Hans Brumann Rizal-Inspired Creations

Tanghalang Pilipino is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year and they opened the season with “Noli Me Tangere: The Musical” as a tribute to the national hero Jose Rizal's 150th birth anniversary. Click here to read post about the theatre production and the gala event.

Showcased are specially designed Rizal and Noli Me Tangere-inspired jewelries by renowned jeweler Hans Brumann, who donated four charm bracelets, which he crafted himself, for a fund-raising silent auction for the benefit of Tanghalang Pilipino. These bracelets are made of a combination of pearls and either silver or 14k gold chains with charms inspired by Jose Rizal's famous novel. Click here to view close-ups of the bracelets.

Hans Brumann charm bracelets for auction

If you’d like to bid for any of the charm bracelets, visit the online auction or visit the exhibit at the CCP to fill out a form. Winners of the Jewelry Auction will be announced on August 27, 2011 at 7:00 pm at the CCP Little Theater Lobby. Winners will be informed via e-mail and letter in advance by Tanghalang Pilipino and are requested to claim their bracelets on the night of the official announcement.

Going back to the subject of this blog entry, I wanted to share with you some of the exquisite jewelries on display, some of which were inspired by the women in Rizal’s life, both real and fictional. While these are not part of the auction, interested parties can also purchase these items.

(l-r) Consuelo and Gertrude necklaces

Consuelo is 18k white gold/yellow gold pendant with 1 fresh water pearl, sapphire, carabao horn, 45 diamonds 0.49 ct. on 18k yellow gold 60 cm chain. Gertrude, on the other hand, is 18k white gold pendant with 1 fresh water pearl, carabao horn, 29 diamonds 0.26 ct. on 18k white gold 60 cm chain.

(l-r) Crisostomo & Maria Clara necklace and ring

Crisostomo & Maria Clara is 18k white gold pendant with 2 South Sea Pearls, 9 tsavorites, 1 keshi pearl, 6 amethyst, 56 diamonds 0.54 ct. on black cord with matching ring made of 18k white gold with 1 South Sea Pearl, keshi pearl, kamagong wood and 6 diamonds 0.09 ct.

(l-r) Crisostomo & Maria Clara necklace and earrings

Crisostomo & Maria Clara is 18k white gold/yellow gold pendant with 2 South Sea Pearls, mother of pearl, sapphire, carabao horn, 17 diamonds 0.21 ct. on 18k white gold 60 cm chain with matching earrings made of 18k white gold/yellow gold with 2 South Sea Pearls, mother of pearl, 48 sapphire and 10 diamonds 0.05 ct.

(l-r) Leonor necklace, earrings and ring

Leonor is 18k white gold/rose gold neckpiece with 1 South Sea Pearl, 1 keshi pearl, 15 amethyst, 3 ruby, 10 sapphire and 120 tsavorite, with matching earrings of 18k rose gold with 2 South Sea Pearls, 2 fresh water pearls, horn and 8 diamonds 0.25 ct, and matching ring of 18k rose gold with 1 South Sea Pearl, 1 Tahiti pearl, horn and 5 diamonds 0.15 ct.

(l-r) Retablo necklace and earrings

Retablo is 18k white gold pendant with 2 fresh water pearls, horn, narra, and 133 diamonds 1.45 ct on 18k white gold 50 cm chain with matching earrings made of 18k white gold with 2 South Sea Pearls, narra wood, and 78 diamonds 0.41 ct.

And my two favorites among the collection:

Josephine necklace (wish I took a clearer photo)

Josephine is 18k white gold/yellow gold pendant with 1 baroque South Sea Pearl, horn and 70 diamonds on 18k white gold 60 cm chain.

Teodora neckpiece

Teodora is18k white gold neckpiece with carabao horn and 142 diamonds 1.72 ct.

The jewelry exhibit can be viewed, together with costumes designed by National Artist Salvador Bernal, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Little Theater Lobby, until August 28, Tuesday to Sunday, from 11:00am to 9:00pm.

Manila’s First Wines and Spirits Auction

Wine tasting and wine pairing events abound year on year and so the prospect of having the first Wines & Spirits Auction excites me...and hopefully the rest of Manila's wines and spirits enthusiasts.


Happening on Thursday, March 24, 7 pm, at the Mandarin Oriental Manila Ballroom, over 50 Lots will be auctioned at the event including several wines that have been cited in Wine Spectator's Auction Index, a composite of average prices for selected benchmark wines sold at commercial auctions around the world. These include some wonderful Bordeauxs such as a 1986 Château Lafite Rothschild (95 points), 1994 Château Latour (94 points), 1999 Château Mouton-Rothschild (90 points), 2000 Château Léoville-Las Cases (100 points) and 1989 Château Pichon-Longueville-Lalande (94 points) and also some great California Cabernets including half cases of 2006 Opus One Napa Valley (93 points), 1999 and 2006 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Reserve (96-95 points, respectively).

Other spotlight Lots are Penfolds Grange, Australia's iconic and most collectible wine. Some of the rare Lots up for sale are a lively octagenarian wine, a 1929 Gerard Bertrand Maury; Laphroaig 30 YO Single Malt Whisky, winner of several medals at the 2005 San Francisco wines and spirits event; personally signed magnum bottles of Geroges Debeouf special cuvée wines from 2009 (known as the vintage of a lifetime); and a Louis XIII specially aged rare Cognac. Several surprise Lots of good value will also be auctioned. Expected to be a fun evening, the event will start off with a tasting of some 100 wines from 12 different vineyards from Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Italy, Spain, South Africa and the US. The wines will be paired with a cocktail buffet prepared by the chefs of the Mandarin Oriental. Also aiming to be an informative ocassion for newbies, participation and commentary of some of the country’s most respected wine experts will be part of the programme, plus representatives from select wineries will be on hand to answer questions and share more information on the wines they represent.

Lots on auction were previewed at an inaugural cocktail last March 22 at the Salcedo Auctions in Tordesillas Street in Makati, with a lecture on "Old World vs New World Wines: Differences and Similarities" from wine connoisseurs Atty. Noel Ermitaño and Jay Labrador.

All Lots are posted at http://www.forthtay.com and http://www.salcedoauctions.com with printed and downloadable catalogues also available. Bids can be placed in person or by phone on the day of the auction.

Manila’s First Wines & Spirits Auction is hosted by Forth & Tay, the Philippines' leading direct merchant of fine wines and spirits together with Salcedo Auctions, the country's premier auction house and the Mandarin Oriental Manila. Part of the proceeds of this first auction will go to the Virlanie Foundation.

Entrance for the tasting, cocktail buffet and auction is P1,500. For reservations, you may contact Amz@forthtay.com or at telephone 828-1067 or mobile 0917-5599841.