Lilac Jade Necklace from Guatemala - Memorable Moon in Lilac

Artisan Organization: Carolina Quiroa

Country: Central America

"I remember the sound of the rain, and the smell of coffee when I wake up in the morning; it reminds me of my native land…

"I'm Carolina Quiroa. I was born in Barahona, D. R. Barahona is called The Pearl of the South, for its beautiful beaches, waterfalls, mountains and diverse wildlife. Barahona is where the famous gemstone larimar is found. Larimar is the native stone of the Dominican Republic.

"I grew up surrounded by great artisans, who dedicated their lives to creating beautiful jewelry with larimar and amber, 100% handcrafted. I grew up in an entrepreneurship environment. Most of the people I knew had their own business, and that really impacted my life. I started my entrepreneurial life when I was 11 years old. I remember making ice cream to sell to all my friends; and also grabbing limes from the trees to sell them. At such a young age I wanted to be able to earn my own money. I was a business-minded little girl.

"Time passed by and I migrated to the United States at the age of 15. Here is where I met my high school sweetheart. He's from Guatemala, another beautiful country full of great people and great artisans. In our first year of marriage, he took me to Antigua Guatemala, and there I was introduced to jade. Let me tell you... It was love at first sight, and since then, I never stopped wearing jade. Life got me into the jewelry industry, and there I realized that I loved designing. I always have; it was like something inside of me woke up. Since I was little I used to design my dolls’ jewelry. I remember making necklaces and earrings. And the highlight of my life was to design my wedding dress.

"I started working in the jewelry industry, and while working in the industry I noticed that a lot of companies didn't work with these two beautiful gemstones. Since then, I started making my own designs using my two favorite gemstones, jade and larimar. They represent where my husband and I are from. My purpose is to bring people the beauty of jade, the beauty of larimar and their meanings. I know and understand that for some people it’s not a diamond, but for others it means something special like love, unity, strength, and happiness. I love the variety of colors and the feeling I get each time the stone touches my skin.

"When we are young we always dream of something, and sometimes when we grow up and face unimaginable circumstances we just try our best to get through them. And sometimes we tend to put our most precious dreams aside, but they will always be there, deep inside of our hearts waiting for us to take action; even when we think that now it's too late, and that we missed the opportunity. It's never, ever too late to fight for your dreams; to fight for what you really want; to see your dream come to light and become a reality. I’m grateful to do what I love." "