Joana Mieiro

A true spirit of craftsmanship. From sketches to refining the final piece, the physical aspects of creation - crafting ‘by hand’ -  have always been close at heart for Joana Mieiro. Her art concentrates on creating truly original design from a particular freedom of form.

The rules of design were mastered by Joana in Aveiro University, her post-graduate work in Jewelry Design took place in Porto, and from here a vision, an outward looking approach rooted in Portugal, came to life.  « The constant urgency to experiment and come into contact with different areas of study » explains Joana Mieiro on why she chose to develop her talent further in Helsinki, the Central School of Saint Martins and in Rio de Janeiro at the prestigious Atelier Mourão. In 2011, Joana embarked on a new journey, at the Richemont School of Design, Creative Academy at the highly prestigious Jaeger LeCoultre.

Her signature designs have always been inspired by geometry and driven by a search for meaning. Her pieces are modernist. Joana continues to interrogate and  seek new meaning with her work; it is her journey towards a new form of hand crafted luxury jewelry in Portugal.

Romeo Bettencourt

Geometry and the quest for identity

"Jewelry is the art that contains all others. We can take it with us without any effort; contemplate us, it defines us and speaks for us.”

Romeu Bettencourt uses a language that is geometric and minimalist, and seductively feminine. His conceptions are inspired by principles of engineering, with dynamic lines and mechanical forms that give the illusion of perpetual motion.

Romeu Bettencourt was born in the Azores, Portugal. His journey began in 2003 when he joined the Goldsmiths program at Soares dos Reis Secondary School in Porto. Soon after, he went to Scotland to study at the North Glasgow College, and in 2007 he entered ESAD - School of Arts and Design, graduating in jewelry. Here he was one of the 60 finalists selected, among 600 competitors, of various specialties, worldwide to be present at Schmuck 2011 in Munich, Germany and later in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France.

He sits on the Jury, in the jewelry section of the National Professions Championship as part of Portugal Skills. In 2016 he won the Revelation Designer Prize in jewelry. He has exhibited not only in Portugal, but also in Spain, France, Holland and Germany.

Susana Teixeira

The mathematical paradigms of beauty

Susana’s interest in jewelry is strongly influenced by her previous career as a mathematician: after graduating, she taught for over 10 years. She now brings the conceptual dimension of mathematics to the craft of jewelry creation, and is a designer-artisan.

This duality is very clear in one example, “The Golden Rectangle”. Here, filigree is used to bring to life the geometric form, which, for its aesthetic virtues, was for centuries considered the paradigm of beauty.

Originally from Oporto, where she studied at the Engenho & Arte school, she is currently based in Italy, from where she investigates the interpenetration and overlapping aspects of art and design. Fascinated by valences, the relative capacity to unite, react, or interact she sees jewelry as a vortex of influences that talk about life and the world. In addition to her work with filigree she also explores techniques that include chiseling and waxing with which to new forms. As an antithesis to the cold, straight lines of industrial productions modeling opens up paths that lead to organic constructs, reminiscent of the natural world. Challenge as a catalyst for surprise is rich in its bounties.