In the Middle of the Ocean: Marina Gallo’s Polynesia Travel Diary

Marina Gallo, an Argentinian stylist and jewelry designer by way of Paris, recently took the trip of a lifetime to find inspiration for her newest Ophiuchus Jewels collection. Accompanied by her photographer husband Luis and their young son Bartolomé, the trio travelled to Polynesia for the sparkling task at hand. “We had time for everything,” Gallo says. And everything was special, from the Central Market in Tahiti (Gallo especially loved the flower necklaces and Tahitian pearls, which will be included in her upcoming line) to the abundance of coconut and the natural blue beauty surrounding the young family. “To be alone on a beach on a small island in the middle of the ocean… I loved it!” she says.

Gallo’s first trip to the islands was a long time in the making. “When I was 17 years old, I told my mother that I wanted to go to Tahiti to study French, because I was really fascinated with the culture of Polynesia,” Gallo explains. “My mother said, ‘No, you're going to Paris. To the Sorbonne. End of the discussion....and I went to Paris!’” Luis had also dreamed of going there, to photograph the incredible land and seascapes. So they decided to take the plunge, combining business and pleasure by bringing their six-year-old and visiting old friends during their time in the South Pacific.

Always on the move, the couple already has their next destination in mind: Patagonia. “We want to buy land there and dream to create something beautiful.”

Get a glimpse of their dreamy tropical excursion, above.