Elegance has always carried emotional weight. It can shape how people present themselves and how they are perceived. Jewelry, in particular, can often occupy a place in that equation, both symbolic and personal. Yet the idea of refined jewelry can be tethered to high price points, placing beauty and self-expression out of reach. Such tensions are only intensified as the price of gold and silver continues its upward trajectory, reaching new record highs.
According to Alejandro Litchi, founder of Industrias Lior and NICE, the industry has allowed cost inflation to reconsider who elegance is for. "Precious metals keep getting more expensive, and that has a direct impact on how people engage with jewelry," he says. "What we believe is that feeling beautiful and confident should not be reserved for a small group of people who can afford solid gold at today's prices."
It's this belief that is interwoven within Lior, a Mexico-based manufacturing company for the outward-facing distribution models, NICE, and its US counterpart, NICE & Bella. Instead of positioning it as a compromise, the company approaches plated jewelry as a canvas for creative design and engineering choices. The goal, Litchi emphasizes, is to preserve the look, feel, and longevity of fine jewelry while eschewing the prohibitive cost barrier.
"There's this perception that plated jewelry means lower quality, but what matters is how it's made and what materials and processes are used in making it," Litchi explains, emphasizing how quality is pivotal in Lior's jewelry production. "Almost all our gold pieces are plated with 18-karat gold, and our silver pieces are rhodium-plated to prevent tarnishing." This meticulousness, he notes, is enforced to allow jewelry enthusiasts to adorn their pieces in any environment without the looming fear of discoloration or base metal exposure.
Quality, for Lior, translates into its internal performance. Maria Enriquez, COO of NICE & Bella, points to the fact that maintaining this level of precision is an intentional effort to reduce return rates within the company. "People don't return pieces that they love," she says. "And they don't keep wearing something for years if it doesn't perform. Our craftsmanship is curated with the objective to meet those standards."
Founded in 1986, the family-owned factory controls everything from design and prototyping to plating, finishing, and quality assurance. Advanced technologies coexist with artisanal techniques that jewelry still demands. Materials are sourced globally to meet the best outcome, not the cheapest output.
According to Litchi, that balance between innovation and handcraft is precisely what enables accessibility without erosion of standards. "Plated doesn't mean rushed, and affordable doesn't mean careless," he says. "There are multiple quality checkpoints before a piece ever reaches the customer."
Accessibility also defines how NICE & Bella engage the market. Its direct sales model allows individuals to become distributors with minimal upfront investment, offering refined jewelry that can resonate with any customer base. "You don't need formal business education or a large amount of capital to start," Litchi says. "What you need is commitment, and the product needs to be something you're proud to stand behind."
That same logic extends to partnerships with creators and established personalities. The company has begun shaping thoughtful collaborations with influencers and aspiring entrepreneurs that respect all stakeholders. "We're very conscious about how we bring new channels in," Litchi says. "The goal is to expand opportunity, not shift it away from people who have built this business for decades."
The outcome, ultimately, lies in providing luxury jewelry that can elevate life and allow buyers to experience the glamor without demanding financial strain. From a leadership perspective, Enriquez emphasizes that they hold a greater purpose. "We're creating something that makes people feel beautiful, more confident, and more expressive, even when other parts of life feel uncertain. That matters."
With quality at the forefront, Lior aims to occupy an intentional middle ground between mass production and unattainable luxury. Its model suggests that elegance doesn't have to lose meaning when it becomes accessible. On the contrary, it shows that it can gain relevance because beauty, in essence, is meant to be universal.
