Joieria J. Roca

Joieria J. Roca is a Barcelona fine-jewellery house founded in 1888 by Jacint Roca i Fuster. Its origins lie in the sale and repair of pocket watches and their accessories, a trade Roca built up after returning to Barcelona from Cuba and the Philippines. The business opened as La Marina on Carrer Ample, named in honour of the sailors of the port who were among its first customers. In 1909 it moved to the Rambla del Centre, and in 1915 it added a high-jewellery line of its own creations, which became its principal activity. The founder's eldest son, Rogeli Roca i Plans, joined the firm in that period, and in 1920 the house broadened its range with silverware and new categories such as bracelets, necklaces and clasps. In 1933 the architect Josep Lluís Sert, a personal friend of Rogeli Roca, designed the current shop at the corner of Passeig de Gràcia and Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes in Barcelona; it opened in 1934 and became a meeting point for Barcelona intellectuals, hosting talks, poetry readings and exhibitions. The interior was redecorated by Marcelo Leonori in 1964. The building is catalogued as an establishment of interest (category E2). The historic premises is now occupied by the jewellery brand Tous, while the J. Roca business continues as a jewellery retailer and maker. Today Joieria J. Roca operates from Passatge de Lluís Pellicer 14 in Barcelona and sells through its own website, jroca.com. Its offer spans bridal and engagement jewellery, necklaces, earrings and gem-set pieces in gold and precious stones, with prices ranging from a few hundred euros for small diamond ear studs to tens of thousands of euros for statement necklaces. The assortment includes coloured-gem designs such as pink sapphire chains, emerald chains, aquamarine drop earrings and diamond pavé pieces, alongside a bridal category presented as the finishing touch for a wedding day. The house combines a long local retail tradition with its own design output, positioning itself in the fine-jewellery segment of the Barcelona market.

The house was founded by Jacint Roca i Fuster, who as a very young man left to work in the Philippines. After the savings he had gathered there were stolen, he tried his luck in Cuba. In 1888, aged 25 and having again accumulated some capital, he returned to Barcelona, taking advantage of the Universal Exposition being held that year. He invested his capital in a collection of pocket watches, which he sold quickly as a travelling vendor and on instalment terms to sailors at the city's port. Building on this initial success, he soon opened a shop at Carrer Ample, 50 under the name La Marina, in honour of his first customers, the sailors, who remained a significant part of the business. The firm initially concentrated on the sale and repair of pocket watches and their accessories, especially chains; pocket watches were then one of the few signs of distinction available to men, since jewellery was reserved for women, and the small number of public clocks made owning a watch a practical necessity. In 1909 the good progress of the business led to a move to a better location: the two lower floors of numbers 36-38 on the Rambla del Centre, right beside the Teatre Principal. A few years later, in 1915, the high-jewellery line was added, with the house's own creations, and from then on this became the principal activity. Around this time Rogeli Roca i Plans, the founder's eldest son, joined the firm. The favourable reception of its creations meant that in 1920 the jewellery business was complemented by the introduction of silverware and new types of pieces such as bracelets, necklaces and clasps. In this period the business moved to the corner of the Rambla del Centre and the Passatge de Bacardí. In 1933 Josep Lluís Sert, a personal friend of Rogeli, designed the current establishment, which was inaugurated in 1934. It became a meeting point for Barcelona intellectuals, where talks, poetry readings and exhibitions were held. In 1964 Marcelo Leonori reformed its interior decoration. The shop, at the corner of Passeig de Gràcia and Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, is catalogued as an establishment of interest (category E2). Its rationalist design by Sert broke with the architecture of Passeig de Gràcia: a curtain wall built with Belgian glass blocks, recalling Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret's Immeuble Clarté in Geneva (1930-1932) and Pierre Chareau's Maison de verre in Paris (1928-1931), created a very luminous interior. Surviving elements designed by Sert include the linoleum flooring, the wood panelling of the corner wall, the façade and side-wall display cases, the counter of stained wood and smoked glass, and the lacquered wood and upholstered chairs. Carpets designed by Joan Miró, who took part in other GATCPAC projects led by Sert, were also part of the scheme but have unfortunately not been preserved. The historic premises is now occupied by the jewellery brand Tous, while the J. Roca business continues as a jewellery retailer and maker operating from Passatge de Lluís Pellicer 14 in Barcelona and selling through jroca.com.

• 1964

  Marcelo Leonori reforms the interior decoration of the shop.

• 1934

  The Sert-designed shop is inaugurated and becomes a meeting point for Barcelona intellectuals.

• 1933

  Josep Lluís Sert designs the current establishment at the corner of Passeig de Gràcia and Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes.

• 1920

  Introduces silverware and new categories such as bracelets, necklaces and clasps; moves to the corner of Rambla del Centre and Passatge de Bacardí.

• 1915

  Adds a high-jewellery line with the house's own creations, which becomes the principal activity.

• 1909

  Moves to the two lower floors of numbers 36-38 on the Rambla del Centre, beside the Teatre Principal.

• 1888

  Jacint Roca i Fuster returns to Barcelona and invests in a collection of pocket watches, founding the business that becomes Joieria J. Roca.

• 1888

  Opens a shop at Carrer Ample, 50 under the name La Marina, focused on pocket watches and their accessories.

Fine-jewellery house and specialist retailer in Barcelona, combining a heritage dating to 1888 with own high-jewellery creations and a bridal focus.

• Cadena Zafiros Rosas

  Chain with five small pink sapphires set between links of rose gold; available with different coloured gems.

• Cadena esmeraldas verdes

  Chain set with green emeralds.

• Cadena brillantes blancos

  Chain set with white diamonds.

• Gargantilla oro amarillo y zafiros naranjas

  Choker in yellow gold with orange sapphires.

• Pendientes lagrima aguamarina

  Drop earrings with aquamarine.

• Joyas para novia

  Bridal jewellery category presented as the finishing touch for a wedding day, spanning classic and modern designs.

1. 1Cadena Zafiros Rosasjroca.com
2. 2Contacto Joyería en Barcelona – J.ROCAjroca.com
3. 3Joyas para novia - J.Rocajroca.com
4. 4Joieria J. Rocawikidata.org
5. 5Joieria J. Rocaca.wikipedia.org