About Barse
Learn About the brand
Barse Jewelry began in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1986. Melanie Barse, who would later become known for her distinct eye for color and design, got her start running a small gift shop with her mother. The two of them stocked their shelves with sterling silver jewelry imported from Taxco, Mexico, and it was through this hands-on retail experience that Melanie found her direction.<br><br> Drawn to the texture and vibrancy of handcrafted silver, she began traveling to Mexico herself to source more designs. What started as a family business grew into a deeper pursuit. Melanie eventually partnered with her husband, Michael Gobril, and together they founded Barse Jewelry.<br><br> From the beginning, Melanie wanted Barse to offer something that felt personal and intentional. She sought out genuine stones with character, many of them colorful, some dyed for richness, but all chosen with care. The company’s jewelry is known for the way it brings these stones together with thoughtful metalwork, both in cast designs and in beaded pieces often assembled in Dallas.<br><br> Dallas became the company’s home base, while production was set up in Thailand. There, skilled artisans use the lost-wax casting method, an ancient process that allows for a high level of detail and consistency while preserving the look and feel of something made by hand. As Melanie traveled, she gathered not just materials, but ideas. The ruins of Greece, the jungles of Bali, and other far-flung locations offered up patterns, shapes, and stories that she brought back and translated into jewelry. Her sketches captured these influences, and those drawings became the starting point for many of Barse’s signature pieces.<br><br> The name Barse carries a personal link. It comes from Melanie’s great uncle, George Randolph Barse, an American artist whose work hangs in the Library of Congress. His legacy of craftsmanship and creative integrity was something Melanie wanted to preserve and echo in her own work.<br><br> That connection to art runs through every part of the brand’s identity. It isn’t just about making beautiful things. Each stone is selected and cut at Barse’s own factory. Each casting is handled with traditional care. Every piece is built with the intention of carrying a story, from the geological formation of the stones to the cultural inspiration behind the design.<br><br> Barse Jewelry has grown over the years, but the core hasn’t changed. It’s still shaped by Melanie’s original vision: to create distinctive, well-crafted jewelry that brings together color, tradition, and meaning. It’s still rooted in the belief that what people wear should reflect more than taste, it should reflect experience.
