March Onyx Votive

March Onyx Votive
A small, luminous vessel carved from a single block of off-white Tecalí onyx. When illuminated, the stone comes alive with a warm, translucent glow that reveals its natural veining and depth. Each votive is carved from remnants of larger blocks, giving new purpose to an extraordinary material while ensuring that no two pieces are ever alike.

Dimensions
2.5" D × 2.5" H

About Tecalí Onyx
For centuries, the town of Tecali de Herrera, in Puebla, has been synonymous with stone. Its name comes from the Náhuatl words tetl (stone) and calli (house), meaning “house of stone”—a fitting description for a place whose identity has been shaped by its surrounding quarries for generations. The region has worked its distinctive translucent onyx since pre-Hispanic times, a tradition that continues today through family workshops dedicated to carving the stone by hand. During the colonial period, Tecali’s stone—known historically as tecalli—was used for windows, altars, and architectural details throughout New Spain. Before glass became commonplace, thin sheets of polished stone filtered daylight into churches and convents, creating the soft, luminous interiors that remain one of the hallmarks of colonial Mexican architecture. Today, that same material is transformed into objects for the home. Every piece is quarried in the hills surrounding Tecali before being cut, carved, and polished entirely by hand. The subtle veining and natural translucency of the stone ensure that every object is unique.

About March
Originally designed by Raúl Cabra in collaboration with Sam Hamilton for March in San Francisco, this collection was created for one of America’s most influential stores dedicated to the kitchen, pantry, and table. Under Hamilton’s direction, March became known for commissioning exceptional work from artisans around the world and helped introduce a generation of collectors to contemporary craft. Produced with the same workshop in Tecali de Herrera, these votives remained part of March’s carefully curated collection until the store closed in 2024. Today, they are available exclusively through La Embajada.

About Handmade Pieces
Crafted by hand using techniques passed down through generations of master artisans. Variations in color, texture, and finish are inherent to the process — each piece is, by nature, one of a kind.