A new episode of the video series by German TV journalist Sibylle Tiessen is about Mallorcan jewellery designer Isabel Guarch, who uses her home island for inspiration
Mallorcan jewellery designer Isabel Guarch, who uses her home island for inspiration. Presented by TUI. Video by Nova Producciones (Video lasts 6 minutes 32 seconds) | Youtube: Majorca Daily Bulletin TV
For her, a piece of jewellery is not just an accessory. It is like a perfume, the fragrance of which has a different effect on each wearer, creating an individual nuance. But it is also something completely different: a true piece of Mallorca that accompanies every buyer home.
This description may seem a little nostalgic to some, but others find it fitting and, after studying the work and jewellery ofIsabel Guarch, absolutely understandable.
Jewellery designer Isabel Guarch revives typical Mallorcan elements in her jewellery pieces. In doing so, she emphasises composition of warmth, light and colours.
Guarch is a Mallorca-born jewellery designer whose collections are entirely inspired by the island. During her wanderings through Palma's old alleyways, she decided to take the capital's architecture as a model for her designs and use it as the main element of her shiny, predominantly 18-carat gold jewellery.
"I've always been fascinated by Palma's Cathedral," says Guarch. Especially the rose window, which projects a coloured rose of light onto the wall twice a year due to the sun's rays. The most famous customer who now wears the design based on the rosette of La Seu in her earrings is Princess Leonor. The Balearic government presented her with these on her 18th birthday, when she took the oath of allegiance to the Spanish Constitution.
Guarch's jewellery incorporates Mallorcan architecture. In addition to the rose window at Palma Cathedral, they are inspired by Art Nouveau elements.
At the Gran Hotel de Palma, Spain's first luxury hotel built in 1903, Guarch liked the floral design of the wrought-iron Art Nouveau lamps so much that she used the floral pattern as a central element in her jewellery.
"I was literally born with a love of jewellery design," says Guarch. In 1957, her mother transformed her own flat in Carrer de Jaume II into a showroom for her unique pieces of jewellery, which she made to order. By word of mouth, the company founder established a luxury brand. Daughter Isabel studied gemology, specialising in diamonds, and then completed a design degree in Paris. But she also learnt a lot from her mother. "She showed me how important it is to advise customers individually. After all, it was customer satisfaction that ultimately made the collections a famous brand," says Guarch.
"At the age of 39, I took over the family business in 2005 and decided to bring out a new collection every year," says Guarch. "I wanted to revive the Mallorcan tradition with new life and style in my art pieces."
Each individual piece is finished by hand.
"When I had two sons, I thought that my children would not continue the family business and that it would die out after the second generation. After all, it was previously a company that was only run by women," reports Guarch, who recalls how relieved she was when her son Gonzalo decided to take over the business. "That was a dream come true for me," says Guarch, smiling with satisfaction.
Gonzalo Guarch had studied communication and marketing and initially had no intention of continuing the tradition. When he noticed that his mother's range did not include any jewellery for men, he decided to change this and joined in. "We created an all-male collection together," says the proud mum. This time, she chose the local indigenous population as the theme. "These include the stone slingers, who used special slingshots and stones to defend the land and go hunting. Now they serve as a motif for rings and bracelets."
Son Gonzalo is currently designing a collection for men with his mum. He will take over the business.
22-year-old Gonzalo brings new impetus to the company thanks to his completely different training. "Every generation brings something new. Gonzalo has shown me that it's not enough just to design the jewellery. The collection also has to be marketed and publicised," says Guarch.
The content that the Isabel Guarch brand stands for remains the same. "It's like a journey through the island's time and culture. Meanwhile, the Mallorcan spirit, the special light of the island, the colours, the warmth and tranquillity that Mallorca radiates can be carried home on the skin. The island remains in your memory and in your heart".
Support from the tourism industry: the project is sponsored by Europe's leading tourism group Tui and its Tui Care Foundation. The initiative was founded in 2016 with the aim of supporting sustainable projects in the destinations. The foundation focuses on the potential of the tourism sector as a driver of social development, education and prosperity. The Group promotes sustainable tourism in cooperation with local people.
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