Part of: Sell designer jewellery
Carrera y Carrera Jewellery: A Collector Guide
Carrera y Carrera is a Madrid jeweller whose roots go back to a workshop opened in 1885. Its signature is sculptural gold that sets a satin, matte finish against a mirror polish, often around horses, faces, flowers and animals. Genuine pieces are signed, stamped 750 and numbered. This guide shows how to recognise them and what decides their value.
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From a Madrid workshop, 1885
The house traces its origins to 1885, when Saturio Esteban Carrera opened a small workshop in Madrid’s Barrio de las Letras. Over the following century the family developed the style the name is known for today: gold sculpted like a small bronze, with matte and polished surfaces playing against each other.
- 1885Madrid workshop
- Family workshop through the 20th century
- The matte-and-polish sculptural style
- Today
Matte against mirror
The look is unmistakable once you know it. A horse’s mane or a flower’s petals are worked to a soft, satin matte, while the edges and highlights are polished to a mirror. Good pieces keep that contrast crisp, with fine detail in the modelling. Heavy wear or over-polishing softens it, and that changes the value.
- 1Crisp edges
The designs to know
- Figurative pieces. Horses, dancers, faces and animals sculpted in gold.
- Flowers. Roses, camellias and other blooms in matte and polished gold.
- Day and Night. Earrings and pieces in two tones of gold.
- Cocktail rings. Sculptural gold set with large coloured stones.
- Pendants and medallions. Including the Ruedo pendant.
How to tell a genuine piece
For every house we buy, see how we check designer jewellery.
- 1Signature
- 2Cc mark
- 3750
- 4Serial
- 5Spanish assay mark
0 of 5 checked
1The signature
The signature "Carrera y Carrera", and a "CC" maker’s mark.
2The fineness
The fineness 750 for 18KT gold.
3The number
A serial or model number, often five or six digits.
4Spanish marks
A Spanish assay mark on many pieces.
5The modelling
Fine detail, with clean matte and polished areas.
Red flags
- No signature or CC mark, or marks that are shallow or crooked.
- No 750 mark on a gold piece.
- Soft, blurred modelling with little detail.
- A matte finish that looks sandblasted all over, with no polished contrast.
- Stones that are loose or poorly set.
Genuine
- Crisp modelling and clean matte and polish
Copy
- Blurred detail and flat finish
What is my Carrera y Carrera piece worth?
A Carrera y Carrera piece is valued on its design and how strongly it shows the house style, the quality of its modelling, any coloured stones or diamonds, its condition (worn matte, dents, over-polishing), whether you have the box and certificate, and current demand. Figurative and gem-set pieces are the most recognisable. We never publish figures.
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- Design
- Modelling
- Stones
- Condition
- Box and papers
- Demand
How selling works
- 1
Send photographs
of the front, the back and the marks, and any box or certificate.
- 2
Free value inspection
We reply within one working day with an estimate, subject to inspection. If our offer differs, you can decline and we return it at our cost.
- 3
Paid the same day after inspection
by bank transfer or in cash, in Mayfair, at our Braintree office, by post or by free collection.
Insured up to £10,000 per parcel when you send to us.
Questions people ask
What is Carrera y Carrera jewellery known for?
Carrera y Carrera, whose roots go back to a Madrid workshop of 1885, is known for sculptural gold jewellery that contrasts a satin matte finish with a mirror polish. Its designs often show horses, faces, dancers, flowers and animals, alongside cocktail rings set with coloured stones and two-tone Day and Night pieces.
How do I identify a genuine Carrera y Carrera piece?
Look for the "Carrera y Carrera" signature or the "CC" maker’s mark, the 750 gold mark, a serial or model number, and often a Spanish assay mark. The modelling should be finely detailed, with clean matte and polished areas. No single mark proves it. Send clear photographs and we will check them, free.
Where can I sell Carrera y Carrera jewellery?
To a buyer who checks the marks and the modelling in person before paying. We buy Carrera y Carrera directly: a free value inspection from photographs, then an appointment in Mayfair or at our Braintree office, Special Delivery post or free collection. You are paid the same day after inspection, by bank transfer or in cash.
How much is my Carrera y Carrera jewellery worth?
It depends on the design, the quality of the modelling, any coloured stones or diamonds, the condition of the matte and polished surfaces, whether you have the box and certificate, and current demand. We do not publish prices. Send photographs of the front, back and marks for a free value inspection within one working day.
Should I polish my Carrera y Carrera before selling?
No. Polishing can blur the satin matte areas that give the house its look, and that lowers the value. A soft, dry cloth is enough. If the piece is worn or scratched, send it as it is, with photographs first, and we will tell you how its condition affects the value.
Do you buy Carrera y Carrera without the box or certificate?
Yes. Many genuine pieces come to us without their box or certificate, and we buy them all the same. We check the piece itself: the signature, CC mark, 750, serial and modelling. A matching certificate supports the value, but its absence never stops a sale.
Related guides
Selling Carrera y Carrera?
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Thinking of selling? Find out how to sell antique jewellery with a free valuation from photographs.