Made in Mallorca: A local guide to the best products

Manacor has an unexpectedly long history with pearls – and no, not real oyster pearls, but the classic Majorica imitations that have been made here since the early 20th century. I have often strolled down the small factory street in Manacor: chains with a warm sheen flash in the shop windows, hands check pearl by pearl, and the smell of polishing paste hangs in the air. If you're looking for a piece of jewelry, try the shop right next to the workshop: there are delicate studs, necklaces with a warm golden tone, and bracelets that keep their shine for years. Tip: ask for the date of manufacture and whether the pearls can be replaced – many smaller workshops offer lifetime repolishing. For gifts the price-performance ratio is often better than in Palma boutiques. If you go on a quieter morning you will also meet older specialists who like to tell stories about techniques — how the layering orders are created, why certain lacquers last longer or which pearl shapes are currently trending. And if you show real interest, you sometimes even get a short tour of the production rooms: the feeling of holding a soft pearl in your hand and knowing where it was made makes the purchase immediately more valuable.

Manacor has an unexpectedly long history with pearls – and no, not real oyster pearls, but the classic Majorica imitations that have been made here since the early 20th century. I have often strolled down the small factory street in Manacor: chains with a warm sheen flash in the shop windows, hands check pearl by pearl, and the smell of polishing paste hangs in the air. If you're looking for a piece of jewelry, try the shop right next to the workshop: there are delicate studs, necklaces with a warm golden tone, and bracelets that keep their shine for years. Tip: ask for the date of manufacture and whether the pearls can be replaced – many smaller workshops offer lifetime repolishing. For gifts the price-performance ratio is often better than in Palma boutiques. If you go on a quieter morning you will also meet older specialists who like to tell stories about techniques — how the layering orders are created, why certain lacquers last longer or which pearl shapes are currently trending. And if you show real interest, you sometimes even get a short tour of the production rooms: the feeling of holding a soft pearl in your hand and knowing where it was made makes the purchase immediately more valuable.