I must admit, I’m a big fan of Clara Stones and I maniacally like and send hearts to almost all photos on their amazing Instagram page. The recipe is simple: a unique piece of traditional jewellery crafted in a traditional way where a lot of patience, talent and love are interwoven even in the tiniest details of their beautiful pieces. This is by no means jewellery that you wear once and then you forget about it, but unique pieces that narrate a story about the secret talents of Dubrovnik.
Clara Stones Gallery is devoted to passing on their knowledge about craftsmanship by organising workshops where they teach the meticulous process in which red coral is transformed from raw material branches into finished jewellery. Once you start discovering your talent and crafting your first piece of jewellery, you will realise why coral is considered one of the most precious materials in the world throughout the ages.
The original species of the red corals is found mainly in the Mediterranean Sea where corals grow on the rocky sea bottom with low sedimentation. Since the corals usually hide from the sunlight they can be found in dark caverns or crevices. Red coral was a very important trading good during the times of the Republic of Dubrovnik and regarded as the red gold of the Adriatic. The lost coral craft in Dubrovnik and the Adriatic was revived by Vittorio, the Milan born and bred owner of the independent jewellery brand Clara Stones which he founded in 2007 following his family tradition in jewellery making. The gallery in Dubrovnik was opened in 2011 as his first flagship store.
More more information about the workshops at the Clara Stones Gallery, please visit their Facebook page or have a chat with the great staff at the gallery situated in the heart of the Old Town.
Clara Stones Gallery Address: Nalješkovićeva 3, 20 000 Dubrovnik
Winter working hours: Mon- Sun 9.30 – 19.00
Summer working hours: Mon –Sun 9.30-22.00
