My background is in illustration and design. I’ve always been drawn to creating, drawing, making objects by hand and connecting stories to them. Pola Jewellery started many years ago as a fashion brand when some beautiful fabrics from the 90s found their way into my hands and instead of letting them go, I designed a collection using references from the 70s, my favourite era, as inspiration. I kept designing collections for three more years and then one day I woke up and simply didn’t enjoy it anymore; the constant pressure to launch a new collection season after season felt too much for me. So I slowly pivoted to jewellery and never looked back.
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved accessorising. I was the kid at school wearing lots of bangles and rings. So it felt completely natural that I would end up designing them. Jewellery is such a personal expression of who you are: your character, your story, your passions, your memories – it’s something you wear your whole life and then pass down to the people you love. My most precious pieces are the ones I inherited from my mum or were gifted to me by my husband back when we were teenagers and he was my boyfriend. That’s what I want Pola Jewellery to be: an empowering token of love, passed down through generations, telling the story of the person wearing it.
I grew up in Colombia, my beloved home country, and Caracas, Venezuela. Later, my husband and I lived in Singapore, Scotland, Vancouver and Barcelona, places we chose to broaden our horizons and experience new cultures. I first came to Spain as a teenager wanting to explore and study abroad and accidentally ended up living in Mallorca. Then I met my husband and that was it. I fell in love with him and the island at first sight. Mallorca’s beauty still surprises me to this day. Its calm energy is what inspires me most and what I long for when I’m away.
I remember memorising the names of Roman and Greek gods when I was little and being completely captivated by the history of ancient Egypt, so I guess I’ve always been drawn to mythology. What fascinates me is how for centuries, across every religion, social class and culture, humans have believed that certain objects could protect them, bring love or attract fortune. These rituals and tokens became traditions deeply rooted in the culture of places all over the world. I love taking inspiration from that and bringing it to life through my jewellery collections, especially now, in these fast-moving AI times, when I think people are craving tradition and a little magic. It’s a reminder that through these jewels (but mostly through our own powerful intentions) we can attract whatever we put our minds to. And look incredibly hot and confident while wearing them!
I always start with a concept rather than a design. For example, last year was an important anniversary celebration for us, so I wanted to create a collection to celebrate love. I researched symbols of love throughout ancient history until I came upon Venus’ shell. Then I drew many sketches until I was happy with the final design, the proportions, the volume. That’s when I hand everything over to my husband Bernat, a very talented and very patient 3D artist (he has to deal with a perfectionist Capricorn, so patience is essential). He takes my sketches and sculpts them into tangible, three-dimensional pieces – a literal work of art. These designs are then sent to be cast in silver or gold at our workshop in Barcelona.
My collections are like my babies, each with their own personality. I don’t have favourites but I have a tender spot for all of them for different reasons. The Ouroboros is the one that always makes a powerful entrance. The Talisman is the playful and charismatic one. The Blood Type is the most personal and individual. The Vintage is the spiritual soul of the family. And the Power of Love is the most Mediterranean and romantic. But our first baby, the Zodiac Collection, is probably the one that keeps bringing the most joy to my heart. It’s by far the most loved by our customers, and is often the first piece that people choose to start their Pola collection with. There are even tales of people becoming friends after recognising our Zodiac pendants on each other out in the wild.
The Power of Love is our latest collection, created as a celebration of love in all its forms: self-love, romantic love, wild love and everything in between. For the design, I took inspiration from the shell Venus was born from. Sculptured ammonites and scalloped shells dance around you, carrying deep meaning: the scallop shell, long associated with love, divine femininity and protection; the ammonite, a fossil spiral revered for symbolising life’s eternal cycles and attracting prosperity. The collection includes a choker, bracelet, anklet and earrings but the main character is the pinky ring, sculpted in the shape of a seashell, made in solid gold and crowned with a 0.4 carat lab-grown diamond. I wanted this ring to be indestructible, to be lived in and passed on as a testament of power and love.
For the Power of Love ring, I wanted the most precious stone without the human cost that often comes with it. Everyone knows that earth-mined diamonds can have a dark side. Maybe not all of them, but I honestly didn’t want to risk it. So I looked into lab-grown diamonds and discovered that you can have an exceptionally beautiful stone of the highest quality without compromising on ethics.
The idea came about very naturally. People visiting the island for a few days would contact me on Instagram asking where they could buy my jewellery in person. So I decided to open my home-studio by appointment only. It has turned out to be one of my favourite things. People try on the pieces in a very private, intimate setting while looking out at what inspires me most: the Mallorcan sea. I get to tell them the stories behind each creation, and through those stories, and a little intuition on my part, they leave having found something truly meaningful – an empowering jewel that will remind them of a beautiful holiday or a special moment in their lives. To book a visit, simply send a DM on Instagram or write to us at info@polajewellery.com.
Oh, where to start! It really depends on the season, but right now my favourite way to disconnect is jumping in the sea and soaking up the “poc a poc” energy of the island – that beautiful Mallorcan slowness that we all aspired to be our way of life. I also love treasure hunting at the Consell flea market, a late lunch or early dinner at Blai Bar in Port de Sóller watching the sun set over the water, or a tranquil walk by the east coast. But honestly, nothing beats a long sobremesa outdoors with good homemade food and friends.
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