Collectible coins, minted to commemorate milestones in the life of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol, have been elaborately adorned with jewellery for the exhibition “Forever in Our Hearts, Forever Our King: Commemorative Coins in the Reign of King Rama IX”.
The show, featuring the augmenting talents of leading Thai jewellery designers, opens on Wednesday at the Emporium mall in Bangkok.
Among the highlights is an elegant brooch from Blue River given the name “Por”, bearing the Thai script for the word “sufficient” in diamonds and other gemstones. They surround a coin of pure gold commemorating the late King’s 80th birthday.
Jewellery brand Forever Peace by Chuchai has contributed “Phra Barami Pok Klao” (“With Full Protection”), a hanging brooch crafted from diamonds totalling 5.95 carats. Its base is a 1996 gold coin commissioned by the Royal Police Cadet Academy to celebrate the King’s golden jubilee on the throne.
Jasmin’s “Golden Ears of Rice-Locket Pendant” is a cleverly designed two-way gold locket-pendant with the No 9 (signifying the ninth monarch of the Chakri Dynasty) and ears of rice stencilled on the surface. Inside is a lovely gold coin created for His Majesty’s 88th birthday at the Royal Canadian Mint.
Prima Gems offers two pieces. Borrowing the title of a famous song dedicated to the King, “The Father’s Tree” is a 47.48-gram white-gold brooch shaped like tree branches, decorated with 3.53 carats of white diamonds and 2.53 carats of yellow diamonds.
The intent was to pay tribute to His Majesty’s Royal Projects, and in particularly forest rehabilitation and development.
His experiments in artificially creating much-needed rain for periods of drought inspired the brooch “Tharn Thara”, in which rainfall is illustrated in the shape of the No 9. It comprises 64.38 grams of white gold, 1.16 carats of diamonds at the head of the numeral, and 11.49 carats of surrounding diamonds.
Another brand, Sincere Jewelry, took its cues from His Majesty’s memorable speech about working towards specific goals.
The “Soul |of the Nation” brooch is intended to show the people’s eternal gratitude to their beloved late monarch. At the centre is the silver Benja Maha Mongkon silver coin commemorating the King’s 72nd birthday. It’s adorned with white gold and rare crystal-clear diamonds.
The participating jewellers all have stores at the Emporium and EmQuartier, which have jointly organised the exhibition.
Also on view in the “Coinage Gallery” will be rare and precious |commemorative coins collected by celebrities MR Srikhumrung Yukol, ML Panadda Diskul, ML Piyapat Bhirombhakdi, Grace Mahadum-rongkul and Tipanan Krairiksh Srifeungfung. In many cases they received the coins from members of the royal family.
HEAR THE COLLECTORS
– The exhibition is open through December 14 at the Emporium Gallery on M Floor.
– Coin collectors including some well-known names will be at the exhibition’s opening on Wednesday at 6.30pm to talk about their shared interest.