SG60 National Collection pearl earrings

SG60 National Collection at the National Museum of Singapore.

My design was inspired by the palm leaves and red flowers found in a section of William Farquhar's collection of drawings. These also hold childhood memories of my late grandmother, who used to wait with me for the school bus every day. To pass time, my grandmother would point out red ants to me, and peel off palm leaves to weave into grasshoppers.

I adapted these memories into a design using cultured baroque pearls and red Japanese glass beads. Three strands on each earring represent palm leaves that were split to make grasshoppers, while the earring's hook represent fishing hooks used in the olden days. These earrings are plated with 18K gold.