Live From PeruModa 2014: New Silver Peruvian Jewelry

I wasn’t really sure what to expect at the PeruModa show. I didn’t know much about the design aesthetic of Peruvian jewelry, but I’ll admit that I anticipated it to be kind of ethnic: maybe colored beads, some hammered effects. I didn’t have a clear picture in my mind of what the jewelry would look like, because I’ve had limited exposure to Peruvian designs. But with one day down, I now have a better idea of Peru’s jewelry situation, which primarily includes silver, good craftsmanship, excellent prices, and modern interpretations of Inca-inspired motifs.

Home Shopping Network personality and jewelry designer Stella Chow of Jade of Yesteryear, whom I met yesterday, may have summarized it best. “Peru is the new sacred ground for quality,” she explained. Labor prices in China have risen, and few possess a passion for the attention to detail involved in production, but Peruvians still “love making jewelry,” she added.

A representative from Richline was also present and has worked with several firms here for a few years. “They’re real artisans,” explained Linda Levin of the buying team. And with karat gold coming back into popularity in the U.S., Levin was eager for some new products to source for her inventory.

So with the occasional help of an interpreter (I don’t speak Spanish, and many exhibitors did), I interviewed a number of jewelry firms exhibiting at the fair. Six of these companies are featured here in mini profiles; expect more on Friday.

Cita Joyeria Catacoas

Headquarters: Catacaos, Peru

Company age: 9 years

U.S. accounts: 1 retailer in Los Angeles

Trade fairs: PeruModa

Minimum buy-in: None

My takeaway: Masters of filigree offering an incredible value; hire them to make your private-label designs. And, all the jewelry buyers went nuts for their hair pieces.

Cita Joyeria Catacoas

Ring and headband in silver, $180 and $450 triple keystone

Maisha

Headquarters: Lima, Peru

Company age: 27 years

U.S. accounts: 5

Trade fairs: PeruModa

Minimum buy-in: 300 grams of silver per style

My takeaway: Has an American line called Chiara Ramon

Necklace with onyx and bangles in 24k gold-plated silver and silver, $360 and $255 triple keystone

Chubbull

Headquarters: Lima, Peru

Company age: 8 years

U.S. accounts: 3

Trade fairs: PeruModa, a Colombian lifestyle fair, and an accessories show in Spain

Minimum buy-in: None

My takeaway: Horn from cattle is pretty and offers an even more earthy-looking alternative to wooly mammoth ivory.

Chubbul cattle horn jewelry

Cuff, necklace, and earrings (with silver components), $51, $35, and $17

Noemi Carrera Joyeria

Headquarters: Arequipa, Peru

Company age: 10 years

U.S. accounts: None

Trade fairs: PeruModa and Apec Feriados

Minimum buy-in: None

My takeaway: Feminine styles and works often with that mysterious white organic semi-clay-like compound. (If you know what it is, please weigh in on the comment function.)

Noemi Carrera Joyeria

Bracelet with zircon and earrings in silver, $342 and $210 triple keystone

Bridal headpiece in base metal, pearls, and that mysterious organic substance, $903

Gonzalo Palma

Headquarters: Lima, Peru

Company age: 6 years

U.S. accounts: One store in Oregon

Trade fairs: PeruModa

Minimum buy-in: None

My takeaway: Strong modern aesthetic combined with some fabricated components; think of the line as the love child of Brazil’s Antonio Bernardo and any German designer with a strong architectural look.

Gonzalo Palma