TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The cycle of trends fashion normally repeats, including jewelries for women. Traditional jewelry models commonly used by females of the old empire era are now starting to be favored, Soel Djang Rono said, owner of an antique jewelry stand who participated in the 'Batik Warisan Budaya VII' in the Jakarta’s Ministry of Industry yesterday.

"I sell original antique jewelries from the royal era that are hundreds of years old," said Soel, who happens to be an antique jewelry collector since the 80s.

Various jewelries displayed at Soel's stand are necklaces, pendants, breastpins, earrings, bracelets and belts made of silver and gold. Its shapes varies from flowers, animals like butterfly, chicken, crab and lobster. The prices vary up to hundreds of million of rupiahs.

One that strikes most is a gold dragon bracelet from Gowa Sultanate retailed around Rp200 million.

"There are also jewelries from Sriwijaya, Gowa, Toraja, Solo ang Makassar kingdom," Soel said.

According to the middle-aged woman, antique jewelry enthusiasts are not many, however they exist. The buyers are usually collectors.

Soel refuses to mention where her jewelry collections came from. They are from within Indonesia, according to her.

"I do not search for them; people who have the items come to me," she said.

No need to worry about counterfeit items, Soel said, since she has been in the antique jewelry business for decades.

"You must learn in order to distinguish the orginal from the counterfeit [ones]," Soel said.

Antara News | Fitri Supratiwi