Spanish designer Vicente Gracia has perfected the art of ’visual poetry’

Much ado has been made in recent years about the overlap between jewelry and art, with many critics calling the deeply personal, idiosyncratic style of the world’s best contemporary jewelers indistinguishable from fine art. But what about the literary arts? Is it possible for jewelry to convey any of their power? Vicente Gracia, a Spanish jeweler based in Valencia, would have you think so. His intricate gold creations, each incorporating a spiritual message deftly rendered in gold and gemstones, are the closest thing the jewelry industry has to poems. The Guardians of the Illuminated Soul Treasure ring shown above, for example, depicts two 24-karat gold bulls staring each other down over fire and white opals. While the stones are intended to represent the deep energy illuminating the soul, the bull refers to Gracia’s Mediterranean culture. The son of a jeweler, Gracia made a name for himself in 1986 after premiering his work in Madrid. Celebrated by Vogue and touted by Christie’s (his pieces were included in its Dubai sale earlier this year), he has a knack for transforming mere metal and stone into an expression of visual poetry. No wonder he likes to point out that joya has a duel meaning in the Spanish language: jewelry and joy.

The first piece of jewelry I ever made: My first jewel was a pair of earrings that I gave as a present to my first youth love, Zulema. They were made of small emeralds with a sun and a half moon. She really liked them and used them for a long time. One unusual detail about my design process: To each piece we ‘whisper’ a secret in their ear, which means that all our pieces have an intention that respects the tradition and communicates it. Because of that, some people say Vicente Gracia’s jewels have mystery. My favorite materials: Gold in all colors, especially 24-karat gold with no polish, but also the turquoise ‘Blue de Perse,’ fire opals and diamonds in all shapes and colors. My clientele: Usually people who understand jewels not as ostentatious icons but as poetry. Channels through which my jewelry is sold: They are very different. They usually are away from typical commercial channels, from selling at Christie’s to making exclusive jewels for our clients. The thing that most concerns me about the jewelry business: I think jewelry has moved away from the traditional approaches of the goldsmith and silversmith, in the Cellini tradition, la Pala d’oro of René Lalique, Faberge, Louis Cartier, Louis Comfort Tiffany … and many other artists that inspire with their beauty and poetry.

Soul man Vicente Gracia’s Golden Fleece ring featuring a 15-carat emerald in 18- and 24-karat gold is inspired by the Greek myth about Jason and the Argonauts, and the A La Luna de Valencia earring, representing the moon’s reflection over a garden, features Blue de Perse turquoise, gemstones and enamel.