What does Nagual stand for, and who is D. Joseph Bortoli?

For the Toltecs of ancient Mexico, the word Nagual refers to a shaman or guiding spirit. To lovers of gothic silver jewelry Since 1995, it means somewhat the same thing, for under the hand of Southern California designer D. Joseph Bortoli, Nagual has established itself as a prominent designer of luxury label gothic jewelry alongside Chrome Hearts and Bill Wall Leather.

D. Joseph Bortoli’s early life, and the birth of Nagual

Like many California natives, Joseph has been an avid Surfer, beach volleyBall enthusiast and snowboarder for as long as he can remember. These passions, coupled with spiritual quests through Mexico, Europe and Asia, were catalysts to the founding of Nagual in 1995. Joseph first became intrigued with the jewelry he saw in Mexico on his numerous surf trips there, but he couldn't actually find any pieces he wanted to wear himself. Inspired by the designs, architecture and imagery at archeological sites in Mexico and Central America, he began carving his own waxes and mastering jewelry design. Soon enough, he created his first collection for men, signaling the birth of a new luxury sterling silver gothic jewelry label.

Diversification

Eight years on, Nagual as a company has continually expanded and diversified. Nagual CLASSICS are permanently available and provide the backbone of the company. Nagual ACCESSORIES, fine leather goods, wallets, bags and belts accentuated by silver hardware, made its debut in 1995, soon after the company's inception. In 1997, in response to the growing market demand for a softer look to sterling silver gothic jewelry, Joseph began designing and manufacturing pieces for women with the DIVINITY line. In Fall 2002, Nagual launched Joseph Bortoli's eponymous line for men and women, bold pieces straight from the imagination and inspired by the lost continent of Atlantis. Fall 2003 saw the launch of Nagual’s New Suede & Leather Clothing with touches of the 70's truly Hippie - Chic.

Nagual goes Retail

In May 2001, Joseph Bortoli realized his dreams of opening a retail store. Located on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in the heart of the artistic beachside community of Venice, the storefront houses Nagual's retail space and the design studio in housed in the back. Here, Joseph and his staff display the complete Nagual collections along with apparel, new work, one-of-a-kind pieces and decorative objects. Having a retail space just beside his workshop enables Joseph to see first hand how his customers respond to the work, allowing him to keep at the forefront of changing trends and fashions. The store is also becoming increasingly popular for custom orders, particularly wedding ring sets.

Teaching pursuits

In addition to his stellar qualities as a designer, Joseph Bortoli is also a gifted teacher. In September 2002, he gave a workshop at the Hiko Mizuno School of Jewelry in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, where he was well received by an adoring crowd. The enthusiastic response sends him back to Japan two to three times annually to conduct jewelry design lectures and workshops there as a guest lecturer; a role he has also taken up with several schools in the United States.

Good Tidings

Joseph Bortoli continues to live life true to himself; a zesty life enriched by lots of surf and travel. Not far from the Nagual studio, he lives in Venice, California with his love, makeup artist Patti Ramsey Bortoli. Their first child, a rewarding, collaborative effort of major proportions, arrived in the Summer of 2003.

Classic Joseph Bortoli Nagual-inspired Designs by Bloodysilver

Some of Joseph Bortoli’s most famous designs are his beautiful renditions of Nagual skull jewelry, dagger jewelry, hearts jewelry, cross jewelry and fleur de lis jewelry. At Bloodysilver.com, we bring you the best of Nagual’s wide selection of sterling silver biker jewelry at affordable prices. With the phenomenal rise of Joseph Bortoli’s credentials following the success of his Nagual collection, the prices of sterling silver Nagual gothic jewelry pieces have skyrocketed beyond what most biker jewelry and gothic jewelry enthusiasts find affordable. Original Nagual bracelets can easily set you back US$7,000 to US$12,000 depending on the weight and the intricacy of the design.

At Bloodysilver.com, our collections are closely inspired by some of Nagual’s best classic designs. We recreate the mood and feel of the original by drawing inspiration from photo catalogues, and offer them to you at a fraction of the original item’s retail price. Like the original Nagual item, our products are made only from pure sterling silver and crafted by hand. Like all leading designer labels, our factory moulds generate only basic shapes, which our artists manually handcraft, chip, mould and polish into the sterling silver work of biker jewelry art you ultimately see. Since you aren’t paying for the Nagual luxury label premium when you purchase our products, our prices are significantly lower (up to 90% lower) than Nagual’s.