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Kabana Jewelry Celebrates 50 Years of Design, Craftsmanship and Innovation May 15, 2025 (0 comments)

Albuquerque, NM--Fine jewelry brand, Kabana Jewelry has marked 50 years of being in business. To honor this anniversary, Kabana is launching a celebratory campaign of nature inspired collections, “honoring five decades of creativity, craftsmanship and passion for design,” the company said in a statement.
Kabana was founded in 1975 by Greek-born artisan Stavros Eletheriou. Starting with handcrafted sterling silver pieces, Eletheriou pioneered techniques that would elevate the art of inlay jewelry, elevating it into a luxury category all its own. The company became a leader in the inlay industry.
[Stavros Eletheriou, founder of Kabana Jewelry]
Kabana has operated for five decades as a family-owned and operated business, with production in the U.S.
“In a world where much of jewelry production has moved overseas, Kabana’s commitment to American craftsmanship and keeping its skilled artisans under one roof in Albuquerque stands as a true testament to integrity, quality, and loyalty,” Eletheriou said.
To celebrate this journey, Kabana is returning to its roots with a nature-themed collection that includes whimsical butterflies, honeycomb-inspired pieces that illustrate the vital role of bees, radiant floral motifs and the Celestial Collection of the moon and stars.
“Stavros has an energy for constantly creating and designing,” Scott Jordan, a master jeweler who has been with Kabana for42 years. “I started making jewelry at around 13 years old. All I ever wanted to do was build and put stuff together and be innovative. (Now) I get to make pieces with beautiful natural gemstones every day. I stayed loyal because of the passion Kabana and Stavros have for creating new designs.”
“I was at a gas station and a friend of mine asked if I needed a job, so the next day I showed up. I never submitted a resume or an application; I walked in and was put in charge of pulling orders from the silver vault. That was 41 years ago in September. I stayed and worked my way up in the company,” said Jeannette Gomez, a Kabana production coordinator. “The people at Kabana just made it feel like home, and I love having the opportunity to learn and grow.”
Eletheriou said he built his company on the foundation of philotimo, a Greek virtue that encompasses “honor, love, empathy, humility, duty, service, compassion, and a deep commitment to doing what’s right for other.”