Bvlgari presented a high jewellery and high-end watch trunk show at Singapore’s House of Tan Yeok Nee, a heritage house which is now a national monument revered for architectural distinction and cultural heritage. We attended the daytime media preview on July 23, and bring you this report.
Event Report: Bvlgari presents high jewellery and high-end watch show
The show centred around 145 Bvlgari creations and is showcased in the restored and magnificent Teochew mansion. Called the Turmali, the spotlight is on tourmalines. From Paraiba tourmalines, rubellites and tourmalines in vivid tones of lagoon, mint, pink and green – brought to life by the Maison’s exquisite craftsmanship.
The Collection
Like a prism refracting a kaleidoscope of light, the Turmali High Jewellery collection plays with exquisite cuts and vividly intense gemstones to hero each prized member of the tourmaline family. Among the High Jewellery masterpieces, six sets stand out for their remarkable craftsmanship.
The House of Tan Yeok Nee
The House of Tan Yeok Nee serves as a symbolic backdrop for this Bvlgari’s presentation. Constructed between 1882 and 1885 by Teochew businessman Tan Yeok Nee, the mansion is the last remaining of the famed “Four Grand Mansions” built by Teochew towkays in the 19th century.
The House of Tan Yeok Nee occupies up to 2,000 square metres of elevated land along Clemenceau Avenue. The house had a sidianjin configuration which was auspicious given “the four double-pitched gable ends that recall the Chinese character for gold” whilst the spatial arrangement in the interior of the house reflect cultural ideals of “familial hierarchy, harmony, continuity, and order” with Confucian underpinnings.
The mansion has been carefully restored with great sensitivity to ensure that the original architecture and character of the house is kept intact. The walls, tiles, roof, pillars, carvings and pottery were restored to their original state of a century ago through painstaking research.
The event was attended by Media as well as social media personalities.
Photo notes: All photographs are originals taken by Deployant, even though we omit the usual watermark. Leica SL3-S with Sumicron-SL 35mm ASPH.
