Who is behind this brand?
Hello, I am Gloria and this is my story:
After 10 years of running a computer business with my husband, I felt that I wanted new challenges, I really needed them. So I decided to mix my love for Aruba, my manual skills, and my commitment to do something sustainable and beautiful to create unique pieces of jewelry.
This shop was created to share my works with you not only because I am passionate about what I do, but also to be able to catch the essence of the beauty of Aruba and transmit that through my art.
You will find one-of-the-kind, unique and unrepeatable pieces of jewelry, made with sea glass collected by me for more than 15 years on our beaches. Every piece of jewelry represents the beauty of this Island and you will feel the Caribbean in every piece of my exclusive collections.
I think sometimes gift-giving can be challenging, either gifting for others or for yourself, and at a time when so much is mass-produced, isn’t it more enjoyable to get something handmade by someone you know? I hope I can solve this challenge for you, thus you’re very welcome to this online Sea Glass Jewelry Boutique!
Where I come from:
I would like to share a little bit about me, to give you a better understanding of why and how I become a passionate jewelry designer.
Born in Salta, north of Argentina, I was a software developer, that meet my now husband online in 2000, come to Aruba in 2002, get married, raise a beautiful family, open a small computer business to finally discovered that I really love to do is create and design jewelry.
Since my childhood, I felt passionate about designing. My hobbies were sawing and knitting some of my own clothes and after high school, my life led me to another study and I graduated as Computer Systems Analyst.
I always knew that I was gifted with manual skills. I love art, designing, and nature, and also love to travel; so each opportunity I had to travel, I choose places with beaches. Salta is far from the sea, but for some reason, I feel a special connection with the sea, with the energy of the ocean, and maybe for that reason now all my creations are inspired by the ocean.
The big move:
In August 2000, while at work in Argentina, I meet my husband online. He was living in Aruba when we started an online chat. For the next two years, we had long conversations almost daily. After many persistent invitations from my “to become husband” to visit him in Aruba, I decided one day to make the trip to this beautiful island.
I moved to Aruba in June 2002, where after a while, we got married and had two wonderful sons. My sons have taught me the true meaning of a mother’s unconditional love. After I had become a mother, I start to understand my mother and I value all that she has done for me much more. I am forever grateful for the contribution of my father and mother to who I am today.
How I discovered my passion:
After a few years of running our computer-related business with my husband, I felt a great urge need to create something new. At the beginning of 2012, I started to make abstract paintings for my home. In the same year in October, I enrolled in a fashion design workshop. During this short workshop my new passion, rather my true passion started.
In that workshop, I made three outfits to be shown in a runway project. I enhanced the outfits with bold and chunky accessories. I almost never wear large accessories myself, therefor this was something completely new to me, and pretty essential for the runway show. It was then that I realized how much I enjoyed making jewelry and other accessories.
During the entire year 2013, I spent my free time learning about jewelry making; new techniques, different materials, acquiring new skills, making mistakes, and starting over, yet always taking pleasure in this process. As a result, I created my first collection of jewelry with homemade cold porcelain, and with part of my treasures collected over the years on the beaches of Aruba.
I fell in love with sea glass at first sight when I found them on my long walks on the beach shortly after arriving in Aruba. As an ocean lover, I was collecting every treasure that I found without knowing that later they would become something very important to me.
In July 2017, I traveled to Bogota, Colombia, to attend a silversmith jewelry-making course at a local and well-known jeweler, where I learned how to work with sterling silver and bezel settings. It has been a challenge and I experienced great satisfaction while learning these new skills. I thought I’m already starting to be a jeweler!
I continue participating in different fashion shows. I feel very inspired here in Aruba, mainly by nature, the beaches, and the ocean. The rich, creative environment and cultural diversity also contribute to enriching my own development.
If you ask me why I started my business? The answer is simple, I did not have an option, I had to do it! Designing and creativity are a force stronger than mine, it is a kind of energy that makes me restless, I just love to create, and also it is a fun way to express myself!
I enjoy every part of the process of owning my business. I am really involved in every detail of the production of my jewelry and I am very excited to share with you all my new ideas.