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: