Helena Rohner, handmade jewelry in the heart of La Latina
When you think of La Latina, you generally think of tapas, vermouth, the tortilla de patata with caramelized onions at Juana La Loca, and of course, El Rastro. You wouldn’t normally think of handmade jewelry, but on Calle del Almendro, just off of Cava Baja (by way of Grafal), you’ll find the Helena Rohner showroom.
Originally from the Canary Islands, Rohner bases her designs on the simplicity of shapes and pure lines. She mixes silver (there are gold-plated pieces as well) with a variety of materials (some of her pieces use porcelain, wood, and stones) to create simply beautiful designs. In addition to jewelry, Rohner has designed a variety of other products for companies such as Bodum and Georg Jensen. She’s also the 2014 winner of the Medalla de Oro en Bellas Artes.
Over the holidays, I stumbled upon her jewelry at The Hovse, an amazing pop-up shop a short walk from my then-apartment. I’m always on the lookout for something different, especially things made in Spain. And this is where it all began. I’m a sucker for jewelry since it’s normally something you can’t outgrow, well at least in theory. I was looking for little presents to bring to my parents and sister in New York and I love bringing things that they can’t get there.
What captivated me when I stumbled upon her station that very fateful day? Bracelets with simple silver or gold-plated pieces on colored cord. I began trying everything on, and I was sold. I also found a gold-plated ring that was a band in the form of a fishtail braid; it was just my style and fit on the exact finger I was looking a ring for. After picking up some items for my parents, sister, and one of my best friends from home, I snagged most of my made-in-Spain Chrismukkah loot.
Once I got back, I knew that I wanted more and decided to take a trip to the studio and store. As you enter, you can see the center displays with all of the different styles with the workspace on the left and offices on the right.
On my first visit, I was first drawn to the selection of bracelets that I had seen at The Hovse in various colors with simple shapes. There was a bright blue that I’m absolutely in love with (I have several pieces in that color), but the saleswoman guided me towards the granada cord (it’s a very pretty pink that contrast well, in Spanish, granada means pomegranate).
The bracelets on the colored cords are okay to wear in the shower and one of the saleswoman proudly reported that the silver pieces can be worn while swimming in the summer and can hold up well. In addition to those bracelets, I then got a bangle with a noted etching to fill a void left by one of my presents that broke. On subsequent visits, I got more bracelets like this, including a gold-plated circle on red cord. I also got a pair of small studs in the form of a knot (most earrings are sold individually). Other pieces I’ve snagged are a necklace with a knot pendant and another that can be worn as a headband (something I’ve definitely done to dress up my late-day ponytail on occasion.
When you go to Helena Rohner, you’ll come out with more than you planned on getting, but trust me, you’ll never want to take them off.
Info
WebsiteCalle del Almendro, 4
Metro: La Latina
Hours: Monday-Friday 9 AM-8:30 PM; Saturday 12:00-2:30 PM and 3:30-8 PM; Sunday 12-3 PM