Gold reminds me of my ancestors - both Indonesian, Greek and otherwise. Gold especially makes me think toward the rich history of Javanese culture and more specifically adornment. The crystals on the bracelet are glittery like the sun or moon on water. They reflect light and sometimes, if I’m lucky, make very small rainbows.

The bracelet was gifted to me by my Javanese mbah putri (grandmother). It was brought back from my grandparents’ Hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Hajj means to ‘attend a journey’ and is the Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah al-Mukarramah (Mecca), the holiest city in Islam.

I like to wear it mostly on special occasions because it is really precious and, in a way, it feels like a talisman — a tool for protection, strength and good luck. A companion in moments when I need the most.

I am deeply sentimental about objects and the people, places and time that they hold and represent. I would pass on this bracelet and the ring. They have a gravity and so much personal history embedded in them.