“When I first arrived in Sri Lanka, I was fascinated by the variety of gems and precious stones I found on the island. It was there and then that I fell in love with the incredible beauty that emerges from the earth, from their raw form in the mines to the brilliance of their colours once carved and polished.” María Moro
Founder and designer
María, developed her professional career working for fashion and lifestyle magazines, particularly focusing on the luxury industry in various European countries. However, it was through her frequent trips to Asia that she fell in love with jewellery; always captivated by antique pieces, gems and the techniques employed by local craftsmen. So much so, that she began to design, learning the art of gemmology and how to rekindle age-old jewellery making processes.
Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, is known as the “Jewel of the Indian Ocean” and no other place on Earth produces such a variety of gemstones.
As a result of past geological phenomena, this tropical island is home to large mines from which its world-renowned sapphires are extracted for their magnificent quality and purity, as well as other gemstones such as tourmalines, moonstones, garnets, amethysts…
Gem mining in Sri Lanka is considered an excellent example of traditional, socially responsible, and sustainable mining. Artisanal miners extract the gemstones using age-old, environmentally friendly practices subject to fair labour laws.
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Her passion for travelling took María to Sri Lanka and it was there that she decided to set up the production workshop, in the town of Galle, on the south coast of the island, where the jewellery is handcrafted by master artisans with the utmost care and attention to detail. María works side-by-side with selected craftsmen and goldsmiths at every stage of the jewellery making process. Our jewellery is handcrafted form a rich variety of natural Sri Lankan gems; each one hand picked from ethical sources.
Oona, meaning ‘one’ in Gaelic, is the name given to this exclusive jewellery brand, each piece being truly unique.