Paige Parker is many things. Since publishing Don’t Call me Mrs Rogers in 2018, a memoir that details her avid travels and humanitarian stories she encountered over the course of three years, she now helms her own podcast, Pass the Power with Paige Parker.
The socialite is a natural conversationalist, once which I’d had the pleasure of encountering myself when she arrived for our photoshoot, with complete ensembles and jewellery sets in tow. Parker has garnered a sizable following on her social media channels, namely Instagram and Tik Tok, to which she has channeled her creative prowess in a mentorship capacity; she’s a fellow in the Metapurse Crypto Creator Program with Nas Academy and an NFT advocate.
Photography: Chino Sardea, assisted by Tracey Nguyen
Beauty: Nikki Fu, using Chanel Beauty
All jewellery, watch, and outfits are Paige’s own.
“I was paid one Eth per month (when it was at a high) to produce content on NFTs and crypto to educate people more on this new space,” she said. But above everything else, Parker is a lover of jewellery.
In 2019, the GIA Graduate Gemologist designed a pink diamond ring, complete with a jacket with yellow and colourless diamonds, for Phillips’ Jewels and Jadeite Auction in Hong Kong. Naturally, she has designed several pieces for herself.
On future projects, she said, “No plans for more at present, but I’d love to if anyone is keen! I always say yes to life.”
What does jewellery mean to you, and what is your relationship with it?
PP: Jewellery to me has two realms. The first is jewellery that is meaningful because of who gave it to me or why, or what the circumstances were when it was created or bought.
The second is how jewellery is used to complete a look. I feel naked without a stack of wedding bands or my diamond on my left ring finger.
You’ll rarely find me without a watch, though mine are all purely aesthetic, not ones coveted by watch connoisseurs. Just as how many worry over the right shoes or bag to complete a look, I believe jewellery is the real deal closer.
An easy go-to for me is my intense peacock Tahitian pearls with cherry overtones. The choker necklace adds a chicness to many of my looks.
Are there any heirloom pieces currently in your possession that have been in your family for generations, or any pieces that your daughters will inherit?
I have a beautiful old gold glove clip from my great grandmother, which I covet, since they just are not made or used any longer. For my daughters, they will inherit all of my pieces, and I really hope they will adore my jewellery for the intrinsic, as well as extrinsic value.
I will decide how to split the jewelry, though all of my bees will go to Bee, if she is keen.
Which piece holds the most sentimental value for you?
Perhaps my 10th anniversary diamond or my gold necklace and bracelet created with 1968 gold sovereigns, all given to me by Jim over the years.
What are some current trends that you have observed? Any predictions?
The lab-grown diamond market was about US$20 billion in 2020 and projected to reach $50 billion by 2030. Celebrities are wearing them, and people appreciate the ethical and sustainable angle. But as we are able to produce more of them through HPHT (high pressure, high temperature) and CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition), will they become exceedingly common?
At present, a lab-grown diamond is 40 to 60 per cent cheaper, but that might decrease even more as more are grown.
On the other hand, think of the communities that have grown as a result of the investments from mining companies that have built schools and infrastructure. In 2019, DeBeers put US$59 billion into Botswana’s economy.
In 2020, 94 per cent of Tiffany’s artisans cutting and polishing stones in Vietnam were women. I know poor mining conditions have been a part of the narrative, and we all want to be more ethical, but most reputable companies now are not sending child-labor workers in to do the work.
And there is a massive amount of electricity that is used to create lab grown. It’s not such a simple decision for the consumer.
With companies such as DeBeers etching each of its diamonds with provenance, how far off is it before each stone is registered on the blockchain with an NFT as proof of ownership?
What do you think is the most important aspect that the jewellery industry can still improve on? What would you like to see more of?
I like the idea of knowing provenance of the stones i.e. where exactly it was mined, and even by whom. I worry that in fifty years, my stones that have no proof of origin will be valued far less than what can be proven and traced to be a “clean” stone.
What does the year ahead look like for Paige Parker?
Working on Season 4 of my podcast; more affirming and female uplifting social media on Instagram and TikTok; planning travel to Rwanda and climbing Kilimanjaro for a fourth time in June, and another book is brewing.
I’m also chairing the ACM Gala in May. It’s the 25th anniversary of our national museum of Asian Antiquities and Decorative Arts — including fashion and jewellery now — and the opening of Andrew Gn: From Singapore to the World, a homecoming exhibition of masterworks by Singaporean designer Andrew Gn who’s based in Paris.
Fireside Chat: This, That, Definitely
Minimalist or maximalist?
Depends on the mindset, but 99.9 per cent of the time, MAX!
Favourite gemstone of all time.
I adore rubies, emeralds, and sapphires — may I please choose all three?
Name an icon whose jewellery style you admire.
Elizabeth Taylor, since she adored jewelry, wore it well, and acquired many husbands with good taste who loved to give her more. She had seven husbands — that’s counting Richard Burton twice!
