#PetraToth15

I have been making jewelry since I was around six years old. People often ask me how a small child can decide her own destiny. From my perspective, there’s nothing unusual about it. I was an ordinary child from a panel apartment in Petržalka. My father frequently yelled and could shout for hours, and my mother never intervened. The same pattern repeated in their relationship. It was normal. I wasn’t particularly exceptional in this either. Walking through the hallways of our building, you could hear fights from almost every apartment. I was afraid to even take the elevator with anyone. From childhood until today, I have had a fear of people. I found friends in the neighboring building, but they mostly enjoyed setting basement fires. I disagreed and knew it was wrong, so I preferred to stay home, immersed in beads, pearls, and wires. Surrounded by my mess, my own world, buried in it like a hamster. But at home, I was always in danger of being scolded for being messy, for bad grades, and for ruining everything I touched. “A trained monkey could do better than you!” was a common phrase. And that’s where it all began. That was the roughest and ugliest grain of sand enclosed inside a pearl oyster, protected by thick layers of the shell. As time went on, and as my life unfolded with drama after drama, I kept creating, and a tiny layer of mother-of-pearl began forming around that small grain. My work improved, and I continued learning new techniques. By the time I was 20 and a first-year university student, my father passed away forever. I immediately left school and spent the summer reflecting on what I wanted and loved. After my 21st birthday, I made the definitive decision – I would leave Bratislava, move to the countryside, and dedicate myself entirely to creating jewelry, determined to accomplish what everyone said was impossible: to make a living from jewelry in Slovakia.

Without formal education, without a well-trodden path, without connections, and without access to Slovakia’s elite. I chose to live in an environment of peace, love, and harmony. I created 150 km away from the center of activity. Step by step, I built my dream, though those steps numbered in the millions. I met people who helped me along the way – some kindly, some strategically. I met people who tried to block me, people who stole from me (yes, even celebrities), and people who silently supported me and always believed in me. Without my almost fanatical determination, I would never have come this far.

My 15-year journey came with sacrifices, ended relationships that broke my heart, and required painstakingly piecing things back together. It brought constant fear and anxiety, alternating with absolute joy and euphoria from small and large successes. Every mistake and failure propelled me forward at rocket speed. I would spend hours analyzing why something didn’t go as planned, and each setback made me stronger and more determined. With every success came not only joy but also a tremendous sense of responsibility. Every achievement reflects the path you had to travel to reach it, filling you with respect for yourself and the new opportunities ahead.

During these 15 years, I brought two beautiful daughters into a world I created myself. They are my inspiration and often a necessary brake on my growth. I met you, my clients, many of whom still own pieces from these 15 years. Together we experienced the joys and hardships that life brings. If anyone asks me what my greatest achievement is, the answer is always clear: YOU, who have joined me over the years through my work.

This year my brand celebrates 15 years, and I allowed myself to create something just for me. Something that celebrates the most adventurous journey I naively embarked on 15 years ago. Something that will always remind me that if a person is truly determined and hardworking, they can achieve great things. Things that no one else believed in but themselves. Something that can help, shape people, and eventually influence society. Today, I know I have given my best; I know I leave behind happy women; I know I’ve helped highlight regions, listened to countless stories, and done everything I could to support determined people who love our roots as much as I do.

Over these 15 years, I realized that each of us is a grain of sand, and it’s up to us how many layers of mother-of-pearl we add to make the most beautiful and interesting pearl out of our lives. Pearls are fascinating because layers can accumulate almost endlessly. It takes years for a pearl to form, and nothing can speed up the process. Even when you think a pearl is finished, it is likely only halfway through its journey, capable of growing many times larger.