At Narra Studio we have always been drawn to objects that carry both craftsmanship and cultural memory, pieces that feel contemporary while remaining deeply connected to Philippine material traditions.
We are excited to announce that Narra Studio is now an official stockist of AMAMI, a Philippine jewelry brand dedicated to reviving endangered Filipino jewelry-making traditions through contemporary design.
The collection joins our growing selection of modern Filipiniana, Philippine textiles, and contemporary Filipino design objects available in New York City.
What Is AMAMI?
AMAMI is a Filipino jewelry brand and social enterprise founded by Danielle Tan and Christine Tiu. The brand was created with a mission both cultural and deeply personal: to help preserve centuries-old Filipino jewelry traditions while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for Filipino artisans.
The name itself comes from Ama Namin — “Our Father” in Filipino — referencing the ornate “amami” bead historically found in rosary-inspired Filipino jewelry traditions.
What began as a passion project quickly became something larger. While researching traditional jewelry craftsmanship in the Philippines, the founders encountered artisan communities whose practices were slowly disappearing due to underpricing, migration, and lack of visibility. Some artisans had begun leaving the craft entirely in search of overseas work.
AMAMI emerged in response: not simply as a jewelry label, but as an effort to sustain a living tradition.
Reviving Filipino Gold Filigree
At the center of AMAMI’s work is the preservation of Filipino gold filigree and tambourine jewelry traditions — intricate metalworking techniques with pre-colonial roots in the Philippines.
Filigree is an extraordinarily meticulous process in which silver or gold is shaped into delicate ornamental patterns using fine twisted wires, tiny granules, and hand-formed decorative elements.
Many AMAMI pieces are handcrafted by Filipino plateros (silversmiths) in Ilocos Sur and other artisan communities throughout the Philippines.
The jewelry often draws from:
- pre-colonial Philippine ornament
- rosary-inspired forms
- tambourine earrings
- floral motifs
- heritage silhouettes
- heirloom jewelry traditions
Yet the designs never feel frozen in history. AMAMI’s collections reinterpret these forms into jewelry that can be worn naturally in contemporary life.
How AMAMI Jewelry Is Made
Many AMAMI designs begin in silver, often using high-purity silver that is then coated in 24-karat gold.
The process is remarkably labor-intensive.
Artisans hand-twist fine metal strands into intricate patterns before soldering, shaping, polishing, and assembling each piece individually. Tambourine jewelry, in particular, requires exceptional precision because of its dimensional filigree structure and tiny decorative granules.
Unlike mass-produced jewelry, slight variations remain visible from piece to piece and is evidence of the human hand involved in the process.
At a time when many heritage techniques are disappearing globally, AMAMI’s work preserves not only visual traditions, but technical knowledge passed down across generations.
Filipino Jewelry in a Contemporary Context
What makes AMAMI especially compelling today is the way the brand bridges heritage and modernity without turning Filipino culture into costume.
The pieces feel rooted yet internationally wearable.
A pair of Creolla earrings can sit as naturally beside a modern terno as it can with an oversized white shirt in New York. Tambourine bracelets carry echoes of antique Filipino jewelry while remaining sculptural and contemporary.
This balance reflects a broader movement in Philippine design today: one increasingly focused on continuity rather than replication.
AMAMI at Narra Studio NYC
At Narra Studio, we see AMAMI as part of a larger conversation around contemporary Filipino craftsmanship — one that includes Filipiniana, textiles, weaving, tailoring, and jewelry traditions evolving together in the present.
Our curated AMAMI collection includes:
- tambourine earrings
- Filipino filigree jewelry
- pearl jewelry
- gold vermeil pieces
- heritage-inspired contemporary jewelry
- modern Filipiniana accessories
As an official AMAMI stockist in NYC, we are proud to help bring these works to a wider audience while supporting the preservation of Philippine artisan traditions.
In many ways, AMAMI represents what we value most at Narra Studio: craftsmanship that remains alive enough to continue evolving.
