PORTUGUESE JEWELLERY SHAPERS 2.0
Os mestres da arte
Behind every Portuguese jewel there is a history of tradition and art. There are craft techniques, passed down from generation to generation, as a legacy of ingenuity and knowledge. Faces marked by experience and hands full of talent.
The initiative "Portuguese Jewellery Shapers", promoted by AORP - the Portuguese Jewellery and Watchmaking Association shows the faces and stories of Portuguese artisans. In this second edition of the project, the mission is to value the different techniques of Portuguese Jewellery –stone setting, modelling wax, curb chain, chiselling and filigree, identifying the masters who preserve the art and give each piece a stamp of identity, quality and detail, which sets apart Portuguese Jewellery worldwide.
Ana Freitas, President of AORP, considers that "In our international endeavours we have proven that the great wealth of Portuguese jewellery lies in the hands of our artisans and in the way they continue to preserve highly specialised manual techniques and dedicate all their knowledge, talent and dedication to each piece. We want to make their stories known and, by doing so, to value Portuguese jewels.”
With the motto "Who made your jewels", the initiative tells the story of Henrique (47 years old), a master in stone setting in whose hands have passed the most varied and rare gems; Pompeu (54 years old), one of the few artisans who preserves the art of traditional Portuguese curb chain in a totally manual process; Benjamin (52), a wax modelling specialist who manages to achieve all kinds of shapes, movements and textures that he idealizes with his hands; Olga (57 years old), representative of many filigree artisans in the region of Gondomar and Fernando (53 years old), a master in chiselling, one of the most meticulous and detailed techniques of Portuguese jewellery, through which it imparts texture, volume and shape to the metal, sculpting true pieces of art.
The "Portuguese Jewellery Shapers 2.0" project will be launched at Ourindústria, an event that brings together more than 70 jewellery and watchmaking exhibitors from 15 to 18 of March at the Multiusos de Gondomar.
Meet the faces and stories of those who make our jewels here.
