A Place of Joy: Aram - Estilo Palma

**** Sadly, Aram has since closed.***|

We had a coffee at Rosevelvet Bakery and were strolling down Carrer Missió, when a flock of colorful Origami birds caught my eye. They were set up in a small glass case next to a store front window displaying delicate silver jewelry. Aram, espai de joies, read the sign above the door and I stepped inside curiously to discover an exhibition of little things to adorn yourself and your surroundings.

At first sight, Aram is a chic modern jewelry shop. But soon I noticed that there is more to it. When Auba Pont opened her store about three years ago, she decided to feature pieces from different jewelers she knows, thus presenting different styles, like small changing exhibitions. That’s why you may find fine silver jewelry at one time, and be surprised by fancy pieces made with natural materials, enamel, or perls at others. I particularly fell in love with idili’s llibre-anells, beautiful winding book-rings with quotes from poets like Neruda or Saint-Exupéry.

And then there is always beautiful artwork decorating the showroom – like Jorge Cabral’s adorable twelve wooden Caprichos, whims of the months, Auba’s own Origami figures (which she had learned to make on a recent trip to Japan), or currently Adriana Prida’s exhibition of fanciful illustrations. Espai de joies is catalan and simply means jewelry store. For my part, I like to translate it more literally: espai is a room or place, and joies simply joy. Because that’s exactly what Aram is – a place filled with joy.