By: Tom White
“Three generations support Maestros Joyeros, a Mexican jewelry store that is innovating its processes with the help of technology. It all started in 1931 with Don Ambrosio Rivas, who realized the need to sell quality jewelry and built a name in the market.
After his death, his wife Magdalena Guzmán and their son César Villegas continued the business. Still, this time manufacturing and investing in new technologies to follow trends, shares César Villegas, great-grandson of Ambrosio Rivas and son of César Villegas, who has been immersed in the jewelry industry since childhood.
Their differentiator in Mexico and Latin America is the ability to implement technology in their custom pieces without neglecting luxury. For this, César Villegas says, disruptive innovation is required, which includes 3D design and printing.
Photo Courtesy: Maestros Joyeros
But this innovation does not stray from tradition. Villegas says that in their factories, it’s possible to find three generations of a goldsmith’s family (grandfather, father, and son) working together, passing on all the knowledge of the past and present for jewelry creation. “In this way, we have results from combining traditional and modern techniques; the result is art,” he says.
In the technological aspect, César Villegas says it has been a difficult process, as gold is a conductive metal, and precautions must be taken to isolate the electric current to work properly in conjunction with the app. “I have Engineer Jonathan Razo, who has become the expert in this kind of pieces, as it’s not just about creating a PCB, but also about the design, development, and coordinating with the 3D teams, as well as his entire IT team and adapting the PCBs within the spaces of the pieces,” he adds.
Villegas is proud to have designed custom pieces for artists Wisin and Yandel, which feature LED technology and controllers through a Maestros Joyeros digital app in addition to their large size and beauty. Each piece has its WiFienabled PCB.
Photo Courtesy: Maestros Joyeros
César Villegas, senior, who has been a jewelry salesman since the age of 13, acknowledges that in the last 50 years, there has been a significant change in jewelry, with one of the most significant being the design in 3D printing, which has helped Maestros Joyeros to develop impressive pieces that are very different from the competition. “All the technology that has been merged, like LED or electronic screens, has created a significant change,” he emphasizes.
For Villegas senior, the jewelry industry will focus on customized jewelry in the next ten years, much of what is already done in their store. The trend is “to create and fulfill any type of whim that the client imagines.”
Gone are the days when merchandise was produced and sold in masses. “I reiterate, we are going to create 100% customized jewelry that represents the individual, their tastes, what they think, their style.”
Beyond aesthetics, Villegas senior says, the technology for jewelry pieces will be increasingly sophisticated, like GPS in collaboration with other applications to tracking diseases and pulses. “We live in a world increasingly unified with technology, and jewelry will not be left out of the trend,” adds the master jeweler.
Maestros Joyeros is undoubtedly a modern company, but it also has a great tradition. César Villegas says that if he had to pass on his knowledge to upcoming jewelers, it would be to listen to their parents and grandparents, see what they are doing right or wrong, and learn from that.
The advice he gives to the new generations is to be honest in their business.
“Without honesty, you can’t grow your company. When you offer your product, you must tell your customers exactly what you are selling, be honest, and never deceive the consumer.”
He ensures that he is leaving a legacy of honesty and truth, offering the end consumer what we are selling and not deceiving them. That, he says, is his small footprint in the jewelry industry.”
Instagram: @Maestrosjoyeros
Website: https://maestrosjoyeros.com
Published by: Martin De Juan
