ABSOLUT HERITAGE: six historic periods, six jewels Colombia and Venezuela were once united as the Great Colombia. Hence, that common ëheritage’ they share that joins them and allows us to learn about the evolution of that shared history. The legacy from these six periods
Pre-Columbian, Spanish, Colonial, Caribbean, Independence, and Contemporary – has been interpreted by talented designers in six different jewels.
Pre-Columbian. When Spaniards arrived in America, they found aborigines who lived in the forest, amidst exuberant and colorful vegetation. They looked savage, had long dark hair, and dark were also their eyes and their skin. They were mystical and quite sociable. The Venezuelan artist Ana Alexandra Henríquez created a piece on the basis of this context: natural, clear, fresh, and spiritual.
Spanish. The XVII century finds the Spanish Empire in full splendor. Sophisticated, elegant, with a strong Catholic influence, Spanish women come forth as both haughty and traditional, reflecting the spirit of their country and their time. The jewel created by the Venezuelan artist Titina Penzini reminds us of an imperial, cultivated and proud Colonial woman.
Colonial. Women from this period were the result of the mixture of Spanish and indigenous people, the result of the integration of their cultures and souls. Their features are the closest to those of Latin women today. That mixture of races was the inspiration for the piece created by the Colombian artist Alexandra de Brigard.
Caribbean. In Colonial times, Africans brought to this country by Spanish conquerors played a determinant role in the construction of cities. Cartagena de Indias, for example, was built by the black
community that also participated in the independence war. That is why Caribbean women have African features, with a force and poise reflected in the jewel designed by the Venezuelan Gabriela Urdaneta.
Independence. A brave, passionate woman who, being under the influence of the ideas of freedom of French philosophers of the time, played a very important role in the Independence. Her contemporary
physical appearance influenced by Spanish culture served as inspiration for the Colombian designer Marcela Medina to create a jewel that would convey that impressive message of independence.
Contemporary. As a result of all this historical process, we have a determined woman, elegant and sophisticated, whose physical features reflect a very peculiar mixture of races that has come to be known
as Latin American beauty. That is why Colombian designer Tatiana Granados has created a modern and contemporary jewel that, at the same time, takes us back into the past, to the mere roots of Latin American history.
