GUILLERMO ARREGUI

Genius is in the details of a castle's architectural design. Aside from their foreboding beauty, the nearly 3,000 castles of Spain were strategically built to withstand military assaults from Moors and early Christian marauders.

However, it is believed that the Segovia Alcázar Castle is the model from which the Disneyland Magic Kingdom castle is patterned. Spain is also the birthplace of featured jewelry designer Guillermo Arregui.

Enthusiastic and adventurous, Arregui learned metalwork after meeting a silversmith in Mexico.

"After I married, my wife and I moved to Mexico and by chance, in 1985, we went to Taxco and I met a silversmith who opened the doors of his workshop to me. I learned everything," he says.

The devoted father of four, and avid traveler brings varied design aesthetics to his creations. First, there are the fluid, unembellished pieces, like his Sea Turtle Pendant, as well as turquoise and silver combinations both of which are renowned in Mexico. There are also gorgeous items that appear to pay homage to Aztec symbols such as his Hypnotize Bracelet.

Some of his minimalist, modern structures are reminiscent of jewelry from Central Europe. Similar to designs by Yossi Harrari (Turkey), Marianne Anderson (Scotland), and Sarah Graham (USA), Arregui subtly, but effectively, implements glossy, blackened metal with 22-karat gold plating the contrasts of which evoke dark chocolate with caramel.

"I left home at 16 and traveled all over Europe. I saw great places, slept under the stars, met an Italian girl, and got married," he enthuses. "I get inspiration from everything that surrounds me and obviously from all my traveling."

Arregui's implementation of unusual sculptural forms with accents of reconstituted turquoise, pearls, purple charoite, and peridot, as well as oxidized metal, is quietly distinctive and innovative.
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Photo 1 (top right): Sterling and Oxidized Silver New Life Necklace with 22-Karat Gold Plating
Photo 2 (bottom left): Sterling Silver and Pearl Gossamer Dreams Necklace