Món Embruix

EmBruix Jewels follows the philosophy of “Slow Made”.

“Slow Made” is a movement which emerged in France in 2012, led by French critic, art historian and exhibition curator Marc Bayard, and supported by French state-run institutions such as the Mobilier National and the National Institute of Artistic Crafts (INMA, Institut National des Métiers d’Art), which proudly promote the artistic crafts, as well as support their future development.

The movement aims to reflect, raise awareness and promote creative trades fulfilling six core values: research (the time needed to invent, experiment, build and exchange), skill (the mastery of traditional or innovative techniques), practice (using known and innovative tools and materials to produce sustainable work), transmission (spreading the culture and the value of time and skill to others), acquisition (empowering the consumer as an informed actor and carrier of responsible values) and equity (fair pricing that heeds the time invested in development and production). Contrary to the current model of consumerism, our “Slow Made” philosophy proposes a model of sustainable and responsible consumption, producing less and better (as opposed to the current planned obsolescence of objects). It also seeks to revalue “patient development”, where the time spent in the entire process of designing, creating and manufacturing a product is really known and taken into account. The “Slow Made” philosophy also stands for "crafted with all the time that is necessary".

In this sense, EmBruix Jewels, wants to work with this objective.

Creating unique handcrafted jewellery is not just a trade. It is an art. It is a discipline. A jewellery craftsman first imagines, then designs and, finally, manufactures. This is putting the process in simple and concise terms. The truth is that, within these three steps, and between them, there are many more tasks and details that the jewellery craftsman must carry out. One has to manage, market, sell, do public relations, advertise, etc. And first and foremost, one must have a trade, one must have learned a craft. This involves time and technique. And all of this has value. When a jewellery craftsman presents a handcrafted piece of jewellery... all the aforementioned elements... are housed within that unique creation. It is for all these reasons that a custom piece of jewellery must be made "with all the time that is necessary". That is why we must come to know how to truly appreciate the time we spend on doing anything.

I, being at the helm of EmBruix Jewels, gladly devote to a piece of jewellery, to a project, all the time necessary to bring it to fruition. To imagine it, to discuss it with the client, to design it, to comment on it again, to choose which technique or techniques I will use to create that unique piece, to inform myself and even get additional training if I decide to use a technique that I do not yet know and which is necessary for the unique piece of jewellery that I’ve set out to make, to create it, to present it just as I would like to receive such a unique piece myself ... All of this requires time. But it is the period REQUIRED for that jewel to be what I and the client want it to become.

I, being at the helm of EmBruix Jewels, do not count hours. I am not a machine that bills by the hour. I allocate to a custom piece or jewel the hours which that unique piece requires from me. I’ll say it again, allocating to each creation the time that is NECESSARY.

I, being at the helm of EmBruix Jewels, believe that there is such a thing as a fair price. That it is very true that a custom piece or jewel made by hand, with a few hours of dedication (we must not only take into account the time of manufacture, but also the time of gestation, design, etc., also the fact that it will be a unique custom piece) will always have a higher price than a piece of jewellery made in series, which will be the same as a hundred thousand other pieces. However, it will be fair value, fairly priced. That the materials, the related services that will have been employed to produce the unique piece, will have also been valued. And that everyone who has been part of this flow of work will have been paid fairly and appreciated.

I, being at the helm of EmBruix Jewels, consider myself lucky enough to work in a profession that, for me, is not a job. I am an artist, not a business transaction. I believe that my goal is not to "produce" a jewel in exchange for a mere economic transaction. I obviously want to make a living from my craft, to have what is necessary to live decently. But just enough to live a decent life, and just enough so that as many people as possible can enjoy jewellery that comes from my hands. I attach particular importance to the fact that I am able to “work” doing what I love most. And I’ll say it once again, being able to do it allocating to each project the time that is NECESSARY. This allows me to fully enjoy the process of making that custom handmade piece (I've always said it, it's not the destination, it's the journey). With this alone, I already feel very well paid!

I have counted no less than fifteen people who I should thank. Fifteen teachers who, since I started making jewelry, have been generous enough to share their knowledge with me. I say no less than fifteen because, besides these fifteen, there have been many others who have also taught me useful techniques in jewellery, but who may not have been the most noted to develop this craft. I learned from all of them and I owe all that I know about this craft to each and every one of them. Isn't this transmission of knowledge wonderful?

Synergy: it is the integration of elements that results in something greater than the simple sum of its elements. In other words, when two or more elements come together synergistically, the outcome created maximizes and makes the most of the qualities of each of its elements!
A beautiful way to contribute to an ideal world is to be able to create synergies. It is to do our very best so that our actions benefit other people, as well as other businesses, knowing that the fact that these other people and other businesses remain active also favours us.

Shops, suppliers of tools and products which we use on a day-to-day basis. Without wanting to do a disservice to anyone, EmBruix Jewels purchases resources, consumables and supplies from local shops and businesses. Zero distance! It is impossible to get more local than that! This does not mean not being able to access suppliers that may be a little farther away and with whom a more... online relationship is called for. However, always within the parameters of non-invasive commerce nor of large platforms which do not agree with our way of respectfully doing business with the commercial fabric of our local area.

Synergies can also be created and developed with other artisans. Looking through the collaborative lense, working all together to form a cooperative fabric is crucial to creating opportunities that energize and give visibility to our respective crafts, which favours all parties involved. In short, everything that can benefit artisans will be good and beneficial for all!

I am part of a professional group, a guild, a trade, a sector and, to give guarantee of my work and craft, I am a collegiate member.

My membership number is 03681.

The Generalitat de Catalunya has also bestowed the professional Craftsman License on me and all that this accreditation implies.

I am an instructor at the Official Chartered Trade Association of Jewellers, Goldsmiths, Watchmakers and Gemologists of Catalonia School (Jorgc).

The professional craftsman license is a voluntary accreditation, issued by the Generalitat of Catalonia, which can be requested by any individual who develops their production by hand as recognition of the technical mastery, quality and design of one or more crafts or trades.

The result must be a local artisanal creation, individualized and made with natural raw materials or recycled industrial material which combines technique, tradition and/or innovation. Under no circumstances will the resulting creation be susceptible to massive industrial production for its sale.