If you have ever come to Mexico, you might be familiar with our awe-inspiring beaches, with our delicious food and our warm welcome to everyone from every part of the globe. Chances are you’ve been to Cancun, Tulum, Cabo, Mazatlan or any of the other tourist destinations my country is known for.
I have been to most of those destinations as well, and Mexico is known to be a tourist haven, I can confirm. You would be surprised that local tourists receive as much appreciation as foreigners (depending on where you go) and I have a few favorite places I could recommend. Nevertheless, this blog is about jewelry and not tourism, and that’s where it gets tricky, what do you know about Mexican jewelry?
If I hadn’t fallen in love with jewelry, I would not had started this website, nor worked for several years in the same company. More importantly, I wouldn’t have started my journey to get in touch with my roots and learned about our jewelry. You see, we embrace trends coming from all sides of the world, but rarely strive to see inside and explore the aspect that brings life to the pieces, the jewelry maker, the designer, the concept, the culture.
One day, in the middle of a sale, someone asked me about Mexican jewelry. The company I work for is U.S. based, so we don’t sell jewelry from Mexican designers or brands. The only piece I could offer them was a “Mexican fire opal”. The person took a quick look and seemed a bit disappointed (she didn’t have to say it) that me, being born in Mexico, selling jewelry for a living, didn’t know a thing about our jewelry. At first, I didn’t mind it. After all, I focused on selling what I had to sell, no time for Mexican jewelry, right? Wrong, later would I realize that getting in touch with our jewelry would open the doors to many opportunities and knowledge.
When you start looking at jewelry, when you’re barely starting your collection, you look for pieces that suit your needs. Maybe you need a formal watch for those important meetings, or perhaps a pair of studs to complement your dress for that wedding. You start buying out of necessity. Later on, you start looking at pieces that can complement your outfits, your style, you learn about jewelry for your body type, you learn about matching and contrasting. Then one day, you find yourself looking for those pieces that are different, those pieces that stand out from the rest, in specific, the pieces that stand on their own.
What makes these pieces special? Why are they different? Why are they so coveted that people pay more time and money to acquire?
The difference is the story they tell. Not every piece has a story, at least not a good one. Among the millions of pieces you can find around the world, only a few of them have the “different” factor. People who understand this factor also understand why these pieces cost what they cost. Some pieces speak about their country of origin, about myths, about legends, about who made them and what they believe in. Some pieces proudly wear a gemstone so rare that it makes the setting stand out and sometimes it is the setting that makes the gemstone feel indebted to the jeweler that decided it was fitting for the design. And some pieces speak only to you. They speak to your tastes; they push a button that makes you want to wear and cherish that piece.
It is my goal to help you find those pieces that not everyone has knowledge of, that have the “wow” factor. As I keep learning about Mexico’s rich tradition of jewelry making, I will keep you updated with our trends, our pieces, our gemstones. It is my goal to be able to tell Mexico’s jewelries’ story to you and give voice to those you haven’t heard of but whose work is known only among serious collectors and enthusiasts. Those hidden artists that form part of our jewelry culture.
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