Sonnia Wong was about 15 years old when she was first captivated by them and decades later, her love hasn’t dimmed. Today, she runs a business, Cosmic 19 Enterprise, selling handmade crystal accessories such as bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings.
Creatively designed and meticulously made, these accessories are truly Wong’s labour of love. “I feel very happy when I make them as I imagine who they will end up with,” the 49-year-old told FMT Lifestyle.
Wong uses various types of crystals such as rose quartz, amethyst, moonstone, tourmaline and clear quartz in her creations. The crystals, she revealed, are from Uruguay and Brazil, and she obtains them from local suppliers.
Beyond its beauty, Wong shared that crystals are believed to have healing properties as they can help to rid one’s body of “negative energy”.
Apart from these, Wong also makes accessories using jade and amber from Myanmar. Here’s a fun fact: while many assume jade is only green in colour, it is actually also available in white, yellow, grey and black.
Needless to say, being surrounded by such beautiful stones is a wonderful source of inspiration for Wong.
She has recently introduced necklaces, bracelets and earrings using the “wire-wrapping” technique where a length of thin wire is wrapped around a piece of jade or a crystal to create a beautiful accessory.
Additionally, she also sells a variety of essential oils. After all, she shared, people are rather stressed these days and she believes that like the stones, essential oils can help bring a sense of calmness into one’s life.
Looking back, Wong revealed that she was about 18 years old when she made her first pair of crystal earrings. Over the years, although she worked in sales and eventually set up a business selling plants, her interest in making accessories never waned and she joined classes in her free time to refine her skills.
Even when she was running her plant business, she displayed her accessories. The onset of the pandemic in 2020, however, severely impacted her business and she eventually had to close it down.
With more time on her hands, Wong made accessories and gave them to friends who loved her work. Their response delighted her and gave her the boost of confidence she needed to return to entrepreneurship once more.
In 2022, she started Cosmic 19 Enterprise and has not looked back since.
Although she enjoys being a businesswoman, she said the hours can be long. Besides crafting her accessories, she participates in bazaars to sell her work, and presently has a temporary pop-up at Glo Damansara, a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur.
To that end, she appreciates the assistance of Persatuan Pembangunan Artisans (PPA), an NGO that helps local artisans market their products through its online platform, physical stores and pop-up events.
“I’m so grateful to them as they have provided a platform so I can increase my distribution channels. I am working alone, so it is difficult for me to do it all on my own,” she said.
And for Wong, receiving positive feedback from her customers always adds more sparkle to her day, spurring her to keep on creating. “I hope my customers will be happy when they wear my creations.”
Sonnia Wong’s pop-up booth (until July 14)
Lower ground floor (in front of Jaya Grocer)
Glo Damansara, 699
Jalan Damansara
Taman Tun Dr Ismail
60000, Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 10am – 9pm (daily; closed on June 23 and June 30)
To learn more about Sonnia’s locations, follow Cosmic 19 Enterprise on Facebook. For more information, contact 011-6562 7687.
Read more PPA stories and get to know its artisans here.