I’ve been lucky enough to have many jewelry adventures since starting Diamonds in the Library, but VicenzaOro remains one of my very favorites.

Located in Vicenza, Italy – a city at the center of the country’s vibrant jewelry industry –  VicenzaOro is an event of great importance in Italian, European, and even global jewelry markets. It’s absolutely huge and offers a staggering variety of finished jewelry, as well as loose gemstones, components, and more.

The finished jewelry is obviously my favorite part of the show, but I love the whole experience together: it thrills my imagination to be able to walk from Hall 7, filled with looming, lavish booths from mammoth brands like Roberto Coin and Pasquale Bruni to the GlamRoom, where up and coming designers show their wares (sometimes for the very first time) on arrangements of small tables.

I only had two days on the show floor this year, but that was enough time to see quite a range of jewelry: both exciting pieces by completely new-to-me designers and new stunners from old favorites.

Shall we take a look?

Let’s kick things off with some fireworks!

These glorious cocktail rings are by Vendorafa, an Italian brand famous for its richly textured gold. These babies feature Vendorafa’s iconic goldwork in a an irresistibly fun and joyful way. If you look closely at the orbs without stones on the yellow gold ring, you’ll that see the metal isn’t smooth. These details help every surface of the ring catch the light in a spectacular way, stones or no stones.

Vendorafa is a well established brand, but I’d never had an opportunity to meet them before. Now I have a very severe craving to own one of their glorious gold bangles. (I loved the rings, but the bangles took my heart.)

Here I am with visionary jewelry designer Alessio Boschi! As if you’re paying any attention to the humans in these pictures when that jaw-dropping SHARK brooch is visible.

Can you even with that piece?? I firmly believe that every man should have a bejeweled shoulder pet as fine as this one. For the record, he was not just modeling it for me: he wore it all day, because Alessio Boschi is just that cool. He makes masterpieces and then rocks them himself.

In addition to being a jewelry genius and very dapper gentleman, Alessio Boschi is also a delightful person. It was so lovely seeing you at VicenzaOro, Alessio! Thanks again for letting me take so many pictures of your shoulder.

Here’s another jewel by Alessio Boschi.

This gorgeous bracelet was inspired by the architecture of the Italian city of Florence. This whole collection – as well as a similar one inspired by Milan – is utterly beautiful. In the background, you can see the designer’s original designs and calculations.

Oh hello, magnificent amethyst cabochon! As if this stone weren’t enough, it’s set in a beautiful blooming halo of delicate, textured goldwork set with bright diamonds.

This killer piece is one of the showstoppers from Roberto Coin‘s Roman Barocco collection, which (as you might have guessed) is the same collection that brought us the magnificent pen I showed you up above. The irresistible goldwork and use of cabochons are both hallmarks of the collection, which ranges from a few killer pieces like this ring to extremely wearable and majorly beautiful smaller pieces.Read More