OUR STORY
After almost two decades of travel, drawing inspiration from some of the most exotic and remote places on the planet, at Village Jewelry, Juli Ferrena has curated a selection of unique and eclectic fine jewelry. Collaborating with multi-generational artisan goldsmiths, our jewelry is handcrafted using ethically sourced, handpicked gemstones, conflict-free diamonds, and recycled precious metals. Juli passionately continues to travel far and wide to source her handcrafted jewels. When she’s not journeying through ancient forts, palaces, and temples en route to a foreign gold souk, international gem market, or global diamond hub, you can find her designing vibrant, heirloom pieces for her collection. She also takes her clients on the magical, intricate design process journey during the creation of meaningful, custom pieces that will be cherished for generations to come.
As the discoveries of world travel is the heart and soul of our brand, another type of travel remains at the core as well. Time travel. Across cultures, humans have been adorning themselves with precious stones and metals since antiquity. We are constantly seeking out historical jewels and have a large selection of fine estate, vintage, and antique jewelry. Each of these special, mysterious treasures tell a fascinating story and have endured the test of time.
Meet the Owner
THE LADY BEHIND THE JEWELS
"Jewelry has the ability to take us on a beautiful journey while evoking powerful memories of the past." - Juli
Born and Raised on Long Island, New York, Juli Ferrena has always possessed a strong curiosity about both foreign places and design. After graduating from Flagler College with a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, she set off to teach English to refugee Tibetan Monks in the Himalayas. That quickly escalated into a 10 year obsession of investigating as much of the world as possible while working in graphic design remotely.
In between the solo, long term travels that would shape her very being, Juli attained certifications in digital photography, and social media marketing from Pratt University. She also completed a 300 hour Jivamukti yoga teacher training in India, while living in a hut with no electricity, made of cow dung, but that’s a story for another day. Recently, through the prestigious Gemological Institute of America, Juli has been accredited as a Diamond Graduate (GD) and an Applied Jewelry Professional (AJP).
After living for a few years in the New York City’s sleek West Village, and after that in the Appalachian Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, Juli returned to her college town, which happens to be the nation’s oldest city - St. Augustine, and Village Jewelry was born. A quick drive south along the ocean, on sunny A1A from St. Augustine, located in the colorful European Village in nearby Palm Coast, Florida, Village Jewelry’s bright pink storefront can’t be missed. Juli has poured her heart, soul, style, and knowledge into her pink boutique and hopes that anyone who comes inside will share her sense of wonder, curiosity, and joy through her carefully curated collection of jewelry.