My 20 favorite Italian Jewelry Brands
My Love for Italian Jewelry
Oh dear. I wanted to write a blog about my five favorite Italian jewelry companies and I ended up with twenty, and even then I felt heartbroken to leave out some amazing brands. And these are only the high-end jewelry brands. I promise, I will do another one with my favorite Italian silver jewelry brands soon.
When I was in my early twenties, I ended up in Italy and lived in this crazy little town called Valenza. It was so different from anything I knew. From the no-nonsense, say what you mean and not much more, down-to-earth bulb region above Amsterdam, to this little town where everyone who was not running a bar or working at the bakery was somehow involved in jewelry.
I even wondered if the people running a bar and working in the bakery were not involved in jewelry in one way or another.
I have written before that it was right here that I fell in love with the smell of the workplaces, the excited and loud talks about a design, the small boxes with folded paper containing beautiful gemstones. The people who sold pearls, the many stores, the ladies who worked as polishers and how important a good polisher was, and how their hands always gave away their daytime jobs. The true world of jewelry.
Working with Italian Jewelry
I worked there for years and years, and after that I still worked in the industry but expanded my network to Vicenza. Now, more than twenty years on from those first days in Valenza, I have seen so many brands, so much jewelry, and I have learned so much more over time. I still discover new facts, industry news, new brands and more, every single day.
Struggle
Although there are so many companies that create fantastic jewelry, I had to eliminate names to bring the list back to five. I failed. I tried ten and failed again. I tried fifteen and, well, you have guessed it, I failed miserably. So from over fifty brands, I have now created a list of twenty favorite jewelry brands. All Italian, all beautiful in their own way.
Coming Soon: My Favorite Italian Silver Brands
I did not include the silver brands, as I felt they could not compete with the high-end jewelry ones and deserved their very own blog, so bear with me for another piece on Italian silver brands. It was hard. The first five are easy, but then I had to bring an enormous list down to just twenty. Not easy, if Italian jewelry is kind of your speciality.
I did not create this list to emphasize my personal taste, but rather to showcase companies that I know and admire and that create fantastic high-end jewelry, each with their own signature. So here goes, in random order.
- Roberto Coin
- Palmiero
- Buccellati
- Verdi
- Oro Trend
- Vhernier
- Garavelli Aldo
- Santagostino
- De Simone F.lli
- Paolo Piovan
- Pino Manna
- Crivelli
- Gabriela Rivalta
- Pasquale Bruni
- Alessio Boschi
- Casato
- Mattioli
- Bulgari
- Caoro
- Chantecler
1. Roberto Coin
This former hotel manager proves something I really believe in: a very different background can add fresh perspective in an old world like the world of jewelry. I adore Roberto Coin for his brilliant collections, even more for his animal-themed jewelry, and I admire him for taking this rather young company (established in 1996) and growing it so big in such a short time. Roberto Coin is one of those Italian brands that really made it in the U.S., a dream of many Italian brands. A flamboyant man, an admirable achievement, but really, the jewelry is truly well made and truly beautiful. Some of the pieces can only be created by very specialized craftsmen. Even my husband, who does not often agree with my wild taste in animal jewelry, said he adores the Long Horn Bull Ring.
If you love Roberto Coin's jewelry but cannot afford it, take a look at the Fifth Avenue Collection. I always love silver collections by high-end jewelers, as they are so beautifully made, but this one is not just fairly priced, it is exceptionally lovely.
2. Palmiero Jewellery Design
This family-run business was created by Carlo Palmiero. The man is simply a sorcerer. What he can do with stones and movement and composition is unique, and being unique in an overcrowded world of production and brands, as the jewelry world is, is an achievement in itself. The collection contains only very high-end creations, clearly for a wealthy clientele with exquisite taste. I have been enchanted with his world of jewelry from the first day I laid eyes on his collection and have never stopped feeling that he possesses some kind of magic wand.
3. Buccellati
Buccellati is one of the most famous brands to have created its very own signature style. The first Buccellati shop was opened in Milan by Mario Buccellati. One of his five sons started his own career in jewelry, but later the two companies, both very successful, merged into the brand it is today. Buccellati is known for many things, but perhaps most for the engraved rigato gold finish on many of its pieces. It is the work I love most. The company closed a deal with Clessidra SGR, a private equity fund, and pulled off a great publicity stunt with the creation of the world's most expensive iPhone case back in 2014.
Buccellati jewelry is for seriously grown-up people. It is not young or daring, but sophisticated, with the elegance that comes easily to brands with a long history. Personally, I love the Hawaii necklaces, the Tulle rings and the Dream bracelets. They are simply majestic and breathtaking.
4. Verdi
This brand is seriously beautiful. Verdi jewelry is not prudent or humble, it is there: BAM. The words lavish luxury spring to mind when I look at their jewelry, made in Valenza. Diamonds and gemstones play a key role in the collections. You will find some very classic pieces, but also some rather playful ones. One might not always have the eye for what makes jewelry well made, but I can assure you it takes astonishing craftsmanship to create jewelry like this.
It is very high-end and very exclusive, and much less known than the famous Bulgari or Buccellati, but it deserves the same attention. Why do I adore this company? I must admit I am blown away by the pure craftsmanship.
You might enjoy this blog too: Enjoy my favorite French jewelry brands!
5. Oro Trend
Think ingeniously carved and cut stones. An enormous collection, from very high-end to more approachable and easy-to-wear pieces, and you have a picture of this Valenza-based brand.
The company was founded by Aldo Bellotto and Sandro Ferraris, and I love this brand not just for the incredible craftsmanship, but most of all for the fantasy and creativity. Although there are some animal-themed pieces, which I love, it is their ability to create exciting pieces that I admire most. I would describe their collection as intelligent fantasy.
6. Vhernier
This company was born in 1984, once again in Valenza, but was acquired by the Aura group run by the Traglio family. They took Vhernier to the next level, and now the brand has ten of its own boutiques and can be found in nineteen countries. Modern, sleek, innovative, surprising, architectural, and with a clear love for gold and large stones. I love this brand for its design. I really love bold jewelry, and I know how beautiful, solid and sophisticated their work is. If you do not like jewelry full of diamonds and you are not into frivolous pieces, but you still like your jewelry daring and bold, then you might want to check out Vhernier.
7. Garavelli Aldo
I must admit that sympathetic and kind owners can make a difference sometimes. I have always admired this brand for their work ethic. They are simply always on the road, off to the world's greatest jewelry shows, and they have such faith in their brand and collections. Once more from Valenza, Garavelli Aldo is one of those high-standard, wonderful jewelry brands, with a history that dates back to 1920. This is a very small company that will not make any concession on quality. I love them, and I am crazy about the face rings.
8. Santagostino
When I ran the jewelry store in Valenza in the nineties, we had a small but lovely collection of Santagostino brooches, and once even a bracelet too. I remember it was love at first sight. Where to start? The colors? The fantasy? The enchanting compositions? The themes? This enthusiastic, passionate family-run business will blow you away with their wondrous world of flowers, bugs and fruits. Beautiful quality, and if you are looking for something truly unique, you might check them out.
Check out this blog if you love Santagostino: Trend: Cool animal jewelry to brighten up your summer wardrobe!
9. De Simone Fratelli
I met this company last January. I have always loved coral and turquoise, and I like to check out the booths at the jewelry trade fairs that specialize in this. One of the owners started a conversation with me and showed me more pieces while sharing something about the history of the company. The more I looked and learned, the more I grew to love it. Many people picture coral jewelry as rather old fashioned, but De Simone F.lli is anything but. With a keen eye for fashion and statement pieces, mixed incredibly well with their knowledge, skills and craftsmanship, they create the most exciting coral, pearl, turquoise and cameo jewelry.
This company knows how to do storytelling, and their background deserves a blog of its own. I love them for their story, and I love them because I feel truly excited and in awe when I look at some of their pieces.
10. Paolo Piovan
With Paolo Piovan, it is perhaps the use of the black background and the often scary (but beautiful) animals such as spiders and dragons that created this connection in my mind with darkness, punk and goth somehow. But truly, once you see the jewelry for real, it is audacious and wonderful. A mix between the fairytales of Disney and the Brothers Grimm. They caught my attention initially because of their stunning animal-themed jewelry. What I love about this company is the sheer size of the jewelry. It is not modest or shy, it is wild and bold and daring and beautiful, enchanting and lush.
11. Pino Manna
This brand caught my eye when I first saw that chicken ring. I thought the ring was hilariously funny and so very audacious and brave. A company that dares to play and dares to challenge the definition of what animals are and are not suited to in jewelry, while maintaining a high standard in both execution and materials, deserves to be in the limelight of both the press and the public eye. The ring says a lot about the playful minds behind this thirty-year-old company.
The fact that they have produced for prestigious brands, as many in Valenza have done, means they know how to meet the highest standards those companies request. Pino Manna has its own boutique in the beautiful town of Modena. The chicken will always be my favorite, but look at the rest of the collection. Is it not charming?
12. Crivelli
Crivelli is like a force of nature. When you pass their booth at a trade fair, the sheer amount of often classical jewelry, chock-full of diamonds and the most gorgeous, impressive and large gemstones, is overwhelming. It might even hurt your eyes.
Crivelli does not have a very youthful image, but rather a majestic and formal one. If you think of cities, think of the classical formal architecture of Vienna. Yet what I love about this brand is their unapologetic attitude toward classical jewelry with lots of diamonds and stunning gemstones. With great Hollywood appeal, this is traditional jewelry at its best.
13. Gabriela Rivalta
Gabriela Rivalta is a company near Valenza, and they create enameled jewelry. That is what they have always done and what they are known for. There are a few famous brands, and a lot of less famous ones, that create stunning enameled jewelry, and I have a profound appreciation for the art of enameling. The whole process is very delicate. It is art, technique and craftsmanship all in one.
The miniature paintings of Gabriela, mostly on 18kt gold necklaces and pendants, are unique in the world of jewelry. The details in her paintings are so beautiful that even if this type of jewelry is not something you would choose yourself, you cannot stop looking at it in complete awe. For forty-five years, Gabriela Rivalta has grown within her very unique niche, and I love her jewelry for the love she so clearly puts into her pieces. I would choose her flowers any day.
14. Pasquale Bruni
When I lived in Italy in the nineties, Pasquale Bruni was a rapidly growing, world-renowned, sexy brand with a contemporary approach to classic jewelry, and some of their pieces were truly iconic. Although they have much more competition today, I never fell out of love with them. I still think this brand is hot and creates wonderful jewelry, often with a more youthful and dynamic approach than others. I would not mind if they created a line that would blow me off my feet again, but even so, I think Pasquale Bruni makes very sexy, very high-standard jewelry.
15. Alessio Boschi
This Italian designer has an impressive career, with many award-winning moments and work for beautiful jewelry companies. There is a lot to write about Alessio, but I have chosen him because he is one of the most exciting and eclectic designers around. With his love for historical references and regal details, he creates enchanting and mesmerizing pieces that rock. I love his innovative, complex and technical approach as much as I love his creative madness. I think he creates incredible jewelry, and that his star will surely keep rising.
16. Casato
Rome-based Casato has won my heart for its lightness and its twinkling, elegant jewelry. I cannot help but think of swan-like ballerinas, refined ladies who laugh and sparkle while drinking tea. I am not sure why, but that is the image that springs to mind when I look at their collection. A warm, kind company with easy-to-wear jewelry that appeals to Millennials and older generations alike, for its open, structured pieces that are never old fashioned and always playful and bright. I love them for their kindness, their delightful designs, and how they incorporate the latest trends into their jewelry.
17. Mattioli
This Turin-based company has been around for decades, but in recent years it has grown rapidly, and now its collections can be found in the Rome showroom and in the windows of prestigious jewelers around the globe. The company offers an enormous and very diverse collection, not all high-end, but all in 18kt gold. There are very wearable pieces for any occasion, as well as some more expressive ones like the Lips and Animal collections. The Arcimboldo collection, however, caught the eye of the press worldwide, and yes, mine too. I have to tell you, sometimes jewelry looks great in a picture and then lacks charisma in real life, but not the Arcimboldo rings.
They were even better in real life than in any picture I had seen. I love Mattioli for embracing the fact that jewelers want high-quality jewelry they can sell easily, with the name of a great brand, while also offering exclusive pieces. I love their approach to business and their enthusiasm. And I will always love Mattioli for the Arcimboldo collection.
18. Bulgari
Perhaps Bulgari is the most famous name in this whole list of favorite Italian jewelry brands. Bulgari is a very impressive company, known all over the world, that has successfully expanded into perfume and other accessories.
Why do I love Bulgari? I do not know where to start. The combinations of colored gemstones and the revolution they started in the fifties? Their past, their heritage, their iconic status? Perhaps I love them most of all simply for their high-end jewelry pieces. I adore the Serpenti collection and Colour Treasures, but what can I say: can one really go wrong with a piece of jewelry by Bulgari?
19. Caoro
This young company is not famous at all, but it is one I would like to mention in this top twenty, as it caught my attention at the last trade fair I visited in Italy. The company promises an original approach to jewelry, and if they continue to follow through, they might grow a lot bigger and surely more famous. They use electroforming and diamond ridges to create exciting pieces that are quite unique.
The jewelry looks young, sexy and different, and I think it will appeal to the rapidly growing number of Millennials searching for jewelry who are not always interested in diamonds or gemstones. I love them for this approach, and I adore their collection, especially the Bouquet collection.
20. Chantecler
Chantecler has this radiant Capri spirit. The Dolce Vita, the parties, the light, the Mediterranean, it is all there. Born from a friendship between two men, Pietro Capuano and Salvatore Aprea. I love their high jewelry collections, but I adore the Campanelle (Bells) just as much, and I appreciate the fact, which many more brands should follow, that they created a silver collection too. The pieces I love most? Diamour and Fireworks. But I also love the bright turquoise and coral they use in many of their pieces. Dandy, fun, radiant jewelry: that, ladies and gentlemen, is Chantecler.
A Tour de Force
Creating this blog took me days. Not just to find the right words, which is not easy when English is not my native tongue, to describe brands I adore without using the same words over and over again. I might not have fully succeeded in that, but I truly hope I have managed to create curiosity and spark your interest. Maybe I have even inspired you to check out one or more of these brands the next time you stroll through a city. Who knows, maybe even to buy one of the pieces. Lucky you.
I would love to know who your favorite Italian brand is, and why.
Caoro jewelry rings
De Simone F.lli bracelets
Mattioli Jewelry
Mattioli Lips rings
Bulgari
Pino Manna Pet collection
Pino Manna Rings
Paolo Piovan Lion bracelets
Sant'Agostino jewelry
