The Miss Multiverse® Crown is more than just a beautiful accessory. It is a symbol of power, strength, and empowerment for women all around the world. With its mandala-inspired design and precious gemstones, it represents the multifaceted, multi-talented, and capable nature of women.
The sapphire and garnet gemstones chosen for the crown are not just for their aesthetic value. They have significant meanings that align with what Miss Multiverse® stands for. The sapphire is a gem of destiny, guiding one’s way to reach for the stars. It embodies power, strength, kindness, and wise judgment – all the traits that a Miss Multiverse® should possess. The blue sapphire, in particular, embraces order and self-discipline, making it ideal for accomplishing goals and manifesting ideas into reality.
Meanwhile, garnet is a powerful, energizing, and regenerative stone that balances, strengthens, and protects. Under the influence of garnet, any crisis is turned into a challenge, promoting self-confidence and allowing one’s inner spirit to radiate. It is the red light of positivity that shines bright and makes success flourish.
So if you are a woman who embodies the qualities of a Miss Multiverse® and wants to showcase your multifaceted talents and skills to the world, then the Miss Multiverse® Crown is a must-have. It is a reminder that you are powerful, strong, and capable of achieving greatness.
Modern women are independent, educated, empowered and much more; THEY ARE MULTIVERSE… multi-faceted, multi-talented, multi-skilled and much more.
“Miss Multiverse”
On June 2015, Liinda Grandia commissioned the Florida-based International Jewelry Designer, Ramona Haar, to design and create a crown for Miss Multiverse®. Mrs. Haar agreed to make the crown, and in return, Miss Multiverse® will tell the story of the rich and unknown heritage of the Philippines prior to its colonization, more specifically the Philippine ancient jewelry-making heritage.
The Philippines is Ramona Haar’s birthplace and the designs that she meticulously creates on paper are transformed to live by her superb and talented Filipino craftsmen. Hence, the crown is crafted by Filipino goldsmiths. Their story becomes the crown’s story.
The Philippine archipelago of 7,100 islands lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. Volcanic actions that formed the major features of the Philippine plate produced plenty of gold in the islands. The Philippines has the second-largest gold deposits in the world. Unfortunately, the wealth of the country has also been a scourge of its people, bringing strangers into the islands.
Around 14th century Europe, the power of the Western countries depended on the number of precious metals each could accumulate. For Spain in particular, precious metals were recovered to service the monarchy’s mounting foreign debts. This situation motivated Spanish expeditions (Constantino 177:16).
One of the Spanish expeditions led by Ferdinand Magellan reached the Philippine Islands on March 1521. For the next 330 years, the Spaniards robbed and looted the natives of their gold and shipped it out. “Gold ornaments that fell into the hands of the Spaniards were lost to the crucible since worked gold was ordered melted to extract the ‘royal fifth’ or 20% share for the crown” (Muller 1972:27).
The story of this rich cultural heritage would have ended with the last gold ornaments that the Spaniards melted down. Fortunately for the Philippines, the natives buried their loved ones adorned with gold, as gold performed a central role in many aspects of ancient Philippine life. Gold ornaments were an integral part of religious ceremonies (Villegas 1983:109).
In the last 40 years, gold ornaments have been found and continue to be found in the Philippine Islands. “Excavations in the central and some southern islands have revealed gold ornaments of extraordinary beauty and technical sophistication that date back from the 1st millennium and the first half of the 2nd millennium. The royal sashes of finely woven gold with granular decoration and the granulated necklace fitting that display tiny human figures engaged in ceremonial activities around a cosmic tree are masterpieces of the goldsmith’s art. The delicacy and density of some granulation are equal to that of the Etruscan” (Anne Richter 2000:247).
Sadly, this ancient art of jewelry making is fast becoming a lost art and is on the brink of extinction. Traditional jewelers pass on their skills and knowledge only to the immediate members of their family. This practice of exclusivity will lead to the deterioration, and ultimately, to the demise of skills and technique.
By sharing this story on a grand platform such as the Miss Multiverse®, and by continually training and mentoring young Filipino goldsmiths, Ramona Haar hopes that young Filipinos everywhere will know, appreciate, and feel proud of this remarkable legacy and glorious heritage. It is a priceless gift from their ancestors who crafted magnificent gold jewelry masterpieces equal to that of the best in the world.
