With clients like Demi Moore, Ricardo Martin’s off to a glittery future

When Marilyn Monroe belted out the tune Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend in the 1953 musical comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, it said much about an era when women dressed to the nines, when elegance and glamour were the epitome of style. Though style and fashion have been democratized since those days, one thing is certain – jewelry has never failed to cast its spell on women. While the baubles of Cartier, Tiffany or Harry Winston may be endlessly appealing, there is a growing demand for the creations of young designers who infuse their work with a sense of daring and a sense of fun. Ricardo Martin is among this breed of designers. This Los Angeles-based artist was born and raised in Manila where he studied Medicine. Just as he was about to specialize in the field of plastic surgery, he changed course to follow a lifelong passion for the arts. He has since gone from conceptual art to commercial and fashion photography to jewelry design. Listening to him talk about those career moves sounds more like happenstance than the result of conscious choices. He has been in jewelry design for three years now and it seems that he’s found a niche. With celebrity clients like Demi Moore, Brittany Murphy and Patti Labelle, with representation in major stores in the United States and London, and features in the likes of Vanity Fair and Women’s Wear Daily – he’s off to a promising future.

Though many still regard jewelry as a status symbol, Ricardo believes that "jewelry should really be a source of personal pleasure, not something to show off." That gives you a clue as to what you might expect from this designer. His line of jewelry, known as Dom Spiro Spero (the Greek saying for "as I breathe, I hope"), allows one plenty of room for self-expression. The collection is sold at Neiman Marcus stores in the United States and at Brown’s boutique in London. Recently, his line of lucite rings and bangles encrusted with black diamonds, lemon citrine and Mexican fire opals made it to the Spring preview of Women’s Wear Daily. The lucite collection in jelly-like colors of cherry and peach, are whimsical in appeal but are bold enough to stand up to just about anything in your wardrobe. These pieces are all about having fun. And in a fashion season that is strong on color, these eye-popping delights have been snapped up by the women of Palm Beach who are gearing up for a season of serious entertaining.

On the other end of the spectrum, there is the timeless appeal of what Ricardo calls his "Italian Baroque" series that is very much in the mold of Buccellati. This edition of jewelry crafted in 18-karat white and yellow gold, are fully hand-engraved and set with rare stones such as a blue-green beryl or a bright orange Mexican fire opal in cabochon cuts. One particular ring has dart pleats over hand engraved yellow gold that recalls the work of the legendary fashion designer, Cristobal Balenciaga. The earrings in this collection are delightfully feminine and come in delicate drops of champagne and pink topaz encased in yellow gold.

With cocktail rings in vogue, there are conversation pieces here for those in search of the unusual. The "watermelon" ring is fashioned from a tourmaline cut in the shape of a sliced watermelon with undulating tones of reddish-pink bordered in green. The stone is mounted on yellow gold and set on clear lucite band. For a more sublime appeal, look for the "rootbeer" citrine ring, so named because of its clear brown hue. Set in textured and diamond-drilled yellow gold, this ring beams with quiet elegance. Another delicious-looking treat are the multi-colored tourmaline chips broken into a textured gold finish which may well be called the "nougat ring."

The fun doesn’t stop there. The rings that comprise his "galaxy series" evoke moonlit nights when stars are at their brightest. The stars in this case are tourmalines in dark tones set against white gold. One ring has tiny circles of tourmalines radiating from white gold spokes. Another is a smoky topaz shaped like a dome and studded with black diamonds. For those who really want to play, there are stackable rings in matte gold finish of various shapes, sizes and thickness which make for ideal travel accessories.

If you can’t seem to get your fill of beads – take your pick, there are necklaces of lemon citrine in a briolette cut, burnt orange carnelian discs, faceted smoky topaz and unpolished turquoise. It is facile to say that there is something for everyone in this collection. But if its versatility that you’re after, these pieces do the job, taking you from day into night. If you want to make a statement, look no further. There is an artistic restraint to these designs that allows the qualities of the stones to come through. Best of all, the price range is competitive with some of the big brand names, ranging from $300 for the stackable rings to $3,500 for cocktail rings. If that’s still too steep, Ricardo will soften the blow and make you an offer you can’t refuse. After all these gems were made to please and not to fret about.

Be warned: this collection may give you a sensory overload. These rocks sparkle with color and resonate with joy, exuberance, drama and humor. Which brings us back to where it all begins – the woman herself. What is the Dom Spiro Spero woman like? Here’s a profile of that woman in Ricardo’s words. "One who knows herself – flaws and all. One who knows what she’s worth on the inside before the outside. One who considers her main assets – her intelligence, her wit and her charm. One who is aware of what life gives her and how she respects those gifts."

That sounds like quite a woman. But then again Ricardo Martin is a very different designing man. There are no must-haves in this designer’s book, just feel-good pieces that allow a woman to express her individuality and her sense of style.