Nick Soto is a Keys native, designer and bench jeweler who specializes in fine jewelry. Nick uses traditional techniques like soldering, hand cutting, filing, and stone setting in silver and gold to make custom design pieces for people around the world. His most popular handcrafted pieces are modern and timeless and include wedding rings, handmade chains, Cuban hoop earrings, plus Atocha & other shipwreck coin frames.
Educated at the North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA for Jewelry Design & Repair, Nick Soto brings his craftsmanship and services to his home island, Key West, Florida.
Materials
Solid 14k Gold
Features
All designs handcrafted in Key West, Florida
Quarter Size
Made by Soto Cuban Hoops History
Cuban hoop earrings are a traditional piece of jewelry that originated from the original Cuban settlers on Key West during the cigar production boom. They were traditionally made and given to the women of the family in various stages of their lives. Dime size hoops and even some smaller ones were given to the toddlers, they usually wore these until they grew out of them. Typically around 10 years of age. Then nickel size or sometimes quarter size were gifted to them for their quinceañera, their 15th birthday celebration. And lastly, which ever larger size was given for their high school graduation etc. The women would continue to wear the heirloom hoops into adulthood.
It became a very traditional thing to see in Key West culture. Once I realized most of the best Cuban hoop makers had retired or passed on, I felt like I needed to keep the tradition alive, it was almost my duty to do so being an island native.
Cuban hoops are a key west classic and also a living piece of history on the island that you can take with you and wear for a lifetime.
