Surprising Treasures

Gina Philips, second-generation executive of Penang-born jewellery house Amee Philips, shares some best-kept secrets about the trade.

- YANNI TAN

Germany has always been a horological force to be reckoned with, but little is known about its heritage in gemstones and jewellery-making. It took the arrival of Penang-born jewellery house Amee Philips onto our shores to unveil some surprising facts.

Established in 2002, the brand was founded by Malaysian Amee Philips, who discovered the little German gemstone town of Idar-Oberstein while living in Europe. After several years of shipping her gemstone finds back home for sale, she began a wholesale business upon her return and then picked up jewellery design to launch her eponymous retail business.

Together with her British engineer husband, Drew Philips, she grew the house to become one of the country's most successful luxury brands. Now focusing on overseas expansion, Amee Philips recently launched its first international outpost at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. The store is its third, with the second situated in Kuala Lumpur's Bangsar Shopping Centre.

We speak to its second-generation leader and brand custodian, Gina Philips, who has relocated to the Lion City to oversee the 850 sq ft boutique.

Idar-Oberstein was the reason Amee Philips was born. What's so fascinating about it?

The ancient towns of Idar and Oberstein, now collectively known as IdarOberstein, have a rich history of highprecision gem cutting and carving. The art of lapidary and trading of coloured stones is still being passed down in families, from generation to generation, as it has been for the past five centuries.

Today, Idar-Oberstein's jewellers and artisans focus on highly specialised precision-cutting techniques unusual gemstone varieties.

We had never heard of this German gemstone called hauyne until being introduced to your brand.