MADDOX Holds Iconic DIAMOND Fashion Show: Learn From the Founder's Humble Beginnings

When I heard from the grapevine that Ms. Charo Cordial was holding a fashion show in posh EDSA Shangri-la, it would be epic. She sought the best fashion show director there is Robby Carmona, and a list of celebrities unprecedented, all of whom have been part of the growth of her diamond jewelry brand MADDOX.

Her success didn't come overnight, and we were treated to a very lovely interview and got to understand her humble beginnings. Imagine doing business during the pandemic, changing business models because of necessity, like fate and achieve success that she couldn't even imagine. She attributes this all from the people around her, who helped her with the business and also the clients who have given over and beyond the love for diamonds. 

Ms. Charo says "We are holding this fashion show to make sure Filipinos know that diamonds can be affordable, we have small margins but hope the Philippines becomes well known in the industry as a mecca for it. I'm so happy that even in international trade, they now know we love them and appreciate jewelry. I used to sell agricultural machinery, and people didn't know I'd land in this industry. I am a Bicolana, born and educated there. I went here for the board exam and worked for an international company. I only started selling jewelry during the pandemic. I sold bags, and it was so fun to talk to people. It was hard to ship them, so I looked for other things to sell and started with gold. Then diamonds later on. Maddox came from my son's name, named after Angelina Jolie's first born. Now people know us by that name. I am super happy, I didn't dream of this but talking to you now, I still can't believe it. I am so blessed, I could attribute it to my employees and friends, the people around me who helped me reach this."

She adds "Last year while doing vlogs, they had celebrity customers who also went to their shop. There's a lot of them, so you'll see them all at the show. The idea was made by Robbie Carmona, and icons are involved so you will see them all in different segments."

 

One pretty thing I learned from Ms. Charo was something she said before we went to see the show. She said "You have to love what you are doing, your employees, your customers and give them what they want. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, we all do, I also went bankrupt, in a different business, but I never gave up. It would have been nice to have a lot of artists here but it was hard to manage their schedules."

If you want to see the show (and the celebrities too), here are some highlights and videos from the runway. 

More videos are posted on our Facebook page, just search for KUMAGCOW on FB :)

 

Thank you and congratulations Ms. Charo! MADDOX is just beginning, and seeing this makes me want to see another next year yeah?! 

Natural Diamond Authority TESSERA Jewelry Welcomes CELESTE CORTESI

 

Beauty was all around when we arrived at the Molito branch of TESSERA Jewelry. Known for being the mecca of sourcing jewelry with natural diamonds, they've now got branches in 38 Rockwell, The Podium, Opus Mall and this one at Molito Lifestyle Center in Alabang. While it's a bit far from our place, we were here to witness something really special as they collaborated with one gorgeous woman, beauty queen, title holder, Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi.

She exudes confidence, talks quite eloquent, and sees this collaboration as an opportunity to make the pieces she dreams of to come true. One thing that's going to be evident with the collection they plan to do is the color BLUE. Celeste means heavenly, and that's exactly the shade of color that will be seen on the ones they plan to design and release for TESSERA Jewelry. There were a few displayed at the event, but this is just the tip of the iceberg of what they plan to do with their partnership. 

 

Celeste invests in jewelry, and she's known of Tessara even before they talked about doing this. She makes sure it goes with her personal taste and color. She also wants that lasts forever, so she could pass the pieces on to her kids, and generations after that. She's received some gifts from her boyfriend, and says it doesn't need to be all expensive. As long as it makes her confident and feel good, she's going to love it!

 

Celeste Cortesi with Tessera Jewelry CEO Carl Fider and his wife Sales Director Ms. Papat Aquino Fider

 Here's more of our interview with Celeste on video, please sub on our YouTube channel to see more entertainment and lifestyle content!

Tessera expressed how important Celeste is as they welcome her to the brand. They say she is the embodiment of grace, warmth, and they can't wait to shine with her. Congratulations Celeste! You are blessed, and remain so nice to this day! You may get in touch with TESSERA Jewelry on IG for more information about their brand.

Shining Bright: CHARO CORDIAL and MADDOX JEWELRY

Took a trip way east to Marikina City to visit the physical showroom of Maddox Jewelry. We got to talk to Madame Charo Cordial, the viral online seller, entrepreneur and businesswoman who made her small venture into a gold and diamond empire that it is today. 

She had very humble beginnings. Brought up in a small town where farming was the premier industry, her parents had her take up Agricultural Engineering in college. During the pandemic, she just had the the opportunity to delve into jewelry (among her other passions), and that's where Maddox Jewelry started. When we met her, her demeanor was very warm and welcoming. With her fascination for all things gold, she got so busy these past few years garnering not only a huge clientele but celebrities, some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. The difference between her and the other online sellers is that she's got a physical showroom in Marikina (AZDM Building) where she conducts appointments for those who want to see the jewelry before they purchase it. 

Here's what we saw there!

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We asked her about making investments on jewelry and what is the best time to do it and she said "There's really no BEST time to do it but NOW. As you may know, gold value is increasing over the years and if you don't get it early, you won't see the value grow. I've seen several of my clients who purchased gold and diamond pieces in the past and in a few years, the value is now 5 times of what it was then."

She adds "Jewelry is not only for women, but men too. We have several pieces that are unisex especially the classic designed ones that can be worn by men or women. Aside from that, we have celebrities like Mark Herras who got earrings with diamonds in it. (Tried to find it on display but they said it's all sold out!) We have them in different colors. We have blue diamonds, green diamonds, something that would fit your personality. We'd gladly accommodate you here as we have people who could assist you to choose the right sparkle you need for your jewelry."

Here's a bit of our talk with her that evening:

As you may have heard, her clients are mostly other jewelry sellers that source most of their wares from her. She also wished for a few A list celebrities to collaborate with her since she also does content on TikTok and Facebook. 

Her Facebook page is her only selling platform, and streams are regularly done live and deleted right after because most of the sales are done only during livestreams. If you're interested, go follow their page and watch out for schedules, it's mostly from 6pm to 12am and they're quite keen on helping entrepreneurs to start their own businesses. If you've been wanting to start your own collection, they have people to help you at their Marikina office. 

Their showroom is pretty full most of the time, it might be wise to ask for appointments through their contact numbers there. I'm off to buy a few very soon. Remember as she says, the time to invest in jewelry is now!

Super nice and very humble, she's shining bright indeed. Thank you and congratulations Ms. Charo! Here's wishing you could help more people and continued success in the business! 

Timmy Llana and Maxine Medina: Choosing Their Wedding Rings

It's surreal to see how LOVE happens at the most opportune time. Some may call it serendipity, some may call it fate, but in the case of Dive Master Timmy Llana and Miss Universe Philippines 2016 Maxine Medina, it would have been a case of marrying "The One That Got Away".

They went to the same school and had the same circle of friends. He was smitten the first time he laid her eyes on her, but she was young, boyish, had that athletic mindset to think about relationships. Volleyball was the only thing she wanted to do that time. He drove her home a couple of times, and felt taken cared of. 

Nothing romantic came of it, but they remained friends, communicated and then didn't get to talk for a couple of years after that. Maxine then went to win the Miss Universe Philippines title to represent the country for Miss Universe pageant in 2016, right after Pia's reign and eventually, got to the Top 6. After that, she went on to became a celebrity, appearing different successful TV shows, movies, and hosting stints which she remains to do today.    

Got to talk to Timmy and Maxine at J's Diamond in Trinoma during the time they were choosing the designs for their wedding ring.

Timmy prefers the classic design (left), one that could be worn for years and doesn't go out of style. Maxine on the other hand plans to have her rings layered (right) when she wears it. She chose simple but elegant design which is currently is in yellow gold. All would be custom made by J's Diamond in white gold. The one on the far right is a diamond crusted band, she loves it and plans to pass it on for generations to come. These two rings will be paired with the existing marquise shaped diamond ring (her engagement ring), an heirloom piece she got from Timmy's family.

Here's how our conversation over lunch went:

 

Here's a short tour inside the store, and some moments with Timmy and Maxine that afternoon:

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Maxine's love for the sun, sand and the sea got her reconnected with Timmy. They felt it wasn't much of formalities and courtship that happened, the friendship just blossomed into this. She attributes it to her ability to go with the flow, they just kinda knew it was LOVE and embraced it. Timmy saw how they grew closer while doing the things they love (with so much passion), particularly diving. It just so happened that he was a Dive Master, and says they were just at the right place and the right time. 

From a friendship that spanned almost 20 years, and being in a relationship for 5 years, Timmy and Maxine plan to start a family after their wedding in October. They hope to have twins as he's had family who are too . Maxine wants to pursue A LOT of things still, and continue her showbiz career plus other businesses she plans to do in the future (quips she can multitask). She's currently doing "Magandang Dilag" with Herlene Budol and other GMA stars. She says it'll be shown next month, make sure you watch out for that!

Their story could have ended a long time ago, but you see, LOVE has its ways. This too proves how friends, old flames, the things you are passionate about can spark affection and relationships. Hope their story inspires you. I mean who knows?! That person who genuinely care for you might just be THE ONE.

 

Congratulations Timmy and Maxine! Again, thank you for the opportunity to interview and get to know you on a more personal level. I'll be cheering from the bleachers like I did during your Miss U stint!

P.S. If you want to know more about J's Diamond, just search the same on Facebook. You may also visit their official site jsdiamond.com.ph and book appointments there.

Alden Richards Receives Diamond Record Award, Launches "Say It Again"Album

It was a fun evening to meet the man of the hour Alden Richards. He's been very blessed and he just recently got news that his album "Wish I May" under GMA Records just reached the 9th and 10th Platinum award which means he's reached the Diamond Record Award status in just less than a year after this was released. It's a feat that only a few artists have been able to reach and the young hearthrob recognizes his throngs of fans, the AlDub Nation, and even those who don't belong to these clubs as the ones who made this a reality.

During the recent launch of his second album called "Say It Again" at Market!Market! he was able to spend a couple minutes to thank everyone who helped him to get where he was today. GMA Records also started the show by showcasing the roster of their talents starting with good looking OZ HK crooner James Wright, who was so good by the way! And also T.O.P. (TOP One Project) which made the fans scream even more before Alden came out to sing for everyone that evening. I noticed they've really improved over the past few months and got this dancing and singing numbers to a T. They have some really great dance songs too which have also impressed their fans in the event that evening. 

Alden has achieved so much in a short time but what I love about him is that he stayed so humble and saw to it that he still would be able to personally thank everyone who helped him get that far. I was too shy to approach him earlier because I knew these big events would make him so busy but he went out of his way to shake my hand and say thanks. I know, it probably would have freaked some people out but for me, seeing him do those little things are very admirable. He doesn't put fame into his head, also does a lot of charity work on the side and stayed family centric even if he's working so hard these past few years.

After the chaotic show, I saw how Alden was after he got surprised by his family and grandfather who sat in the front row. He was a little emotional too because his Grandpa was crying seeing him on stage, so he had to stop a couple of times while singing just to tell gramps not to cry, it was so heartwarming.

You'll also be seeing (online and offline) in a couple of days the new music lyric video they made for one of the songs in the album. Alden even had a couple of dance songs in the mix and it seems he's trying to do genres aside from ballads. 

Make sure you support Alden Richards too by purchasing the album through online streaming sites, or grab the physical copies through leading record bars nationwide! I'd like to take this bit to thank GMA Records, GMA Social Media for having us. Thank you also Alden for still being so nice and humble as always. I'm sure you'll sell these lovely albums like hotcakes! 

KUMAGCOW

Fresh Blogs Fast! 

Enchong Dee and Bea Alonzo Endorses Bench/ Skin Expert!

A skip and a hop away from the entrance of fab Glorietta 4 is this awesome place that's got a Bench Fix branch in front called Bench/ Skin Expert. Am I hearing this right? Bench/ doing skin care now? Now that's interesting!

Flaunting their gorgeous bodies on the walls of this humble but quite classy space right beside Ascott Residences are sexy endorsers Enchong Dee and Bea Alonzo. I haven't seen them for quite sometime and I was excited because I heard they'll be appearing in a bit.

Bench the global brand probably wants a more complete lifestyle package based on their aesthetics. Now they can really do it with non invasive procedures, fresh facials and therapeutics that's almost au naturelle (without having to go all under the knife unlike other centers). They have several doctors in house that would be able to give you apt advice about skin care, and procedures that you can take. It also depends on your skin condition.  

On facials, they have a couple procedures designed solely for men that got me interested. I'll probably try out the Bench Man Facial soon (which to my surprise is quite affordable). I was a little busy at the time I shot these scenes so I missed trying that out. I'll tell you about it soon.

They have several rooms that would satisfy pairs, or just plain individuals who want to get their skin perked up, rejuvenated using some of the most advanced skin care equipment available internationally. They hope to cater to local and international clientele since the Makati district flourishes with businessmen, tourists that has got to know what Manila is all about!

Then endorsers Enchong Dee and Bea Alonzo came out.=) Enchong was super dapper in his suit and Bea was so gorgeous in her dress, oh she looks quite amazing! Sir Ben mentioned some points why Bench/ Skin Expert actually existed. It will provide something more to the masses without having to spend too much as Bench/ presents itself as a "lifestyle brand that has come full circle" as they now embark not only on clothing (via Bench), haircare (via Bench Fix) and now skin care (via Bench Skin Expert). Now, they will start putting up clinics like these that can give MORE to the Filipino consumer because the deserve only the best from BENCH.

Enchong Dee who actually looks perfect with his abs says he would love to recommend the Maxi Sculpt Technology services of Bench/ Skin Expert because even in his almost perfect physique he also has some problems in the tummy area and the last few inches he had to shed was so hard to eliminate. Now before a show or sexy scene, he can have that defined and contoured body he always wanted because of the services that Bench Skin Expert has. All their endorsers will now be using services from this clinic too (Sir Ben says so) and they will be truly carrying themselves well perfectly now as they lose love handles and other flabby parts without going under the knife. Don't be surprised if one day Enchong Dee or Bea Alonzo herself would appear beside you while you're having a facial because they really use it. Just check out Bea Alonzo's instagram account and you'll see her doing some sessions on the same services that Enchong Dee also is getting. It's one of the reasons why they are so hot and sexy! I'd like to do that soon too. =) Other services include whitening, skin lifts, acne treatments, keloid treatments, cautery, syringoma, botox, glutathione infusion treatments, intensive hydration - rejuvenation - clarity and peeling plus a lot of other services that only Bench Skin Expert brings at a fraction of a cost.

For more information about Bench Skin Expert services, please visit their website at http://www.benchskinexpert.com or come over to their new branch at the 2nd Floor of Glorietta 4, Ayala Centre, Makati City, Philippines. Inquire and set appointments by calling (632) 6250013 or (632) 6250012. Which reminds me, I need a facial! See you there!

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Bench Skin Expert

What if?

Well here's the thing; I've been thinking about getting married. I know I've been a little older than last year but hey it's all good. I'm thinking of all the details now and from the movie I watched this weekend it looks like I'll be in for a ride.

I am unique; and I think I have been for some of the years I've lived in this world. I am no superhero but if I'm going to get engaged in a loving environment I want to get what I want. I don't want those princess cut white diamonds. I think it is just too canny. I want to have something different and probably all about the one I marry. I really am fond of black or blue diamonds by famous brands like Apollo and New Age. I just love how it looks on the high fashion dress I wish to get her on. Does the photo on the side remind you of anything?! Ha-ha!







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