EARRING PROVENANCE:

I am extremely honored to have been offered some exquisite gold/diamond jewelry that once belonged to the late "Ellen Belber-Jiménez" & comes from her estate.. Ellen had been married to Federico for 56 years until her unfortunate recent passing..(Please see my vast inventory of jewelry by Federico in every category!)

Ellen & Federico met down in Oaxaca in the mid-60's while she was there working with the UCLA Oaxaca Market Study Research Project & Federico was involved at that time in writing articles on Oaxaca's traditional Arts & Culture.. Ellen lived & breathed the beautiful art of Oaxaca, the amazing jewelry throughout Mexico (With the focus on Oaxaca) , the hand woven textiles, the clothing, the food,etc. & like Federico, could tell you everything about each of them & was highly skilled on each subject. A skilled curator, Ellen sat on the board of the "AUTRY MUSEUM' in LA, till the time of her death.

Ellen collected quite the collection, where everything she owned was worthy enough to be in a Museum. (Yes, her pieces are that good! )Her tastes for Oaxaca jewelry were exquisite & owned nothing BUT the finest that Oaxaca offers.. These charming diamond & gold Oaxaca earrings are just one example of her fine tastes for the beautiful jewelry she owned. There are select pieces of Ellen's that are still housed at their museum in Oaxaca that shares her & her husbands name ("Museo Belber Jimenez" ) which by the way, has one of the most phenomenal, historical collections of jewelry & textiles known to Oaxaca & the region..

COPY/PASTE BELOW:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g150801-d10078011-Reviews-Museo_Belber_Jimenez-Oaxaca_Southern_Mexico.html

These have been in storage for the last 50+ years & anything you get that belonged from Ellen's vintage gold collection would be like owning something that belonged to a celebrity & because of who she was,makes her pieces that much more collectible.

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THE EARRINGS:

When I look at these, I can't help but be reminded of how jewelers have to go back to the 'root' of where things began & how each artist afterwards is influenced by the region & or artist from where it all began..With that said, I am speaking about the "Moors" who influenced the jewelry designs that were then made by the Spaniards & when the Spaniards went on their quest into Mexico & Oaxaca in the 1500's,they then influenced the people there & which much of the jewelry designed there, continues to have a Spanish influence by way of the Moors.

Back in the time these were made,status was determined not only by the clothing one wore,or the house they lived in,the education you received, but in the jewelry that was worn. So for a woman to own & wear diamonds & gold,she would have been considered "refined" & in a higher class in society.

Anchored from the hand made ear wires that hold a single diamond, is a 20 mm round (3/4") circular form that has a high domed shape (See backside in last photo) This center piece has 10 diamonds that are held by prongs that are laid in their own triangular form within the circle.. A larger diamond sits in the center. Finalizing the design are 3 fresh water pearl dangles,where the outer 2 have a single diamond at the top of the dangle & 2 diamonds above the pearls in the center dangle.

These are extremely elegant, feminine & have a lot of history!!! They give off a nice sparkle as they hit the light & based on their size, makes these nice & wearable that you may not even know you have them on! They have an undeniable Spanish Colonial/Mexican look & can be worn with many types of attire,from modern to traditional. Of course,a Mexican textile wardrobe is always the best, but definitely not limited to.

Would make a fabulous gift! They're real Keepers!!