I grew up in Trinidad and Tobago, the southernmost end of the West Indies. Some of my fondest memories are of fishing with my father, and watching him handcraft gorgeous Bayras, or West Indian Bangles. My father learned the jewelry-making trade from his father, who started our family jewelry business in the 1940s, reflecting the rich history of Africans and Indians making these traditional treasures. As I grew older, my father began to teach me the methods Islanders have been using for generations, to make the beautiful fine metal jewelry that we all know and love.
In 2007 I moved to the United States and married my husband. Although I loved my new life, I truly missed my island home, the ocean, and the connection to my culture. I longed for a way to keep my roots alive in an area that lacked a West Indian population. I began again to make the jewelry my father had taught me to make. Island people are creative people, and reawakening my creativity brought me back to life in a very meaningful way.
Seventy-five years after my grandfather started the family business, that tradition is still going strong; my father is retired but continues to share his skills with us, and my brothers and I all work to keep this tradition alive and thriving. We use contemporary techniques and standards while still preserving the historic and traditional values long associated with the jewelry. All of our products are crafted by hand, fusing rich Caribbean culture with beautiful silver and gold craftsmanship. Each design has its own unique story that we hope you will appreciate and share.
I grew up in Trinidad and Tobago, the southernmost end of the West Indies. Some of my fondest memories are of fishing with my father, and watching him handcraft gorgeous Bayras, or West Indian Bangles. My father learned the jewelry-making trade from his father, who started our family jewelry business in the 1940s, reflecting the rich history of Africans and Indians making these traditional treasures. As I grew older, my father began to teach me the methods Islanders have been using for generations, to make the beautiful fine metal jewelry that we all know and love.
In 2007 I moved to the United States and married my husband. Although I loved my new life, I truly missed my island home, the ocean, and the connection to my culture. I longed for a way to keep my roots alive in an area that lacked a West Indian population. I began again to make the jewelry my father had taught me to make. Island people are creative people, and reawakening my creativity brought me back to life in a very meaningful way.
Seventy-five years after my grandfather started the family business, that tradition is still going strong; my father is retired but continues to share his skills with us, and my brothers and I all work to keep this tradition alive and thriving. We use contemporary techniques and standards while still preserving the historic and traditional values long associated with the jewelry. All of our products are crafted by hand, fusing rich Caribbean culture with beautiful silver and gold craftsmanship. Each design has its own unique story that we hope you will appreciate and share.