The Designer

Meet Mar Aldeguer

From a very young age, I was fascinated by fashion, art, painting and specially stones. I started noticing the ones at the beach; I liked them all, I was enthralled by its colours and shapes always wondering about their origin and how time had shaped them. I would spend countless hours picking different stones, gazing and touching them, always discovering something special.

I became an amateur collector, perceiving the beauty and benefits of semi precious stones, and ended up having a very interesting assemblage. 

After getting my degree in Journalism, I wanted to treat myself to my childhood dream and got my diploma in Design which was put aside for different reasons.

I worked in different media and joined our family business of blown glass, a factory located in Majorca about to turn 300 years manufacturing lamps and wonderful crystal pieces in amazing colours.

At one point I decided to go back to University and got a Masters in Advertising and Business Communication. I enjoyed so much everything I learnt that I wanted to create a brand that people could identify with. I started paying close attention to passers-by on the street and friends of mine in order to unravel the needs of people like me, their tastes and worries but above all trying to understand the missing link in the fashion industry.

I perceived a notorious void between traditional and custom jewellery. I saw myself creating a collection  to bridge that gap. Contemporary and affordable jewellery, using the vast variety of colours and shapes found in semiprecious stones. Sterling silver pieces coated in gold to achieve different finishes.

Coolook is born in Madrid

In spite of being in the middle of an incipient global crisis, when traditional jewellery had a major setback due to economic reasons as well as not keeping up with trends, I was very enthusiastic and eager to make my dream come true.

In Asia I found marvellous semi precious stones as well as the carver who gave life to my designs. In Spain and Italy, I found quality workshops with the technology to create surprising shapes. Gradually, I have developed an increasingly extensive collection, a limited and artisanal production that is sold online, in jewellery stores and elite fashion boutiques.

Our store in Madrid was a turning point, the true birth of the brand, where it truly gained notability.

An idea turned into a jewel

One of the most interesting aspects of visiting our store at Barquillo 34, Madrid, is discovering how a jewel is made.

Each piece is completely handmade, every stone set on different shapes and sizes featuring Coolook´s original and exclusive images.

Since our designs will be replicated on natural stones that come in different shapes and sizes, we try to balance their weight so that the end result is a jewel comfortable to use.

We then proceed to its carving, carefully choosing the best quality natural stones so that the jewel is eye-catching and colourful. At the same time, the wax moulds are made that replicate in 3D the original drawings. They are then melted giving way to the silver moulds.

This process is called lost wax and is used since ancient times to manufacture bronze and other metal sculptures. At Coolook we only use sterling silver.

Once the silver structure is polished and golden, the stones are set one by one in a jewel that will be worn by someone special.

Coolook opens up to the digital world

Even though Coolook has always given importance to its on-line jewellery store and its presence on the web, it wasn’t until 2017 that it gained proper notoriety. And despite having our doubts of going into an area unbeknown to us, we feel it is the means to international expansion.