Carrera Y Carrera: Four Delineations Of The Universe

The Spanish jewellery house Carrera y Carrera is considered one of the most prestigious in the world. It has made its mark in more than 40 countries, with branches in the US, Japan and Russia and boutiques in Madrid, Barcelona, Tokyo, Moscow, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur. The house’s history spans more than 130 years of lustre and sparkle. But, as the Spanish label’s new Universo collection shows, true art knows no limits.

Stylistically diverse and thematically extensive, the Universo collection easily wins a place on the list of the Baselworld’s most eye-catching collections (if there were such a list!). An innovative idea on the part of the brand designers, the universe was divided into four distinct parts, which in turn provided the inspiration for four mini collections. These four delineations of the universe were taken up from a little-known travel magazine discovered by the designers in one of Madrid’s bookshops. The magazine also gave the Universo collection its name; with the sub-collections titled as follows:

Origen (Origin) explores the idea of fire as one of the primary elements of the universe using asymmetrical curves and spirals of gold. The pieces convey the secret language of the flames with amethyst stones and prasiolite adding flashes of light to the designs.

Alegoria (Allegory) is a representation of the miracle of movement and the freedoms of flight, thought and feeling through the image of a butterfly, a symbol of beauty, grace and perfection. As a side note, butterflies, were especially popular at the Baselworld fair this year, featuring in the designs of a number of different brands. However, I have to say that Carrera y Carrera’s dancing butterflies were probably the most original.

Savia (Energy) emphasises the eternal energy of life, conveyed in their collection through the striking and ironic motif of squirrels in motion on a number of rings, bracelets and pendants.

Prisma (Prism) is designed around the concept of the prism as a source of the light of eternal truth, harnessing and transmitting it in a single beam. To convey this complex idea the designers have played around with geometrical and architectural contrasts in conjunction with linear structures and created original three-dimensional jewellery designs.

The designers of Carrera y Carrera have used classic methods and techniques in putting together this collection, combining typical styles and designs, sculptural elements, mixtures of matt and glossy gold, and delicate jewellery work done by hand. But that is far from all: the design of the collection is bursting with hypermodern trends. For example, the white gold and diamond Prisma earrings have a special decorative element on the back that can be pinned to your earlobe with a stud to be worn as one item or the studs can be worn on their own. As for the ear cuffs, which are a real fad at the moment, Carrera y Carrera have used yellow gold and diamonds to design the delicate butterflies featuring in the Alegoria collection.

At Basel Carrera Y Carrera designers themselves paid a visit to admire the collection in all its beauty. They went back to Madrid not long before I arrived to imagine new designs that would surpass the existing ones with the beauty. And that is no mean feat!