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At the 12th Wedding Expo Philippines on March 8 and 9
at the PICC Forum, renowned jewelry designer Antonio “Boy”
Atienza of Goldenhills Jewelry will display not only the usual
wedding bands and engagement rings but other jewelry suggestions for
the bride and her entourage.
This is the first time that
Goldenhills is taking part in a wedding fair with a grand bridal
showcase. Atienza says he chose Wedding Expo because it is the most
prestigious and comprehensive event of its kind.
The event showcases over 320
exhibitors consisting of wedding professionals that offer products
and services not only for weddings but also for debuts, christenings
and other events. The expo will be staged in a 5,000-square meter
display area. Free admission is available by pre-registering through
www.themesnmotifs.com.
A man’s horseshoe ring which he
sold for P15,000 was the start of Antonio Atienza Jr.’s entry into
the jewelry business. Now considered among the most successful
jewelry entrepreneurs of Meycauayan, Bulacan, Boy, as he is fondly
called, got his training from his father who was a partner in a
pawnshop when he was still a student. At the early age of 14 years,
he spent his Saturdays helping his father mind the business.
Atienza initially studied BS
General at the University of Sto. Tomas in preparation for a degree
in medicine. When his parents’ business collapsed in 1976, he was
forced to shift to BS Commerce. He supported himself through college
by working in his uncle’s jewelry shop where his eye for rating
gold and appraising jewelry was further honed.
After passing the CPA board exam
in 1980, he got a job as cost accountant with Colgate Palmolive
Philippines. But he quit soon after to accept an aunt’s
offer to set up a jewelry business.
Armed with enough knowledge and
experience in 1982, he established Boy Atienza Jewel Art. Starting
from a small shop with 3 goldsmiths and one polisher, it has now
under its employ about 100 craftsmen and personnel. In 2003 it was
incorporated as Goldenas, Inc.
Goldenas Jewelry is characterized
by clean craftsmanship and good proportions. His creative executions
and interpretations using local materials like capiz in his
jewelries have garnered him several awards like the Best of the Best
in Ethnic Category in the 1993 Diamond Today Design Competition, the
winning design in the Chic Category of the Philippine Design
Competition sponsored by the Meycauayan Jewelry Association, and the
top spot in the All Precious Metals Category of the Guild of
Philippine Jewelers’ Jewelry Design Completion, both in 2006.
Goldenhills was also awarded the grand prize for the wedding
category in the 2005 Phil Jewelry Design competition.
Goldenas employs the most number
of highly skilled craftsmen under one roof in Meycauayan, the
country’s jewelry center.
During his term as vice-president
and director of Meycauayan Jewelry Industry Association and Director
of the Guild of Philippine Jewelers, Atienza absorbed some of the
Jewelry center’s graduates and trained them in his shop along with
other out of school youths. In time, some of these trainees were
given full-time employment by the company, and others were able to
land overseas job.
In its more than twenty years in
the jewelry business, the company has provided employment and
training to a number of out of school youths in Meycauayan, giving
them a steady means of livelihood. Antonio Atienza Jr., through his
company and the organizations he is affiliated with, is able to
serve his community through education and training – benefiting
the youth sector of the society.
In 2004 Goldenas opened its first
retail store under the name Goldenhills Jewelry on the 2nd Floor of
The Jewellery at the Greenhills Shopping Center. Goldenhills Jewelry
adopted the slogan “Proudly Philippine Made” to show the world
that Filipinos can make quality fine jewelry at a reasonable price.
It has made its presence felt by opening a total of 7 branches
in a span of 3 years: Goldenhills Jewelry-Greenhills Shopping
Center, SM City Clark, SM City Pampanga, SM City-The Block,
Robinsons Manila, Robinsons Galleria, and Goldenas Jewelry
also in Robinsons Galleria.
With these accomplishments,
Antonio Atienza was recognized in 2004 as the Most Outstanding
Alumni in the Field of Entrepreneurship by the University of Sto.
Tomas College of Commerce and the Bulacan Chamber of Commerce and
Industry awarded him as Most Outstanding Bulacan Businessman in the
Jewelry Industry in 2006.
Aside from Atienza, Wedding Expo
major sponsor Fernbrook Gardens will offer a glimpse of its
Byzantine- and Victorian-inspired reception areas while sister
company Fernwood Gardens will show off its tropical themed venue
complete with ferns, trees and tropical birds.
Center table Catering, Josiah’s
Catering and Juan Carlo The Caterer, the event’s minor sponsors,
will serve food samplers to soon-to-be-weds during the two-day
event. Wedding Expo’s official events stylists are Robert
Blancaflor of Blancaflor & Associates Flowers, Events and
Designs and Henry Pascual of Henry Pascual Event Styling.
Themes & Motifs Resource
Center at Makati Shangri-La Hotel will also exhibit its special
wedding merchandise, including Swarovski bride’s rosaries, unity
candles encrusted with lace and Swarovski crystals, ring bearer’s
pillows and bride’s Bibles. The Martha Stewart Wedding Ideas DVD
will also be on sale.
The expo features exclusive
discounts, loot bags and giveaways, special deals and food, cake and
wine sampling. There will also be a raffle where the winner will be
awarded a honeymoon trip to Macau.
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