bright gem is believed to foster vitality, confidence, action, sexuality and courage. Alejandra Aceves accompanies the radiant beauty of carnelian with glistening glass beads and an iridescent Swarovski crystal in the choker. .925 rating silver Artisan Info: "Hola! I'm Alejandra Aceves. When I was two years old, I began to paint in watercolors because everyone in my father's family was an artist. I loved to paint with him. Then, when I was seven, my mother taught me to sew and I loved it. At first I made little purses that I sold to my neighbors. Then I began to make outfits for ice skating. I skated, but the costumes weren't sold here so I made my own. My friends were fascinated with my designs, so I ...  (less)

Alejandra Aceves in Mexico, it is crafted by hand with Swarovsky crystals and sterling silver accents. Set includes dangle earrings and a caucho (natural rubber) choker. .925 rating silver Artisan Info: "Hola! I'm Alejandra Aceves. When I was two years old, I began to paint in watercolors because everyone in my father's family was an artist. I loved to paint with him. Then, when I was seven, my mother taught me to sew and I loved it. At first I made little purses that I sold to my neighbors. Then I began to make outfits for ice skating. I skated, but the costumes weren't sold here so I made my own. My friends were fascinated with my designs, so I made them for my friends, too. "At the same time, I was...  (less)

jewelry set. Francisco Sanchez brings a new interpretation to Mexico's pre-Hispanic icons. Finely fashioned of silver, a floral frog centers the gemstone necklace and two more become earrings. Among the ancient Maya, frogs were harbingers of rain. When offerings were made to the rain god, four small boys were tied to each corner of the altar. Their job was to chirp like frogs to call the life-giving showers. .925 rating silver Artisan Info: "Hello, my name is Francisco Sanchez and I am the second generation of jewelers in my family. Today there are three, as my daughters have also chosen this vocation. "Thanks to my father's influence, I began this beautiful occupation at a very early age. Art has formed a pa...  (less)

Debora and Marco display their blue iridescence in a dramatic necklace and earrings. Sterling silver settings complete the original jewelry set. Each jewelry set is meticulously crafted by hand, thus no two will ever be exactly identical in color and pattern. Due to the nature of the procedure, subtle cracks may appear during the cooling process. .925 rating silver Artisan Info: "Hello, we are Debora and Marco and we met while doing research on glass. Debora is from Argentina. After finishing a degree in art, she decided to widen her horizons and that road brought her to Mexico where we met each other," says jewelry artisan Marco. "I studied veterinary medicine. After several successful professio...  (less)

a fascinating jewelry set in dichroic art glass. Set on stainless steel strands, the pendant adorns a choker while earrings hang from sterling silver wires. Each piece is meticulously crafted by hand, thus no two will ever be identical in color and pattern. Due to the nature of the procedure, subtle cracks may appear during the cooling process. .925 rating silver Artisan Info: "Hello, we are Debora and Marco and we met while doing research on glass. Debora is from Argentina. After finishing a degree in art, she decided to widen her horizons and that road brought her to Mexico where we met each other," says jewelry artisan Marco. "I studied veterinary medicine. After several successful professional activities...  (less)

curved cylinders carry the color and texture to African beads. Gray and white granite beads complete the necklace. Matching earrings feature double aluminum hoops with glass beads and agate. Artisan Info: "I am Yaw Abora Asante, born September 7, 1967, in Ghana's Ashanti region. I attended Roman Catholic primary and middle school from 1975 to 1985. "I learned this art from Mercy Amaning. In 2000, she sent me to an art school to learn more about jewelry making and I was awarded a certificate in jewelry. In 2003, I was admitted to a computer school where I obtained a diploma in graphics. "What inspires me most is dreaming all the time of dressing models with bead jewelry for programs. Also, the way I see most ...  (less)

set. She works in ceramic, combining emerald glazes with soothing shades of brown and tan. The earrings feature Inca masks in silver. .950 rating silver Artisan Info: Ubaldina Paucar Achancaray was born in Cuzco on May 16, 1953. Proud of her Peruvian heritage, she remembers watching her father paint in LOW relief. So as a young girl, she decided to study handicrafts in the artisan school near the famous archeological site of Intihuatana. She learned weaving on the handloom, ceramics, painting and jewelry crafting, eventually excelling at all of them. After moving to an urban area, Dina decided to work and study. She received a degree in nursing and worked as a nurse until 1975, when she again turned ...  (less)

and matching earrings. She transforms newsprint into papier mache beads and adds pebbles of natural quartz. Brass wires and clasp complete the novel ensemble. Artisan Info: "I began crafting jewelry and belts about five years ago and it was my daughter who introduced me to this material. She would make her own necklaces and belts to add a special touch to her clothes, and I used to watch her intently. Little by little, I began to take an interest in it. I would help her organize the ensembles, embroider, and even share my opinions. Eventually I began buying my own materials and making my own accessories, which I always kept at home. "When my neighbors got to see what I had been making, they wanted t...  (less)

Contreras crafts these charming earrings. The matching pendant adorns a silver chain necklace. .950 rating silver Artisan Info: Born in 1964, Juan Contreras and his wife, Rosario Sulca [a Novica featured artisan], used to run a clothing shop, but financial hardship struck and things were not going well for them. Friends suggested the art of jewelry design, and Juan grappled with the decision for years. It was a world he absolutely knew nothing of, yet offered myriad creative possibilities. Rosario was eager to design jewelry, and at first they relied on expert silversmiths. Little by little, however, Juan became fascinated with the process and became an eager student - he is now passionate about desig...  (less)

18k gold and crowned with yellow quartz and 20 diamonds framing a smoky quartz. The effect is breathtaking. Artisan Info: "I was raised amid rocks. I always had an enormous fascination for them. My grandfather, Paulo Nercessian, was an Armenian immigrant and he began to work as a crystal prospector in Cristalina, in the central-eastern State of Goias. After a short period of time his undertaking grew considerably and he began buying mines. My father, Levon Nercessian, joined him and dedicated himself to the more adventurous side of the business, the work of exploration. My father was a kind of Brazilian Indiana Jones. Each mine is like a lottery; one never knows what will be discovered. "My father was considered a...  (less)

lemon quartz, green gold is the focal point of this design. Brazil's Aurea Sandra pays tribute to the earth's wealth in 18k gold. Artisan Info: "Because of World War II, my father came to Brazil from Portugal at the age of five, along with his parents, siblings and uncles. Because almost all of them were goldsmiths, they continued to practice their profession in Brazil. "My father had his jewelry workshop in our house, where he worked and met with suppliers and customers for metal, stones and other materials inherent to his work. I liked going to his workshop a lot, and sometimes he'd get angry and tell me, 'Get out of here. This is no place for a girl. You should study to be a teacher!' I was never able ...  (less)

is cast of 18k gold and crowned with rutile quartz featuring 10 diamonds on a golden halo. The exclusive design of this ring is by Leila Nercessian. Artisan Info: "I was raised amid rocks. I always had an enormous fascination for them. My grandfather, Paulo Nercessian, was an Armenian immigrant and he began to work as a crystal prospector in Cristalina, in the central-eastern State of Goias. After a short period of time his undertaking grew considerably and he began buying mines. My father, Levon Nercessian, joined him and dedicated himself to the more adventurous side of the business, the work of exploration. My father was a kind of Brazilian Indiana Jones. Each mine is like a lottery; one never knows what w...  (less)