Jeweler CT ENID&CO. brings Puerto Rican culture to life

She does a great job feeling like she’s back in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico playing music from Profetica Culture while brainstorming, creating and shipping orders for her jewelry line. She creates the jewelry in her colorful home office in Norwalk.

“Nothing makes me happier than my roots and being a woman,” Davis said. “That’s where the inspiration comes from.”

Davis co-founded the brand with her mother, Lydia Enid Rodríguez, with whom she shares a middle name – and that’s where ENID&CO. just.

“We are both very artistic and like to do things together. One day I looked at her and said ‘Mom, let’s do this’ and she was 100% into it,” Davis said.

“Joining this journey with my daughter gives me the opportunity to create and support her dream of starting a business,” Rodríguez said in Spanish.

The mother-daughter duo love earrings and said they’re the one accessory that “brings it all together.” Davis remembers going to Puerto Rico and seeing the women wearing bright, large, dangling earrings.

“As far back as I can remember, I have loved earrings and jewelry and Puerto Rican earrings have always stuck with me. They were different and unique,” ​​Davis said.

Each item is handcrafted with “mucho amor, risas y un chin de sazón”, which translates to “lots of love, smiles and a bit of sazón”, a Puerto Rican spice — or how to say “a little flavor” on the island.

Amanda Enid Davis assembles the “Aguacero” earrings from ENID&CO. Jailene Cuevas / Hearst CT Media Group
Amanda Enid Davis assembles the “Aguacero” earrings from ENID&CO. Jailene Cuevas / Hearst CT Media Group

During the process of creating their new “Aguacero” design, Davis asks Alexa to play Cultura Profética to bring her mind back to its happy place. She then hums and sings the words out loud while attaching the blue raindrops and cloud pieces with glue and hoops. David then left the pieces to sit in his oven to harden.

Most of ENID&CO. are purchased at Davis’ favorite beach shop located in Viejo San Juan. Davis said she tries to visit “la isla del encanto” twice a year to stock up on raffia, rattan, brass, charms, beads, beads and more.

“It’s gotten to the point that the store is going to close for me because they know I’m going to shop until I drop,” she said. “I go in and fall in love with everything.”

For ENID&CO.’s Boriken collection, Davis and Rodríguez made earrings from Sculpey clay mixed with sand from Marbella Beach in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. They are designed to resemble Puerto Rico’s famous landmark, El Morro.

Each order is assembled in a square box and the earrings or necklaces are wrapped in tissue paper with a Spanish phrase such as fuerte (strong), poderosa (powerful), chula (beautiful woman), brava (brave) and more. The earrings are placed in a support intended to represent the “everyday” woman.

“We design for the everyday person, not just one guy,” Davis said. “Our brand appeals to all ages, sizes, ethnicities and social classes. We want them to feel confident in their own skin,” she said.

Amanda Enid Davis ships an ENID&CO. Jailene Cuevas / Hearst CT Media Group
Amanda Enid Davis ships an ENID&CO. Jailene Cuevas / Hearst CT Media Group

Davis said she has shipped orders statewide and nationwide and hopes to start shipping to Australia as soon as an overseas customer requests it. Sometimes she and her mother receive so many orders of a certain item that they prepare them on the fly.

When brainstorming the next design or collaboration, ENID&CO. wants to make sure women feel sexy, confident and good, Davis said. From the name, design and how it is marketed, each piece has a story behind it. Many product names come from Puerto Rican culture, phrases or songs. The “mujer collection”, for example, was created to be an inclusive representation of all body shapes, colors and sizes with the aim of making every woman feel seen, represented and celebrated.

Tik Tok influencers like @LingandLamb and @Shawtysin and Instagram brought ENID&CO. on their platforms. And Davis even used @Shawtysin as one of his role models.

“I’ve even seen anchors in Puerto Rico and on ESPN wearing my earrings on air and it’s a surreal moment,” Davis said.

ENID&CO. was also part of Yahoo’s “In The Know” back in September 2021, which brought together four Latinx beauty and style entrepreneurs to discuss building their brands in connection with their culture and community. Davis said the conversation gave attendees valuable insights into building their brand and creating a meaningful impact within their communities.

“ENID&CO. it’s not just jewelry, it’s an experience and we hope our pieces will inspire women,” she said. “We want our customers to explore an endless palette of colors and have the confidence to dance the salsa, drink a piña colada under the perfect sunset because they deserve it.”