Chaos as construction. The essence of raw emeralds comes from the depths of the earth, where everything explodes and comes together as part of one big piece. Something so precious that has to be scouted down under to be worn as a piece of art and the representation of a country that is the biggest producer of this gem in the world, Emeralds are as Colombian as it gets.
Alejandra Llano is the founder and designer of Fenomena, a jewelry brand that seeks timelessness and places Colombian emeralds in the center. Mixing modern and classic, her pieces are a vivid image of what her country means to her: vida.
Llano discovered the love she has for these gems back in 2012 when many experiences abroad make her recognize how valuable these stones were and the importance they had for her country. Inspired by natural shapes and color tones found in natural emeralds, the designer created a brand that works under the motto of fair trade and responsible extraction, that finds its power in the talent of its people and that aims to strengthen the name of Colombia with this natural resource.
“Despite being Colombian emeralds highly recognized for their quality, only 5% of the production enters the market as a final product, there is so much more that we can do. For years the emerald industry was controlled by violence, now things have changed and the world needs to know”.
Part of the know-how of the brand is to innovate in the use of this gem, so they decided to give the traditional way of working with it a twist. Instead of working with the crystallized stone, they work with uncut gems, following the guidelines of what nature has to offer, a raw process that respects centenary magical creations.
Each piece of jewelry is 100% handmade in Colombia using different technics like metal threads, electroforming, and bronze coating to create collections that are shaped into a vivid representation of its roots and that value beauty in its natural state.
Characteristics: rough edges and sharp tips. Shape: hexagonal. Status: fragile. Scale of hardness: 8/10. Hue: green, the color of hope. Fenomena plans to bring awareness to a market where the extraction of emeralds is no longer part of a history of violence, on the other hand, it represents new beginnings and acts as a reminder to people to make more conscious decisions and to value the simple, to value life.
By Daniela García G.