Peranakan Jewellery

Peranakans today dress up in colourful voile kebaya, batik sarongs, beaded slippers and jewellery during special occasions like weddings, Chinese New Year and birthdays.  The Peranakans are suitably proud of their jewellery and the traditions associated with them. This exhibition is a celebration of the Peranakans’ love of their unique jewellery style, a style which has become popular even with non-Peranakans.  Over 300 pieces of Peranakan jewellery from the 19th century to the present are featured in this exhibition. These pieces have been selected from the collections of the Peranakan Museum, Peranakan families and private collectors. Many are treasured heirlooms and from private collections that have not been exhibited before, and represent different Peranakan communities both locally and abroad. 

As the Peranakan culture is a rich fusion of different cultures from the region and beyond, so too is Peranakan jewellery, from its motifs to the craftsmen who made it. The Peranakan jewellery in this exhibition reflects different regional styles and preferences as well the influence of other cultures, coming about through social and commercial contact, as well as through the choice of jewellers and craftsmen. Since Peranakan jewellery was an indicator of family wealth and status, the jewellery in this exhibition also traces the fluctuating fortunes of the Peranakan community through the 20th century.