Anillarte
Their creators say that behind each piece of jewellery, there’s a dream. Perhaps a story, a memory, a feeling. Forging a special connection between a person and the piece they’re wearing is something of an obsession amongst designers and metalworkers. That’s why the pieces are handcrafted, one by one. Necklaces, rings, brooches… These shops and studios in Madrid are sure to surprise you.
Almendro, 4. Metro: LA LATINA
In Helena Rohner’s jewellery shop, the purity that distinguishes the lines of her pieces has its roots in her deep connection to the landscape of her homeland, the Canary Islands. Wearing one of her pieces is like putting on a ray of sunshine, or a mineral that was shaped by nature. Helena, who won the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts in 2015, leads a team of artisan jewellers she has been working with for 25 years. Her collections, which are at once sensual, seasonal and contemporary, are rooted in harmony, passion for colour and variety in terms of materials, which range from silver to gold to porcelain, stone, fabric and wood. Clean lines dominate her designs.
His pieces are more than jewellery; they’re true works of art. Carlos Pacheco is from a family of metalworkers with a tradition of artisanal jewellery making that goes back over half a century. Every piece is the product of many hours of work and close collaboration with internationally renowned artists and design firms, or with private customers who know how to appreciate the exclusivity and quality that this jeweller offers. Platinum, gold, silver, bronze and brass are melted into unique, beautiful pieces.
Serrano, 84. Metro: NÚÑEZ DE BALBOA
Barquillo, 34. Metro: CHUECA
Mar Aldeguer created this contemporary, affordable jewellery firm almost as a bit of a lark. It eschews precious stones and takes advantage of the wide range of colours and sizes offered by semi-precious stones, using sterling silver plated in different tones of gold to achieve the chosen finish. All of the pieces in her collections are crafted using only artisanal methods: every stone is carved one by one into special shapes and sizes that recreate original, exclusive design drawings.
Celia is an architect. One day, in her search for new ways to create something architectural, she stumbled upon jewellery. She soon discovered its powerful symbolic meaning: small pieces that are full of little details and hidden meanings. Every piece that comes out of her workshop, located in the Retiro district, has an explanation behind it, a reason it was created. Her pieces tell stories; they are born out of a conversation. Though delicate in appearance, they are laden with feeling. Simplicity and unpretentiousness are the brand’s hallmarks.
Alameda, 4. Metro: ANTÓN MARTÍN / ESTACIÓN DEL ARTE
Every season, there’s a scene, a story, an invention. For designer Maite Tejedor, each collection is the launch of a unique universe. She and her team choose a theme and then dream and lose themselves in it until they find the right characters and an overarching element. Her mission is to collect emotions and give them shape so that they can be shared. At Ginger & Velvet, they choose raw materials from Spain and treat and cast them in their own workshop using artisanal methods, crafting each piece by hand. In addition to the emporium in Calle Alameda, they have a flagship store at no. 22 in Calle León, which is also in Barrio de las Letras (Literary Quarter).
Pelayo, 8. Metro: CHUECA
It could be a film, a song, a city… Absolutely anything can serve to inspire Ainoa Casullas Corres, founder of this firm whose main aim is to create timeless jewellery that isn’t dictated by current trends. Her goal is to create pieces with their own personality, with which the customer can forge a special connection. Her work is painstaking: all of her pieces are individually handcrafted. She works with brass, silver, bronze and gold to create unique pieces, to which she sometimes adds natural stones. In terms of technique, the creation process is traditional, requiring time, love and a skilled, expert hand.
Doctor Fourquet, 39. Metro: LAVAPIÉS
The necklaces, bracelets and earrings that Maku Martínez creates in her workshop are unique pieces. She’s an expert in the techniques of rolling, welding, stamping, stone setting, carving and polishing of silver, as well as in making chain mail and in cutting, polishing and engraving gems. Her work is inspired by Navajo art and bohemian jewellery. “I love picking up my blowtorch and welding, I have so much fun with it that I could spend hours without putting it down”, she says.
Amparo, 94. Metro: EMBAJADORES
Sandra Pampín and Gimena Caram are the founders of this jewellery school, which offers classes for students of all levels. Their studio was the natural result of the passion and energy that the two women feel for design, creative processes and different techniques. On their premises in Calle del Amparo, very close to La Casa Encendida, they also hold exhibitions and have a small retail outlet.
San Gregorio, 21. Metro: CHUECA
Helmed by the Entío brothers, from a family with a long tradition in the jewellery business, this workshop restores, alters and creates unique pieces. Although they are experts in precious gems, they believe luxury shouldn’t be the privilege of a select few but rather a pleasure within reach of the majority. They choose their materials extremely carefully and work with them using centuries-old techniques, achieving spectacular results.
Plaza Guardia de Corps, 1. Metro: NOVICIADO
Titled “made to dislike”, this collection of eye-catching rings, brooches and necklaces by Feeas (Remedios Vincent) leaves no one indifferent. She makes all of her one-of-a-kind jewellery in her workshop in Conde Duque from items that she finds in antique shops and then repurposes.
Silvia Roba