During the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain experienced an economic and cultural boom that achieved great international prestige.
Known as the Golden Age, this era is enshrined as one of the brightest and most fruitful periods of art in Spain. It was a shout to all the senses, to expression in all the arts, and to the grandeur of a rising empire that for over a century became the center of the art world.
In this Empire where the sun never set, tons of silver, gold, and precious stones were brought from America, thus initiating Spanish jewelry expertise and creating a revolution in the techniques employed in this art form. The new know-how allowed for carving harder precious stones and sculpting gold in a different and much more precise fashion. As such, this century became a period of vital importance for the development of the art of jewelry.
The royals showed a particular predilection for the jewels with which they were frequently painted in portraits; these were symbols of elevated social status reserved only for the social strata that were highest and nearest to the court. Abundant amounts of jewels were commissioned and bought from the most prominent craftsmen of the day.
Carrera y Carrera was thus born with a new form of understanding and creating art in jewelry, using new techniques in the treatment of gold. Thorough and elaborate work in miniature and sculpture can be appreciated in all of its creations.The jeweler became a champion for the growing luxury industry, and in Madrid, the José Esteban Carrera workshop acquired fame through gem cutting, which to this day continues in its traditional form of hand-made production. It is in this way that an innovative, original, and rather daring brand was born.
The glorious past of the Spanish Empire and jewelry art is reborn in this new collection presented by Carrera y Carrera, inspired by the treasures of the Spanish Empire.Carrera y Carrera has designed four creative lines. Luxury, art, and grace are accurately reflected in pieces of extreme beauty. Exquisitely carved works of great personality.
Reina
During this era, the volumes in the collars of clothing known as ruffs were viewed a sign of elegance, distinction, and sophistication.
As of the 14th and well into the 17th century, these were used by ladies as well as gentlemen, making them a necessary adornment for courtly attire. The neck ruff acquired such importance as part of the clothing of the time that it was shown off as a very rich accessory of exaggerated volume.
Taking as its inspiration these magnificent collars of lightweight and diaphanous lace used by the queens of this time period, Carrera y Carrera has created rings, earrings, and pendants that well recall these neck ruffs and emulate crowns. A mix of white and yellow gold with diamonds or of white gold with blue topaz where one can appreciate lightness and movement.
Velázquez
This collection is inspired by the embroidery, fabrics, and colors of Spain’s Golden Age. This touch of color and these brocades can be seen in pieces crafted in yellow or white gold with amethyst presented as grandiloquent and whimsical art.
This collection presents jewelry with generous volumes and rich decoration where the characteristic and signature Carrera y Carrera matte-gloss effect can be appreciated. Voluptuous shapes with a sparkling shine.Refined and ornate pieces reflect the image-preoccupied culture that existed during this period.
Isabel
Diamonds became a source of inspiration and the essential stars of this era due to the fascination they caused. Diamonds personified love and purity and were a symbol of economic power.
Isabel is presented as a romantic collection where gold plays a fundamental role and diamonds give an infinite purity to the pieces. Jewelry in white gold with diamonds and white and yellow gold with diamonds, perfect for sealing an eternal commitment.
Cervantes
Cervantes is a collection inspired by the dandy neck ruffs so in fashion during this period of grandeur, as well as by the complex and precise work of the lace cuffs of the clothing at the time.
These pieces are of great originality due to the voluminous and serpentine shapes that represent one of the most identifying symbols of the Spanish Empire, where dress and appearance were of vital importance.
The painstaking and meticulous work of the master jewelers of Carrera y Carrera in the art of carving gold is emphasized in these pieces that emulate the distinctive and sophisticated cuffs of the period. Sculptural jewels of great movement in which all the firm’s savoir-faire is reflected. Impressive figurative work represented in rings, earrings, and pendants crafted in yellow gold, yellow gold with diamonds, and white gold with diamonds.
