The sign of the monkey, which is the ninth of the 12 signs that constitute the Chinese zodiac, is one of strong personality and unique character. Women who are born under it are self-confident and have that contagious joie de vivre. To celebrate this New Year the Chinese way, Carrera y Carrera brings the monkey to life in two artful white and yellow rings.
This sign is the most romantic in the Chinese zodiac. It is also linked to the history of Spain, where the roots of the house reside. In the 16th century, Isabella of Avis – or Isabella of Portugal – the only wife of Charles V, was the first to believe in the monkey’s mythological power. A Cantonese Chinese man from Macau, then a Portuguese port in China, asked for a private meeting with Queen Isabella in the name of her brother, John III of Portugal. During this meeting, the man was commissioned to giving the queen an amulet from his land, which was a monkey’s head in gold. This piece that she hung on the left side of her chest gave her the strength to rule the Holy Roman Empire and Spain during the king’s long absence on the battlefield.
This year, Carrera y Carrera revives this story, believing that this sign increases the capacity to love and be loved. The house created a representation of Isabella of Portugal’s small amulet in the form of two rings that stand out by their curved lines. Handmade in Carrera y Carrera’s workshops in Madrid, these pieces feature a sculpture of the zodiac in yellow and white gold, while the head sees the brand’s signature matte finish, along with precious stones that add a touch of light to them. On the back of the monkey’s neck, a heart finds its place to evoke the talisman’s power over love.
The pieces in yellow gold include 41 green tsavorites, 11 orange sapphires, 18 amethysts and 20 diamonds, while the white-gold versions feature 70 green tsavorites and 20 diamonds.
Fill your heart with the power of love and joy in 2016 with Carrera y Carrera’s Monkey rings.
Mirella Haddad
