emerson-and-farrar

Breathtaking Beauty

Emerson & Farrar hosts a jewelry trunk show featuring its exclusive collection of Barcelona-based Masriera on Oct. 19.

Kelley Huskey Current Digital, Shopping

emerson-and-farrar
Masriera Deco Enamel Ring.
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY EMERSON & FARRAR

Jewelry by Barcelona-based Masriera can best be described as art nouveau, art deco, avant-garde, and simply elegant. Rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, pendants, and brooches are inspired by nature, fantasy, and femininity.

The breathtaking pieces are carried by a limited number of authorized jewelers in the United States, including Emerson & Farrar, which will feature them at a trunk show from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at its downtown Palm Springs location. A full collection will be presented by Masriera brand managers and will be available for viewing and purchase.

“It is nice to have (the jewelry line) in our location because it is an exclusive collection that is not saturated in the valley,” said Christie Seybert, branch manager at Emerson & Farrar. “It is one of the best selling in our store, and people are familiar with the brand.”

Founded in 1839, Masriera has been worn by European royalty for a century and a half, and its pieces have been on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

According to Seybert, Masriera items are created the way jewelry used to be made long ago and not mass-produced. The production process is a time-consuming and laborious one, taking six to eight weeks to complete a single piece. Materials and stones are carefully chosen by jewelers, who have received three years training before spending another four years specifically focused on replicating Masriera’s style.

All Masriera items are made of 18 karat gold. The original steel dies that were used at the turn of the century are still used today ensuring strict adherence to Masriera’s one-of-a-kind design specifications. Die-struck jewelry is more dense and durable, holds stones more securely, and resists corrosion.

masrieranecklace

Masriera Diamond Accented Lion head pin pendant.

Masriera is one of only three jewelry makers in the world that operates in this fashion. The piece is cast, hand-enameled, textured and engraved, undergoing 10 to 14 firings. The piece remains unbacked which allows light to pass through, creating a likeness to stained glass with strikingly vivid hues.

masriera

Plique-a-Jour Dragonfly pendant.

Seybert said she loves the brand because of its fine quality and craftsmanship. “Each piece is a piece of art and handmade,” she said.

Masriera is one of the oldest jewelery houses still in existence today, created by Jose Masriera. His son, Josep, and later his grandson, Lluis, followed along in the family business, maintaining and perfecting the jewelry line for three generations.

Emerson & Farrar Fine Jewelers is located in a historic building, formerly the Oasis Hotel, designed by renowned architect Lloyd Wright in 1923. The Masriera trunk show takes place concurrent to Modernism Week Fall Preview, and provides an opportunity to peruse not only the exquisite jewelry line but also the building.

Emerson & Farrar Fine Jewelry
125 S. Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760-832-7246
emersonandfarrar.com