Universe We Become: Paloma Sanchez and Her Quintet to "Double Happiness & Love"

Paloma Sanchez’s connection with Shandong Zhaojin, one of China's leading enterprises in the gold industry, began with the ninth edition of the Zhaojin Yinlou Jewelry Design Contest. As an expert in the gem and jewelry industry, she brought an international perspective to the jury, witnessing firsthand the creative vitality of Chinese designers. Her artwork, Hug, was also chosen as the signature piece of the Contest.

For the tenth edition, themed “Double Happiness & Love” (囍·爱), their collaboration entered a new chapter. Sanchez returned not only as an expert juror, but also as an artist. Five works, united under one name: Universe We Become, the series now forms part of the permanent collection of the National Gold Jewelry Museum of China Gold Capital in Zhaoyuan, Shandong.

From Madrid to Beijing: A Three-Decade Journey in Search of the East

For Sanchez, the creation of Universe We Become is deeply connected to her longstanding relationship with China.

An internationally recognized gemologist and jewelry designer, Sanchez has devoted more than three decades to the jewelry industry. A GIA-certifeid professional, she has worked with prestigious international maisons including Patek Philippe, Hublot, and Carrera y Carrera.

 She has traveled into the world’s most remote gemstone-producing regions, such as Madagascar, Colombia, Sri Lanka and Ethiopia, in search of rare and extraordinary stones. hese journeys have taken her far beyond the traditional world of jewelry, bringing her into direct contact with miners, local communities, and the landscapes from which each gemstone emerges. They have also shaped her understanding of gemstones as more than precious materials: each stone carries a geological history, a sense of place, and a story that can be transformed through art.

Her journey with China began in 2006, when she first came to Beijing, discovering a rich world of traditional art, craftsmanship, and cultural symbolism.

 In 2008, Sanchez established her jewelry brand in Beijing, later expanding its presence through galleries in Paris, and Dubai. Over the years, China has become not simply a place where she works, but an essential part of her artistic language.

 “Chinese design values restraint and balance, and that has had a profound influence on me,” Sanchez has said. It is this sustained cultural exchange that provides the foundation for Universe We Become.

Three Materials, Two Civilizations, One Shared Understanding

The theme of the 10th competition, “Double Happiness & Love”, speaks to one of the most universal human experiences: love and union. For Sanchez, this theme offered an opportunity to explore marriage not merely as a celebration, but as the meeting of two individuals, two families, and, ultimately, two worlds.

For the five works of Universe We Become, Sanchez chose three materials: Hetian white jade, gold, and diamonds.

Hetian jade carries a longstanding cultural association with purity, integrity, and enduring virtue in China. Its symbolism finds a natural parallel in the white wedding veil of Western tradition, where white represents purity and devotion. Gold, meanwhile, transcends cultural boundaries. In both East and West, it has long represented prosperity, blessing, and enduring value. Diamonds evoke the light of stars and the moon,guiding two hearts toward one another and accompanying them through life.

Through this vocabulary of materials, Sanchez transforms the theme into a broader conversation about cultural connection, bringing together Chinese symbolism and Western jewelry traditions. Together, the three materials express three dimensions of marriage: the purity of intention, the abundance of blessings, and the enduring hope that never fades.