Aldo Orta was born in Mexico City and pursued a degree in fine arts. He then moved to the United States and eventually founded his business, Aldo Orta Jewelry. The jewelry stands out due to its incorporation of different mythological and historical symbols in its design.
Orta’s artistic vision is uniformly visible across his pieces. A look at his designs shows inspiration drawn from Egyptian and Greek mythologies, and even historical figures such as Alexander The Great.
The jewelry is visibly beautiful and shows an exceedingly high level of craftsmanship. The regal designs are in high demand from a very particular clientele which consists of members of royal families and celebrities.
The Jewelry is made out of both precious and semi-precious stones and metals. The metals primarily used are gold, silver, and platinum. The composition of these metals depends on the jewelry line. The high-end designs are mainly made out of gold, while the more affordable versions employ gold plating.
Orta makes sure to leave his stamp on all his pieces as he designs every detail himself. He also takes orders for custom-made pieces and conceives designs according to the client’s wishes. The business also regularly introduces new designs incorporating different mythological and historical symbols.
Aldo Orta Jewelry is not a regular business that mass produces its products. Orta has made sure that his artistic vision is the core of his business and any expansion done is to allow more people to consume his art.
Aldo Orta Jewelry’s business model is primarily driven by passion and despite him not compromising his artistic values, Orta has enjoyed considerable success in his venture. Ortega is still producing Jewelry with his signature touch and his products were also featured on QVC.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
Aldo Orta pitched his business on Shark Tank in season 2. His artistic vision and passion for his designs translated well to the Sharks who were visibly interested in what Orta had to offer. Orta handed the Sharks a selection of his products who tried them on and were clearly appreciative of the designs.
Orta’s pitch centered mostly on the fact that his clientele mainly consisted of celebrities and royalty. He wanted to expand his audience and introduce more affordable versions of his pieces without compromising on quality. Orta’s strategy was smart and he wanted to appease the fear about his market demand from the get-go. He asked for $180,000 in return for 45% of his business.
The Sharks were already sold on the quality and appealing nature of the Jewelry but showed apprehension about the demand for the products on the broader market. Kevin O’Leary, in particular, was concerned about the chain of command in the business, which only consisted of Orta.
O’Leary hit Orta with the classic scenario of him getting killed in a bus collision to emphasize his point that Orta’s business entire worth hinged on his existence. Orta had informed the Sharks that he designed all of the pieces himself and did not have any collaborators.
It was also clear that Orta was not willing to outsource his process and wanted to be the main presence in the creative aspect. O’Leary pulled out of making an offer citing the risks of this business model. If something were to happen to Orta, he would not be able to recoup his investment.
Another major question that the Sharks had was about the demand for products in the general retail sector. They asked Orta if he could design pieces below $200, which was the price deemed somewhat suitable for everyday consumers.
As an extension of the demand problem, Daymond John pointed out that people were not buying jewelry in the economic climate, which had them worry about more pressing expenditures such as mortgages. He pulled out of negotiations due to this financial uncertainty which could hurt the business.
Kevin Harrington wanted to know if shopping channels had approached Orta. Orta revealed that QVC had approached him but asked for a $50,000 investment. Harrington was apprehensive about Orta’s inexperience with mass marketing.
Robert Herjavec also backed out of making an offer citing the price issues. He believed that middle America could not afford to spend that much on Jewelry.
Barbara Corcoran was full of praise for Orta. She admired his passion and his general appearance. She was willing to offer Orta half of his original demand, $90,000, with the QVC deal as a backup.
She clairified that one of the other Sharks would have to pitch in to get to the original amount Orta asked for. Harrington had experience with QVC and their terms and conditions. He agreed to provide the remaining $90,000.
Orta left the Shark Tank pitch with his required deal with O’Leary and Herjavec arguing over which one of them would buy his designed belt buckles.
Our Review of Aldo Orta Jewelry
Aldo Orta Jewelry is not only a treat for jewelry lovers. It can also spark interest among history enthusiasts, people who love classical studies, and general connoisseurs of art. The designs transform the products from a nice piece of jewelry into a potential family heirloom.
Though the designs are intricate and filled with meaning, the pricing will surely give the customers pause. However, there are many positive aspects to the jewelry that will make potential customers weigh their options.
Pros of Aldo Orta Jewelry
- Combines the vision of the customer with Orta’s own unique touch to produce custom-made, bespoke pieces
- Orta himself designs all the products. The customers get what they paid for, essentially Orta’s unique vision, rather than him outsourcing it to unnamed designers.
- Mythological symbols from all cultures encourage a more diverse customer base.
Cons of Aldo Orta Jewelry
- Steep pricing may put off customers from purchasing the products.
- Custom pieces take about six weeks to be shipped. The duration may be inconvenient for some customers looking for a quicker transaction.
- Extra shipping costs might discourage customers.
Who is Aldo Orta Jewelry For?
Orta was aware of the particular subsection of consumers his products appealed to when he delivered his Shark Tank pitch. He named clients like Calvin Klein and the royal family of Qatar to illustrate that his art had been restricted to the upper echelons of society.
Orta, however, deliberately wanted to move away from being an exclusive business and introduced more affordable pieces. These more affordable pieces can appeal to a much larger market. People looking to connect to their cultures through the symbols, history enthusiasts, and people who appreciate art can invest in Aldo Orta Jewelry.
Though Orta’s pieces are more affordable than before, they are still restricted to financially stable people with a certain amount of disposable income.
Are There Any Alternatives?
Many jewelry brands have incorporated spiritual and mythical elements in their designs. This can be associated with the general rise of wellness culture and demand for the spiritual through the material. Some of these brands are:
- Unearthen
- Stephanie Sheehan
- Free People
Final Thoughts
Orta’s designs are undeniably appealing, but his art comes at a cost. It is up to the consumer whether to invest in the art or not. Orta’s business model, however, leaves no doubt to the customer that his priority is art rather than profit.
