Handmade Antigua Sun Jade Sterling Silver Earrings (Guatemala)

Options Jade - Green - White - Green
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This handmade creation is offered in partnership with NOVICA, in association with National Geographic. Our Antigua Sun collection comes from a desire to blend classic elegance with today's trends, the Jimenez Family explains as they highlight the oxidized finish of sterling silver earrings. Highly prized by the Maya and the Aztec people, jade is believed to attract love.

Product Features:

  • Weight: 0.23 oz
  • Dimensions: 1.5" L x 0.7" W x 0.3" D
  • Gemstone colors: Green
  • Gemstone shapes: Round
  • Style: Dangle
  • Natural stone - some variations in color and/or pattern are to be expected
  • Two bezel-set round-cut cabochon jades each measure 10 mm
  • Metal: 925 Sterling silver
  • Finish: Oxidized, Combination
  • Clasp: Hook
  • Hook Type: Kidney earwire
  • Made in Guatemala


Story Behind the Art: 

They didn't know anything about it; they both come from farming backgrounds. But along with their children Saira, Maribel and Luis Estuardo, they ventured into the world of silver and jade. Pedro and Esperanza took a huge chance when they decided to become jewelry artisans. They didn't know anything about it; in fact they both come from farming backgrounds. But along with their children Saira, Maribel and Luis Estuardo, they decided to venture into the world of silver and jade.

Pedro and Esperanza's story begins when on holiday in western Guatemala, Pedro - then 19 years old - met Esperanza, who was 17 years old. At the time, Esperanza washed and ironed clothes at the house of a woman whose son had a silversmith workshop. One day I was busy carrying some corn when the silversmith's wife called me over, and to my surprise told me she would like to offer Pedro a job! recalls Esperanza.

And that's how our journey into this wonderful world of jewelry began for us, says Pedro. When I was 12 years old I had worked for a while with a weaver specializing on the pedal loom. We wove pieces to sell at the market in Antigua. It requires a lot of hard work and the rewards are few. So I gladly joined the silversmith for six years, during which time I learned a lot from him. Then we decided to set up our own workshop, where we could let our imagination and creativity run free, and we could work on our own designs.


We buy silver that has been recycled from different photographs, lithographs and films. They all have silver which is sensitive to light and it generates an image when exposed to light. However, since the image only uses part of the silver, the unexposed silver is removed and treated with a fixing solution. This is done for two reasons, it protects the environment and it is more economic. However, the silver obtained this way is fine silver (1000 rating), which is less firm and difficult to work with. So, we mix it with a copper alloy to obtain the sterling silver we all know, and we have the quality tested to prove it is of a .925 rating.

All the jade we use, we are proud to say, is mined here in Guatemala, in the Zacapa region. We have managed to create a good team in which each of its members is extremely important to the proper functioning of our project.

All weights and measurements are approximate and may vary slightly from the listed information. Treatment code TB (jade). See for further information.

Please allow 10 business days for the product to leave our warehouse and to receive tracking information. You should expect to receive this item within 15 business days.