Guanajuato

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, Guanajuato is one of the many amazing cities in Mexico. It is built on steep hills with houses painted of colours that you can only imagine. It is the birthplace and the first place of insights for the muralist Diego Rivera. Underground rivers were turned into roads so it is a city of tunnels beneath the narrow winding cobbled streets. Mountains surround it. It is a university town full of music, poetry, art, science and festivals.

A unique style of jewellery is made here. It is influenced by the Churrigueresque ornament of the churches of that region. (see "Mexican Jewelry" by Mary Davis and Greta Pack) Pieces are built by adding different layers of design, largely in silver or in different colours of gold contrasting with each other. They were originally set with turquoise and pearls. These new ones have glass and artificial pearls, but if you wanted to bring pieces closer to the past, these could easily be replaced by a jeweller.
There are often flowers and birds on the pieces, or baskets. All are intriguing.
In this area, parts of the earrings are cast and cut with dies. Some pieces are attached by soldering and others by fine silver wires running through. All of the silver work is sterling grade, and the gold is 10karat. All of the measurements below are from the top of the earring hook to the bottom of the pendants.
And - these are all more substantial than they look on the photos.