Carrera Y Carrera, a world-renowned diamond jewelry house in Spain, is opening a boutique in Dubai. Their grand opening will feature works from three collections designed as a tribute to the work of late Hollywood actress Ava Gardner. Although Gardner was American, she spent some time after her 3rd marriage (to Frank Sinatra) in Spain, becoming friends with Ernest Hemingway. Through this friendship, she discovered a love for bullfighting, and for one bullfighter in particular, Luis Miguel Dominguin. She later said of that time, “It was a sort of madness, honey”, using the charming and seductive tone that made her so popular as an actress.
Using a combination of 18 carat gold and 10 carat diamonds, the handmade jewelry pieces exemplify Spanish passion. According to Nathalie Guedj, CEO of Carrera Y Carrea, “This trio of collections—Sol y Sombra, Te Quiero and Ava draw inspiration from Ava Gardner…the quintessence of feminine beauty and of her love affair with Spain.” Gardner, who lived in Madrid for several years in the 1950s, influenced the collection and its theme of “Love of Life”.
The Ava Collection includes a necklace of white and yellow gold with diamonds designed in a crescent shape and holding a circular pendant. The white gold arch is encrusted with pave diamonds, and the yellow gold is decorated with a delicate floral motif. This piece has a matching set of reversible hoop earrings, one in white gold and the other in yellow gold, and a matching bracelet as well. A set of white gold rings are also included in this collection, in Carrera Y Carrera’s well-known sun motif, studded with rose and white brilliant-cut diamonds. The sun motif carries to reversible white gold pendants strung on double chains.
The Sol y Sombra collection is intended to capture the mood of the afternoon sun in a bullfighting ring. The signature sun motif recurs here on rings and pendants in white and yellow gold studded with diamonds. This more casual collection is designed for everyday wear.
Te Quiero features Carrera Y Carrera’s ‘giraffe’ motif. It is meant to express Gardner’s sweetness and love of life. Included in the collection are rings of white and yellow gold with diamonds and smoked quartz, and necklaces and bracelets of yellow gold and diamonds. This collection is designed for the young, or young at heart.
Carrera Y Carrera first introduced these collections in 2007, but is using them as their masterpieces to launch the new boutique in Dubai.
