The Chroma Collar by Yung Raja and The Jewel Box holds on to heritage
Yung Raja is Singapore’s most popular hip-hop star. The rapper is only 26 years old, but he has already made his mark on the Asian music industry. Rajid Ahamed, better known by his stage name, is known for his use of ‘Tanglish’ - a mix of English and Tamil - in his raps, a shout-out to his Singaporean-Tamil heritage.
HOLDING ONTO HERITAGE
Heritage, in fact, is something Yung Raja (YR) feels strongly about; it is something that you find not only in his music and art, but also in his love for unique jewellery.
The Chroma Collar by Yung Raja and The Jewel Box. Image: Muhd Shafeeq
“Coming from a traditional Indian family - mostly females - I grew up fascinated by the jewellery of my culture,” YR explains. “[There are] so many varieties of 916 gold [22k gold] with different coloured gemstones. I’ve loved jewellery shopping with my mum and my sisters since I was a kid because there’s just so much character in every piece.”
The first piece of fine jewellery YR received, in fact, was a 22K gold ring his mother gave him for his 17th birthday.
“The first piece of jewellery I ever purchased [for myself] was a custom chain that’s made with zirconia stones. It’s super unique and flashy. I love that there’s a story behind it. I got it at the age of 22 and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do - get myself some custom ‘bling’,” YR says.
When it comes to his current personal jewellery, YR says that holding on to his Indian heritage is intrinsic to everything he does, from his music to his style.
[My Indian Heritage] is of utmost importance ... It’s a non negotiable. It’s my DNA. It's my roots,” says YR emphatically.
“My music is a result of me trying to make sense of the dualities living within, made up of [my] Indian heritage and western influences. Personally I’ve been so deeply inspired by Indian heritage that all my life I’ve just been trying to incorporate it into my art, style and life in ways that transcends the current representation of it.
“Through my lyrics, my art direction, my live shows etc I’m constantly trying to push the creative envelope that’s built on the foundation of my heritage.”
CREATING THE CHROMA COLLAR
Yung Raja’s love and appreciation of fine jewellery, alongside his passion for his Indian heritage is why The Jewel Box decided to team up with him to create a personalised, bespoke piece for his collection. YR sat down with the co-founder of The Jewel Box, Vinod More, to come up with the design of this unique jewellery piece.
“Working with Yung Raja was a great experience, being able to combine contemporary design with traditional handicraft skills shows that heritage and tradition can work seamlessly with modern concepts and ideas,” says Vinod. “It was great fun working with Yung Raja … engaging, interesting and full of joy.”
The Chroma Collar was designed to combine traditional Indian techniques, specifically the ‘jadau’ craft from Rajasthan, with the modern vibes of Yung Raja’s style.
Sitting snugly around the base of the neck, the collar consists of 91 unheated, natural pastel coloured sapphires that add up to 66 carats of gemstones. Alongside the sapphires are another 25 polki diamonds and strings of seed pearls all set in 18K yellow gold. All-in-all, the Chroma Collar by Yung Raja and The Jewel Box is worth SG$33,000.
The Chroma Collar by Yung Raja and The Jewel Box
“To sit down with a person that knows the world of gems and jewellery in and out, [and] to have conversations about one’s desires for creating something so unique and special - something that means a great deal to you and only you - [was so important],” says YR.
“Vinod helped me dig deeper and fine tune the idea of what I’d consider my dream piece; something I’ve always wanted to work on that he helped manifest into reality. I truly enjoyed the process of finding what makes my eyes light up when it comes to fine jewellery.
The Chroma Collar by Yung Raja and The Jewel Box
“I learned so much about myself and my taste. I realised how important it is to understand what you love and why you love it. What ultimately makes you … you. Vinod and The Jewel Box helped me realise what that means for me.”
Check out Yung Raja’s latest music, and follow him on Instagram at @yungraja.
If you are interested in having your own bespoke personalised jewellery piece made, contact our atelier on +65 6733 4100 to book an appointment or email bespoke@thejewelbox.com.