story. The idea was to capture the essence of the story in a few simple words.

As always, all of the pieces are handcrafted and meticulously done by well-trained Filipino workers. Aside for pursuing her passion of designing, Tim Tam Ong strives to promote Filipino talent and ingenuity to the world through the work that she tirelessly develops with her team. This desire is rooted from her deep love for the Filipino people and their culture.

“Other than the craft and the work involved, one of the reasons why I got into this business is to leave a legacy behind. I want to strengthen the Filipinos’ love for their country. I also want my children to learn the value of hard work, to be detailed, and to be passionate about what they are doing because this one of the sources of true happiness.” Ong shares.

 Other collections by Tim Tam Ong Design include Spendor, Wonderland, Majesty and Existence. Its second branch is opening soon in Rockwell Mall, Makati. For more information, email ongtimtam@yahoo.com.ph or visit timtamongpage on Facebook or Instagram.