Italian jewelry Archives

Photos: my favorite extraordinary Italian jewelry!

June 19, 2018

I ventured into the desert on a mission to discover The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry of Las Vegas jewelry week…now I’m home and I have glorious things to show you!!

It was so much fun working with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA). With their help making introductions, I was able to meet so many exciting new designers. Jewelry may be a universal language, but when you’re trying to say “Hello, may I please take pictures of your jewelry for my blog?” having someone on hand to translate is very helpful.

Enough talk! I know you want pictures.

The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry of Las Vegas Jewelry Week

This glorious statement cuff by Antonini Milano features delicious sapphires surrounded by small, sparkling diamonds set in black rhodium. The color contrast is just stunning.

I love the negative space between the gems, too; the peekaboo glimpses of skin that this sizable cuff allows make it a sexy as well as a joyful jewel.

I loved the fresh feeling of this versatile coral and hematite necklace by Rajola. Isn’t the color spectacular?

Rajola uses an unusual material called Sciacca coral: it’s actually a fossilized coral from a deposit that was discovered in the late 1800’s. The coral is hundreds of years old; part of a reef that was buried under an ancient volcanic eruption. That it means that Rajola’s coral doesn’t come from living reefs. No live coral or aquatic ecosystems are harmed by Sciacca coral jewelry.

I don’t have words to properly describe the simple perfection of these gold bracelets by Chimento. The seductive buttery yellow of the gold, the thoughtful design, the comfortable wear – the irresistible interplay of the different pieces’ colors and textures.

It’s not a stretch to say that you could buy one of these and wear it for your entire lifetime. Chimento makes some more dramatic pieces too – apparently J.Lo is a fan – but it was these perfect everyday go-to’s that I fell for the hardest. And who doesn’t love a good gold cuff, especially when you’re talking about extraordinary Italian jewelry?

I’m so into these layered jewels by Pesavento! They’re made from a core of tightly wound sterling silver mesh. They’re incredibly light and completely flexible; they could not be easier or more comfortable to wear.

I’ve actually seen the Pesavento booth at the VicenzaOro show in Italy, but they’re so mobbed there that I’d never been able to actually touch the jewelry! It was so exciting to finally try on the pieces I’d been eyeing.

Here’s a closer look:

The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry headed to Las Vegas!

May 24, 2018

When I think of Italy, I think of pasta, romance, and extraordinary Italian jewelry; three of my favorite very things!

I have had the good fortune to visit Italy several times to see The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry at the VicenzaOro show, but I’m also about to have a chance to meet with some of Italy’s finest jewelry brands right here in the US!

A jewelry box full of glamour at Pasquale Bruni.

Considered a global trendsetter since the days of the Renaissance, Italy has long since secured its status as a hotbed of cultural and artistic inspiration. Generations of Italian artists have enriched the world with notable developments in architecture, music, art, fashion, and (of course) The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry design.

In our ever-changing world, the allure of The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry is more potent that ever. Rather than getting bogged down in the past, Italian jewelers and goldsmiths are constantly on the cutting edge of design, using skill to blend their region’s rich creative history with a keen eye for evolving fashions to introduce innovative, breathtaking, game-changing jewels.

An incredible diamond ring by Picchiotti.

I am so excited to be partnering with the Italian Trade Agency to help bring you an insider’s look at The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry during Las Vegas jewelry week! This week – also sometimes called jewelry market week – is one of the most important events in the global jewelry business: one week, one city, all the most significant trades shows in the industry.

It kicks off on Thursday, May 31st and you can bet I’m going to be there!

I’ll be highlighting The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry in Las Vegas both through my Instagram coverage while I’m there and with a dedicated blog post recap after I come home. There’s going to be so much Italian jewelry to love!

There will be more than 100 Italian jewelry brands at the two biggest Vegas trade shows, JCK and Couture. Find the full list along with all the information you could need to find them or book appointments here on the Italian Trade Agency’s website.

Enjoying Diva Gioielli’s celestial collections.

From simple gold chains to the most exquisite one of a kind masterpiece, The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry continues to spread across the world.

In an age when many luxury markets are struggling, Italian jewelry flourishes. Italian jewelry imports to the US reached $1.3 billion in 2017, the highest number since the 2008 crisis. 2018 is living up to the prior year’s promise, with the first trimester already registering a 10% increase.

Jewelry production in Italy is concentrated in the regions of Arezzo, Vicenza, Valenza, and Naples/Marcianise/Torre del Greco; production in these areas employs thousands of skilled workers and accounts for more than 85% of the sector’s exports. 80% of that is exported internationally, with 25% coming to North America.

Italian jewelry design ranges widely from gold and silver to cameos and coral, precious gemstones, and pearls, and precious diamond creations.

An amazing Roberto Coin ring with a bejeweled bunny rabbit.

All of the images in this post show examples of The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry that I have personally met and loved in my past travels! You can also see my VicenzaOro adventures here, here, here, and here.

Want more of The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry?

Follow the Italian Trade Agency on Twitter and Instagram (also here and here) or check out their website for full and detailed lists of all of the The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry brands exhibiting in Las Vegas.

Beautiful and badass snake jewels by Mattioli - the bracelet is black diamonds and the snake is diamonds and colored gems!

Beautiful snake jewels by Mattioli.

This sponsored post is brought to you by the Italian Trade Agency.

VicenzaOro show recap: my Italian jewelry adventures!

October 19, 2017

Okay, my darlings. I’ve been home from Europe for a couple of weeks, which means I’ve caught up on sleep, unpacked my suitcase (sort of) and, most importantly, finished preparing my photos from the VicenzaOro show!!

This was my third VicenzaOro show, which means I was twice as excited to go back as I would have been if I didn’t know what was in store. From the luxurious, colorful velvet couches of the Roberto Coin boutique to the custom chocolate truffle flight I was offered by Casato and the ever-present glasses of prosecco, the Italian trade show experience definitely involves some pampering.

And then, of course, there’s the jewelry.

This handful of pure joy is the work of Casato, a new-to-me Italian brand who really impressed with me, both with their warm welcome (which involved chocolate) and their creative, gorgeously constructed jewelry.

I loved this line for its unusual color combinations and its perfect scale: larger than most just-for-fun stacking rings, but smaller than cocktail styles. I loved looking at these rings and their coordinating earrings. Such happy, fun designs.

Last year at the VicenzaOro show, I fell in love with a carved lava dragon necklace by Italian brand Anna E Alex. This year, it was their statement earrings that knocked my socks off.

These bold beauties feature materials like silk and enamel and they’re specially made to be light as a feather, despite their size. They’re also a great price point, especially for how fabulous they are: a pair like this will set you back around $400.

Italian brand Carlo Barberis is one of the meetings I was the most excited about at this year’s VicenzaOro show, and they did not disappoint.

Can you believe this brooch??? The initial visual effect is stunning, but it gets more impressive the closer you look: the gently curving branches of this floral design are carved tourmaline, and the halo around the center of each bloom is carved hardstone. An exquisite, refreshingly creative design, gorgeously executed.

How about some swans? These two glamorous birdies are the work of Palmerio, a brand I’ve seen the VicenzaOro show but never had a chance to visit before.

I can’t look at these rings without thinking of Odette and Odile from Swan Lake. Neither of them struck me as particularly evil, but you never know.

The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry of Las Vegas Jewelry Week

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