Mora, the love child of Joanna Gollberg, a nationally renowned jewelry maker and author, and Marthe Le Van, one of the top jewelry editors in the world and a board member of the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG), hits a number of perfect notes in its cozy Walnut Street location. It’s a perfect balance of gallery and boutique, without being heavy handed on either end.
Given their pedigrees, it should come as no surprise that their jewelry store in the heart of downtown Asheville is a unique collection of exquisite, handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces, and an atmosphere that invites you to lazily wander, lounge, try on your next wearable work of art, and just relax. And when we say relax, we mean it. They have created a space that is comfortable for both their shoppers as well as the shoppers’ significant others, accompanying friends, or anyone that just needs to take a load off. Their “living room” is a comfortable space with a special touch that goes to show that their attention to detail extends beyond their retail product and encompasses their clients needs. (The occasional glass of wine or cup of coffee that they offer doesn’t hurt, either.)
Mora almost exclusively sells Joanna’s work: an amazing range of gorgeous, queen-worthy pieces set with elegant, fair-trade stones and matched with the perfect complementary metals, down to simple, classic, easy-to-wear pieces that will easily become the staples of any wardrobe. Joanna also uses recycled precious metals whenever possible to make her jewelry more sustainable. Every piece is completely made by hand and seems more like art than an accessory. In fact, the word “accessory” doesn’t seem to do justice to these beautifully artistic and thoughtful pieces. This jewelry truly makes a statement, and many of Mora’s clients describe the jewelry as wearable art.
It’s hard to say exactly what Mora does best because each line of jewelry is so unique and well rounded. Within each, the jewelry is everything from conservative and classic to modern and edgy. Each maintains consistency in its own look, while offering a full range of options. The textured collection is a delicate, hand-hammered line with multiple pairs of earrings, a beautiful selection of necklaces, matching bracelets, and complementary rings. The pronged line allows the gemstones to take center stage with an elegant approach to clustering and pairing different gems together.
As a designer and artisan, Joanna never seems to get stuck into one style or one flavor; her taste and approach to jewelry design is constantly evolving, which is why her work is still shown and sold in galleries across the nation. One line of jewelry might be the perfect complement to heirloom pieces passed down through your family, while another line could be worn at New York’s Fashion Week’s biggest runway shows. Mora stands firmly behind its quality of work with a lifetime guarantee on every piece of jewelry.
One of the best things about the women at Mora is their flexibility. They happily accommodate custom orders and can usually work with any design choice, gem choice, and metal. They do a healthy custom engagement and wedding ring business, so keep them in your mental Rolodex for anyone looking for that extra special piece. They also work with resetting stones, resizing, and a host of other jewelry wants and needs. Let’s be honest: If it’s coming from Mora, it is a need.
Mora is located at 9 West Walnut Street, suite 2A in downtown Asheville. Its hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 828.575.2294, email info@moracollection.com, or visit Mora.