Janet Cadsawan grew up believing jewelry was sacred. The heirlooms handed down from her great-grandmother were mainly rosaries and tamborins [a Philippine gold filigree technique used in necklaces, earrings and combs], which were worn to show religious devotion and to ward of evil. But for the divine jewelry as the tamborin, modesty was not the tradition. 18k and 22k gold beads, south sea pearls, coral, and precious stones adorned these pieces, and eventually mesmerized a young girl who had not yet even seen the Philippines.
Despite her early exposure to exquisite jewelry, her main passion was to be an author or a publisher of a small press. While researching a character’s profession for a book project, she worked at a jewelry studio and learned the fundamental techniques for creating jewelry. Strangely enough, she and her character discovered a new profession simultaneously!
Janet Cadsawan turns to traditional Philippine jewelry for many of her design inspiration. She has stayed true to the tamborin tradition, but also added her own modern twist. She is known for the orchestration of vibrant colors by using mainly colored diamonds, sapphires, tourmalines mixed with Philippine south sea pearls. Her color palate comes directly from the exotic Philippine countryside where her father grew up.