Mompox, Colombia, is the birthplace of the filigree. This crafting technique has its roots in the Spanish conquest of Colombia, especially in Mompox, a small town near Cartagena de Indias, that to this day preserves its colonial essence. In an exclusive interview with Colombia One, Javier Augusto Anaya and Jorge Tibata, two filigree craftsmen based in Mompox, explained the story of this ancient art.
The Mompox filigree technique
Originally, Mompox was the place where the Spanish performed the gold tax. The gold was kept in Mompox as its distance from the coast meant it was safe from pirate attacks while they awaited the arrival of Spanish galleons.
This surplus of gold became a valuable resource for eager Spanish silversmiths and artisans who traveled to Mompox, where they shared techniques passed down from Arab craftsmen centuries earlier. Among these was the art of filigree, now famously known as Mompox Filigree.
Renowned for its delicate, miniature designs, this technique produces some of the finest-quality jewelry available. It involves stretching, twisting, and flattening fine gold strands with remarkable precision. At its heart lies a single gold filament — a symbol of the city’s cultural identity.This could be anything the craftsman or artisan can think of, as filigrees are more often than not custom-made.
Anaya explains, “We craft these pieces of jewelry based on the designs that clients send us, depending on the creativity of the artisan, and we adapt to any kind of design. One creates these pieces through a specific process that begins with melting the metal, drawing the wire, twisting the wire, and then starting to create the designs.” He also cautioned that this intricate process can drive up the cost of each piece, sometimes creating tension with customers who are hesitant to pay the full price for the jewelry.
However, he noted that once customers visit the workshop and witness firsthand the meticulous craftsmanship behind the Mompox filigree, they gain a greater appreciation for the work involved — and a better understanding of why the prices can be high.
How are filigrees made?
The process of crafting a Mompox filigree piece begins with creativity, either from the client’s imagination or the artisan’s own design vision. Artisans in Mompox are known for translating almost any concept into a delicate silver or gold filigree form.
Production begins with the melting of metal, nowadays mostly silver, in a crucible. Once liquified, it is poured into a mold to form a solid bar. That bar is then passed through a rolling mill that can be manual or electric, until the desired thickness is achieved. Afterward, the metal is annealed: heated and cooled repeatedly to restore its flexibility.
With the softened metal, the artisan begins drawing fine threads. These are divided into two types. Thicker wires, known as the armadura or framework and are usually gauge 21, and ultra-fine wires for the filigree fill, which are gauges 32–33. The framework wires are textured for rigidity and to increase their aesthetic appeal. The filigree threads are then twisted together by hand into spirals and patterns that will form the centerpiece.
Each piece is then assembled. The external framework is soldered first, followed by the insertion of the filigree patterns. Depending on how complex the design is, a single piece can require more than 15 assembled elements or over 50 hand-formed spheres. The finished jewel is then cleaned using either acid or a traditional mix of lemon juice and salt to restore its natural shine.
Tourism has played a key role in increasing the market for filigrees
Jorge Tibata, another Filigree Craftsman, told Colombia One that, “Tourism is a very important part, I’d say the most important part, of our business, because we have visitors from all over the world. That gives us the opportunity, without having to travel, for tourists to come, buy the jewelry, and take it to many destinations. And wherever they are, they’ll say: this jewelry was made in Mompox, this is Mompox filigree.”
In recent years, tourism in Mompox has indeed grown significantly. In 2023, tourism in the town saw a 28% increase in hotel occupancy by foreigners. The municipality also earned first place in Colombia’s Tourism Competitiveness Index.
The New York Times also included Mompox and the Magdalena River in its 52 Places to Go in 2025. Both locations ranked at 17.