This gold wedding necklace is richly decorated with filigree panels that are embellished with flowers and leaves. Peonies are a symbol of love, affection, feminine beauty, and spring, making them auspicious flowers for weddings. The intricacy and refinement of the necklace indicate the importance of jewellery in Peranakan weddings.Wedding necklaces such as this were worn by Peranakan Chinese brides throughout the Straits Settlements and the Dutch East Indies. The ornateness of this example appears to have originated from Jakarta (Batavia), although the exceptional quality of the necklace makes a precise geographical assignment difficult. Brides were draped with several necklaces to form an impressive assemblage and other jewelled ornamentation as a sign of the wealth and splendour of the occasion. Such necklaces became prized family heirlooms and were passed down the generations.
