The jewelry story is a family story, with tragic plot twists, successes, epiphanies and, of course, love. The beginnings of the Spanish jewelry house date back to 1943 to a 20 square meter shop-workshop in the old area of Bilbao. “In 1974, its founders, Emiliano Suárez Faffián and his wife, Sara, died in a traffic accident,” recalls Giovanna de Peverelli, the firm’s jeweler since 1991. “Their two sons, Emiliano and Benito Suárez, were less than 30 years old and “A lot of courage, they promoted the growth of the house first in Bilbao and then in Madrid,” adds De Peverelli. In Madrid they opened the iconic store at number 63 Serrano Street in 1982. Today, they have 62 points of sale and a policy of international expansion in markets such as Mexico, Portugal and Saudi Arabia. “We are still very young compared to other international firms,” says De Peverelli.
They have been able to connect with new audiences through special collections: such as the one inspired by the Mexican artist, the reinterpretation of amulets or the collaboration with the Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel. In 2010, they launched the brand, with a more casual spirit.
One of the pillars of its design is the Sur Mesure service, the production of custom pieces. “The result, more than jewelry, is emotions, orders for important moments: weddings, births, self-gifts, gifts for a mother…” From 1992 to 2008 they carried out more than 5,000 orders of this type; When they resumed the Sur Mesure service in 2018, they did so with a more modern touch, but with the same spirit. Suarez integrates new technologies into the design without losing the artisanal essence. “Artificial intelligence allows us, for example, to save time when searching for variants and possible modifications to designs, but the fundamental thing remains the know how of people,” details the designer.
Times have changed and so has he. “In the past, men took precedence: they were the ones who came to choose the piece to give as a gift. Today women are autonomous and we are practically on par. Many give themselves gifts or come in groups to give a piece of jewelry to a friend,” says De Peverelli.
Each jewel condenses feelings, and to achieve this work, as emotional goldsmiths, they take care of all the details. The process, in which the designer, the gemologist and quality control personnel and the 3D team are involved, can last between 5 and 12 weeks, depending on the difficulty of the selected raw material. The Suárez family personally chooses and purchases the stones, ensuring that the diamonds, gems or pearls meet their rigorous quality standards. In fact, 99.5% are discarded. “Diamonds continue to reign in wedding engagements; Secondly, sapphire, especially blue, although pink is also popular.” Among the ring models, the classic triplet triumphs: with a central stone and two side stones. He neovintage and the art deco They attract a clientele that associates these styles with Suarez.
Interaction with the client is essential. “The salespeople are specialists and from the first visit they go out of their way to understand the client’s wishes,” he says. On the first visit, notes on the client’s preferences are collected; In the second, the client chooses among the different sketches. “A full-scale model is then created with resin, especially useful for earrings or necklaces that cannot be adequately represented on paper. At this stage, the necessary adjustments are made in collaboration with the client before proceeding to manufacturing,” describes De Peverelli. If the piece requires a specific diamond or gem, the in-house gemologist searches for the raw material in international exchanges. “In complex cases, such as diamonds fancy of particular sizes or carats, we turn to our global network of suppliers to locate the best ones.” Sustainability is crucial: “We have always bought natural materials, our house is sustainable.”
They took advantage of the great recession that was the 2008 crisis to reinvent themselves. At that time, the company decided to expand: they opened more than 20 points of sale in El Corte Inglés, going from those five stores in 2008 to more than 70 today. A change that diversified its offer: Suarez has expanded its products. Along with high-priced jewelry, there are more accessible pieces, such as the silver line. “We have attracted a more varied audience: young people who previously did not dare to enter the stores,” confirms De Peverelli, “by becoming democratized, we have accessed a more fierce market, yes. Although the stone used in a piece is smaller, the quality standards remain: the demand is the same.”
During 2024 the house has turned 80 years old, a trajectory supported not only by the clientele, but also by the awards: in 2019, the Madrid Family Business Association (Adefam) distinguished the Suárez family with the recognition of “Business Family of the Year”. Spain is synonymous in European jewelry with quality and timelessness, according to De Peverelli. “The consumer profile is similar to that of markets such as Portugal or Mexico: the client looks for well-made, elegant and durable pieces. An approach that has allowed Spanish creations to enjoy great acceptance in international markets,” he says.
