Ruffa Gutierrez recently shared the significance of jewelry in her family and how it has played a role in her life from an early age. The actress and beauty queen, who has always had a deep connection to her family’s traditions, opened up about her personal jewelry investments and the valuable lessons she learned from her mother, Annabelle Rama.

Ruffa recalled her very first jewelry investment, which was a platinum Rolex when she was just 17. Reflecting on the advice she received from her parents, she said, “My mom and dad would always say to put my money in the bank, invest in property or jewelry.”

As the eldest and only daughter in a family of seven children, Ruffa was accustomed to being given jewelry by her mom. She shared that her father, Yilmaz Bektas, had given her an engagement ring, which she later left in Istanbul when they returned to Manila. The ring, which had a 13-carat diamond, was one of her cherished pieces.

Ruffa also recalled how, after the birth of her daughter Lorin, Yilmaz gave her a unique gift — a black eel leather choker with a ruby-like stone, handmade in Turkey. "That’s in the safe of my mom," Ruffa said. "I can give it to one of my daughters." This special piece of jewelry reflects the bond and love she has for her family, especially with her mother, who has always been an important influence in her life.

Additionally, Ruffa shared a moment when she gifted her father a Bulgari watch, which he later returned to her two years ago. "I haven’t found the moment yet to wear that watch,” she mentioned. Another memorable piece she received was a Bulgari serpenti watch from her mother, given to her for a birthday.

Ruffa fondly recalled a trip to Hawaii when she was 10 years old. “When we landed at Honolulu airport, my mom put the pouch in a baggage cart while they were claiming their bags and asked me to look over it,” she said. Unfortunately, Ruffa forgot the pouch in the cart, and her mother was furious when she realized it. “It really hurts when you lose jewelry, so just accessorize if the event is not too important so you will not misplace the jewelry,” she shared with a sense of humor.

Ruffa’s recent post also marked an exciting new chapter for her as she was introduced as the brand ambassador for Magical Gems. “They have beautiful jewelry and more colored gems,” she said, expressing excitement about the collaboration. “I’m so excited with this partnership.”

Ruffa now wears Magical Gems jewelry in her upcoming drama series on GMA Network, "Beauty Empire," a revenge-driven series set to premiere soon. The series explores the themes of beauty and aging, and Ruffa plays the role of Velma Imperial, a strong and determined CEO. “It doesn’t matter how old you are, but being beautiful is important inside out,” she explained about the show’s premise.

Reflecting on her career, Ruffa shared how she had reached a point where she no longer wished to borrow her mother's jewelry. “Every time I borrow her jewelry, she sends four security (people). Then she reminds me nonstop to take care of it. I get stressed. I cannot concentrate and memorize my lines,” Ruffa admitted. "Now that I use the jewelry of Magical Gems, the son of the owner is there guarding the jewelry. We use that especially for the big scenes; the jewelry really makes a difference."

Harry Lopez Chua, the owner and CEO of Magical Gems, expressed his gratitude for Ruffa’s involvement with the brand. “Ruffa is a gift from heaven to us,” he said. "I never expected this to happen. We are a home-grown Davao company. We’re just small, modesty aside. This is our first outing. This is my first time to experience introducing my brand to a national company. Everything fell into place. It’s such a wonderful and humbling experience to make this possible.”

Magical Gems, which will open on June 3 at Abreeza Mall in Davao City, is named after the two daughters of Harry, Isabel and Alexandria. He explained, “They are my inspiration that’s why I put up Magical Gems.”

Ruffa has also expressed her love for Davao, a place she frequented before the pandemic. “I remember I used to go there pre-pandemic and we taped for our reality show ‘It Takes Gutz To Be a Gutierrez.’ Last year, I was also in Davao for the opening of Landers,” she reminisced.

“I saw how clean and orderly Davao is, aside from the traffic. Davaoeños love me. Every time they see me, they are all very happy. I talk to them in slight Bisaya,” Ruffa said, clearly fond of the place and its people.

Her mother, who is also Bisaya and originally from Cebu, has had a significant influence on her appreciation for jewelry. Ruffa recalled how her mother would often scold her for not taking care of her jewelry. “Whenever I return the jewelry to her, it’s dirty, full of makeup and I didn’t bother to clean them,” she said, laughing. "She was always mad at me. She always said, when you have jewelry, you need to take care of them."

Ruffa’s love for jewelry has become a key part of her life, and she’s learned from her mother to treat these items as valuable investments. "You need to wear the jewelry after putting on your makeup, not during, not to wear perfume, and take care of them," her mom taught her.

As the only girl in the family, Ruffa grew up accustomed to receiving jewelry from her mother. "That has been part of my life growing up,” she said. “I don’t feel comfortable without wearing earrings. I feel like a guy.”

Reflecting on the significance of jewelry, Ruffa said, “I love jewelry, and my mom always tells me to treat jewelry as an investment that you can use till the end of time. You can also pass them on to your children.”

As for her daughters, Lorin and Venice, Ruffa is proud of how they’re growing and progressing in their education. “They are very excited with completing their studies,” Ruffa said. “I assured them I will support them as long as they finish college.”

Lorin, a senior at Pepperdine University, is set to graduate next year, while Venice, who is a freshman, prefers to keep her academic life private.

“They both prioritize education,” said Ruffa, adding that, while she remains the primary provider for her daughters, their father, Yilmaz Bektas, also provides financial support.

Despite the financial ups and downs that come with working in the entertainment industry, Ruffa expressed gratitude for her financial stability. “I’ve been blessed that there are a lot still getting me for shows, endorsements,” she said. "I have investments where the money is earning.”

Ruffa’s resilience in navigating the ups and downs of her career and finances is a testament to her ability to weather challenges. “There are times when my mom or Chard (brother Richard Gutierrez) help give allowance to Lorin and Venice,” she added. “Knock on wood, if ever when the time comes that I need to sell some of my jewelry, at least there’s something that I can sell. Thank God that I was able to save. Of course, we go through ups and downs. Not all times, we are very successful. There are months when work is very slow. There are months where when it rains, it pours. That’s how it is in showbiz. But through the years, I was able to survive everything with the help of my family.”