Looking for amazing holiday gifts, or a gift that is simply says how appreciative you are of someone? While there are dozens of gifts to choose from, jewelry from Taxco, Mexico, will be the most appreciated gift!  Mexican jewelry from Taxco is the perfect choice for anyone on your gift giving list.

The Magic of Taxco Silver

The history of silver in Taxco dates back all the way to 1521, when Corte discovered the mines and claimed them for his home country, Spain.  Mining began then and continued up to the year 2005.

The town of Taxco can be found within the mountains, halfway between Mexico City and Acapulco. It is a magical town, built by the Spaniards, with winding streets and whitewashed houses perched alongside the mountains. Taxco is currently regarded as the Silver Capital of the World and many people visit there on vacation to look for the best jewelry in the entire world.

There are other sites to visit, to be sure, like the Santa Prisca Cathedral, Museo de la Plateria, the Christo, and a ride up the cable car to the beautiful Hotel Monte Taxco. But the Mexican silver is the main draw.

Sadly, the silver mines have been exhausted and the silver used for their jewelry is mined in a different town now and then brought to the artisans in Taxco.  Don’t worry though, because you will still get the same well-crafted jewelry you have come to expect from this part of the world! And if you haven’t seen this jewelry before, or purchased it, you will quickly fall in love with it when you do!

What You Must Know When Shopping for Taxco Silver

There are a few things you must know when you are shopping for sterling silver. All silver jewelry is stamped with the assessment of its purity.  Sterling silver will be stamped with the numbers 925, as it’s 92 ½ percent silver and 7 ½ percent copper. You will also see these pieces of Mexican silver stamped with the numbers 950, which is purer with 95% silver and 5% copper.  The vintage jewelry from Taxco was all stamped .999.  Pure, Fine silver.

Years ago, the artisans used to make molds to create each individual piece of jewelry for Mexican jewelry stores. However technology has improved allowing higher production levels than of the days when each piece of jewelry was labored over by hand.

The most recognizable designs from Taxco came from the mid-1900’s when William Spratling developed workshops and taught classes of artisans how to work with silver.  He taught them to draw from their Aztec and Mayan heritage for design ideas and so you will see large heavy pieces ranging from a tribal feel to very art deco.   These pieces are still faithfully replicated today, often using the same time-honored craft.

While there is a lot of traditional jewelry there is also young blood in Taxco, and their designs that draw from both worlds:  Fresh designs crafted with historical skills.