New Italian Jewelry Designs from VicenzaOro

The subtle differences of the two tones of gold color and the texture of the precious metal are the hallmarks of Anna Maria Cammilli. The simplicity of this nature-inspired motif is used throughout the collection in complicated ways. Diamond accents enhance the design.

The recently concluded VicenzaOro Fall jewelry tradeshow may have marked a turning point for the Italian jewelry industry, which has been suffering due to the global recession, the spike in gold prices and high labor costs.

The butterfly from Damiani uses yellow gold accented by brown and white diamonds, and amethysts. Each butterfly is made with a variety of material combinations and can be worn as a pendant, brooch or set onto a ring.

At this year’s show, held September 7 -11, approximately, 1,200 Italian and foreign brands from 30 countries presented a breadth of jewelry products to more than 18,000 buyers (10,879 from Italy and 7,160 from 111 other countries).

18k yellow gold cuff with diamond pavé accent by Chimento.

Show officials were particularly excited about the “return” of some Italian retailers, seeing it as “an encouraging sign considering the much-desired end of the most critical phase of the recession.”

A silver star-shaped ring with a white pearl by Mayumi.

The show numbers coincide with data from the Italian government reporting second quarter growth for Italian jewelry exports, after two years of decline. Growth was recorded in terms of value (6%) and quantity (2.6%) over the same period of the previous year. Exports to the US, the world’s largest jewelry market, increased 12 percent in value in the second quarter.

From Fope’s Flex’it collection, patented ‘roll on’ mesh chain bracelets are crafted in 18k gold and fully flexible, without clasps. The Niue line is designed with a refined version of the classic gold mesh, enriched with black or white diamonds, multiple rondels and limited edition pink sapphire or gold cognac diamond balls.

“Among the industry players there is an atmosphere of moderate confidence,” show officials said.

Rose gold bracelet in a flowing design partially covered with white diamond pave by I Gregori Milano.

VicenzaOro, held four times a year, serves as a showcase of beautiful objects that combine artistry, international fashion trends and technical knowhow. Italian fine jewelry in terms of design and craftsmanship is unparalleled in the world of jewelry making. On this level, the show did not disappoint.

Inspired by the Boboli Gardens this collection of handmade jewellery by Nouvelle Bague uses in gold and diamonds, combined with colored enamel.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Web site.

Rings from Porrati with white pearls and rose gold; with pink sapphires set on rose gold; a rose gold ring; and a thin rose gold band set with pink sapphires.

 

I added a piece from Brazilian designer Carla Amorim who was inspired by the formation of sand dunes for these rose gold earrings.

Jaeger-LeCoultre at the 2013 Venice Film Festival

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso engraved 70 Mostra

Today I will be leaving for Venice to cover the About J luxury jewelry show, perhaps the most exclusive jewelry show in the world. About 30 luxury jewelry brands will be exhibiting. Then I will be covering VicenzaOro Fall, the most prestigious collection of jewelry tradeshows for Italian jewelry industry.

Actress Sarah Gadon wearing Jaeger-LeCoultre La Montre Extraordinaire La Rose  while attending the Emergency charity VFF 2013. Photo credit: Getty images

However, I am arriving a few days early and as luck would have it, it happens to be during the 70th Venice International Film Festival (August 28 – September 7. Luxury watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre, which is celebrating its 180th anniversary, is a sponsoring partner of the festival and has been hosting events and creating products for the event.

British actress, Sophie Kennedy Clark was on the red carpet with Laurent Vinay debuting the Reverso Cordonnet Duetto watch made its debut on the Red Carpet as B Sophie Kennedy Clark. The actress stars in the film, Philomena, which will premiere during the Festival.

The Swiss luxury watch brand has created a personalized Reverso watch to the winners of the Best Film (Leone d’Oro, Golden Lion Award) as well as the Best Actress and Best Actor of the year (Coppa Volpi Awards). The watches will feature a lacquered engraving depicting a lion, the symbol of Venice, handcrafted in accordance with the finest traditions, and bear the inscription “70. Mostra” (top photo).

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso engraved 70 Mostra Eemergency

For the third consecutive year Jaeger-LeCoultre will use its products and brand to support the Emergency, a non-governmental organization that helps civilian victims of wars and poverty. This includes the creation of a personalized Reverso watch with the same engravings and symbol as the official Venice Film Festival watch, with the addition of “Emergency” as part of the inscription (pictured above).

La Montre Extraordinaire La Rose

Jaeger-LeCoultre will also release a new collection called Jubliee. From the opening day to closing of the festival the company is hosting events throughout Venice. I will be attending two events during my short time at the festival going attending the jewelry shows I came to see.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Cordonnet Duetto

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Web site.

Buccellati Appoints New CEO

The Buccellati 18k “Star Collection,” necklace and earrings made of more than 1,700 white and yellow diamonds and 20 pieces of Imperial jade.

Italian luxury jewelry brand, Buccellati, has named Thierry Andretta as its new CEO, according to reports.

Andretta, was most recently CEO of the French couture house, Lanvin, where he doubled sales to more than 236 million euros during his four-year tenure. Prior to Lanvin, he worked in senior positions at Ungaro, Céline, Moschino and Gucci Group.

Monday's announcement came less than four months after Italian private equity fund, Clessidra, took a majority stake in Buccellati, Reuters reports.

Buccellati is known for its signature lace rings and necklaces (many one of a kind) worn by monarchs and movie stars. Some of its pieces sell for more than $1 million. Members of its founding family still design many of its pieces. The company also is known for not routinely lending its jewelry to actresses on the red carpets at high-profile events such as the Cannes film festival or the Oscar ceremony.

Andretta told  Reuters the brand will develop its watch business as well as its presence worldwide, particularly in new markets such as the Middle East and Russia.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Website.

The Vicenzaoro ‘Italian Club’ Brings 130 Companies to JCK Las Vegas

The Vicenzaoro ‘Italian Club’ Pavilion at JCK Las Vegas.

Italian jewelry, as always, was showing its strength at the JCK Las Vegas jewelry tradeshow, led by Vicenzaoro with its section of 130 manufacturers and designers. The companies came from the jewelry production centers of Vicenza, Valenza, Arezzo, Naples, Marcianise, Torre del Greco and Milan, with 20 percent of vendors exhibiting at North America’s largest tradeshow for the first time.

Presented by Fiera di Vicenza, Vicenza, Italy, where the collection of Vicenzaoro jewelry tradeshows are held each year, the exhibitors presented high jewelry collections and more accessible items in Las Vegas. It’s the eight year that the organization had its "Italian Club" pavilion at the Las Vegas tradeshow. 

Models wearing jewelry from the Vicenzaoro exhibitors.

About 30 exhibitors were represented during fashions show held throughout the four-day tradeshow. In addition, Trend Area's "Inspirations 2014 – MUTATIONS” - made its debut at JCK Luxury, the showcase for exclusive brands, which took place prior to the JCK Show. With its own exhibition area that explored the directions in which style, materials, working methods and consumer behavior are heading and its significance on the luxury industry. 

The TrendVision stand during JCK Luxury.

Jewelry industry pros were able to preview the new trends for 2014 that the TrendVision Jewellery + Forecasting team, Fiera di Vicenza's independent international forecasting center, has identified. The four moods of jewellery trends for the coming 2014 season—“Experimental Nature,” “Shadow Reality,” “Ethno Pop,” “Visionary Structures”—were unveiled at a keynote breakfast.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Website.

Jewelry Trends at Baselworld 2013

Diamond and white gold necklace from Qayten (description below).

Whether it’s through craftsmanship, materials, artistry or innovation, the Italians always make their mark when it comes to jewelry design and this year was no different as brands large and small showcased sparkling and shimmering pieces at Baselworld 2013.

But they were not alone. The French brought its own brand of elegant and delicate designs. German creations were accessible and colorful. The U.S. and Israeli brands brought their glittering best to the party as well. New brands presented products that were competitive with established companies proving there is room for growth in the jewelry trade. And where does one place Fabergé these days? The iconic brand with the royal Russian heritage is now an international contemporary jeweler with one foot in its rich history and the other in its promising future.

There was a crazy, colorful quilt of jewelry to be seen and if only I could be cloned I could have experienced most of it. What follows is a selection of the some of the standout products in a variety of price points and materials that I had the chance to view. 

Casato
Based in Rome and led by Federico Gauttieri, the Italian jewelry brand creates jewelry made primarily with 18k gold and a variety of colored gemstones. The ruby and diamond-centric Dragon Eye is one of the lines introduced by the brand at Baselworld 2013, which includes this 18k rose gold pendant.

Charriol
Steel cable with accents of yellow or rose gold PVD are used to create modern and affordable jewelry for the Forever Young jewelry line. The standout pieces are the 69mm wide cuff bracelets in a crisscross design for a look that mixes elegance with attitude. 

Fabergé
The new Fabergé begins with its purchase by mining company Gemfields, which specializes in emeralds and amethysts from Zambia. Now the company has a direct pipeline for these colored gems. At baselworld 2013, it introduced the high jewelry collection, Les Danses Fantasques, that takes its inspiration from the Great Russian ballets. The collection features several suites, each focusing on a necklace with matching earrings and rings. An example of this is the La Esmeralda necklace pictured. Its part of suite that includes earrings and a ring covered in emeralds and diamonds, inspired by the romantic ballet of the same name. The necklace features white diamonds, suspended on a double chain of cabochon emerald beads and pear-shaped emerald drops.

Fope
The Vicenza, Italy-based company introduced new models to its “Flex’it” collection of crafted 18k gold jewelry. It is fully flexible due to tiny gold springs in the construction. The geometrical design is ehanced by squared white or black diamond paves and a range of interchangeable rondels.

Judith Ripka
The popular U.S. jewelry designer was at Baselworld 2013 showing her gold and silver jewelry collections, including these teardrop-shaped African Ruby Earrings, made of 18k gold with rose cut and full cut diamonds, and a 1.04-ct. African Ruby as a center stone.

Meissen
The 300-plus-year-old manufacturer of porcelain products has produced jewelry for a number of years. The company introduced “my little Mystery” collection, which uses a mix of diamonds and white or rose gold with pastel-colored gemstones. It includes this pendant-necklace made of hand-painted “ice green” porcelain with a diamond in the center and rose gold and diamond on its edge. 

Neelia
This is a new jewelry brand is from a Parisian jewelry manufacturer Gay Frères. Baselworld was the brand’s coming out party for its four lines of delicate, feminine jewelry based on simple motifs. As the name suggests, Twirl (pictured) is based on spiral shapes that are made with 18k pink and white gold occasionally covered in diamond pave. 

Nouvelle Bague
Florence-based jewelry designer released the Giardini Di Boboli line of hand-crafted enamel jewelry, including this earrings and ring set in black and “Bordeaux” enamel, rose gold, diamonds and carnelian.

Porrati
Among its introductions at Baselworld, this Italian brand released a series of rings with white pearls and rose gold; pink sapphires set on rose gold; rose gold; and sapphires on rose gold. These same combinations are also available on bangles.

Qayten (top photo)
This new Italian jewelry company specializes in contemporary high-end jewelry made out of a variety of materials. The necklace pictured is named Bologna, the firm’s hometown. It is made of white gold covered in diamonds that takes the shape of a wave. 

Stefan Hafner
The Bologna-based jewelry design firm introduced the nature-inspired Angelica collection of ruby and marquise diamonds jewelry, including these earrings with the rubies set in rows topped by diamonds in the form of small flowers.

Yvel
The Israeli company came to Baselworld with a flurry of new product that combines 18k yellow gold with baroque pearls in textured, organic shapes. The bracelet pictured is good example of the jewelry introduced by the firm, which in this case used three white fresh water pearls to provide a color contrast to the irregular gold shapes.  

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Website.

Kering Acquires Pomellato

Tilda Swinton, brand ambassador for Pomellato.

The rumors have been swirling for some time but now they are verified.  PPR, which will soon officially change its name to Kering, has acquired Pomellato, the Italianjewelry company that has both broad and growing appeal.

Kering will hold a majority stake in the Pomellato group and its CEO, Andrea Morante, will remain in this position with the company.

Pomellato, whose 2012 revenues reached €146 million ($190 million), is one of Europe’s major jewelry groups, with a strong international position. The company’s success is based on the personality and style of its creations with a blend of colors, stones and shapes as well as their fine Italian craftsmanship. The Pomellato group is a profitable and growing Italian business with two brands, Pomellato and Dodo. The first positioned within the fine jewelry segment and the latter within the accessiblejewelry segment. Its distribution network includes 86 mono-brand stores (45 Pomellato, 41 Dodo) as well as approximately 600 independent points of sale around the world. There is plenty of room for growth for this company and Kering said its expertise and resources in real estate, distribution, media and brand management will help in that area.

With this acquisition, Kering is extending and reinforcing its portfolio of luxury brands in the high growth jewelry market.

“Synonymous with Italian style, Pomellato and Dodo rank among the most beautiful and innovative jewelry brands in the world,” said François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of Kering . “We have great ambitions for the Pomellato group, which, with access to our expertise and know-how, will be able to step up the pace of its growth and expand its geographic footprint while preserving the values that underpin its Italian identity.”

Andrea Morante, CEO of Pomellato, added: “Becoming global brands is no longer an option for Pomellato and Dodo; it is a necessity. With this consideration in mind, we have undertaken a lengthy review of our best strategic alternatives and reached the conclusion that joining Kering was far and away the most favorable course of action. First, we will instantly join one of the most prestigious groups in the world; second, we will have a unique opportunity to preserve and enhance the Pomellato and Dodo success stories on a global scale.”

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Website.

Flexibility and Harmony Combine with Mattioli ‘Yin Yang’ Rings

The two opposing principles of Chinese philosophy is the inspiration behind the new, colorful “Yin Yang” collection of rings from Mattioli. 

The Italian luxury jewelry brand always emphasizes versatility in its designs and this new collection adds to this philosophy. All of the rings consist of two interchangeable curved gold bands of various colors with the use of colored diamonds and other gems create a range of design possibilities. In addition to colorful combinations, the collection uses several surface textures, from polished smooth to the textured brilliance of pavé. 

“The intersecting components can easily be joined to form a beautiful ring with a special look that the wearer creates for herself. There are many combinations to be made by interchanging elements of different colors of gold or with different gemstones or diamond colors,” the company said. “The opulent, rounded effect of a ring is continuously reborn, offering a new, fascinating harmony every single time.”

Elements include polished white, pink or black gold paired with themselves, or alternated with precious elements enhanced by white brown or black diamonds, or with iolite and tsavorite.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page and on Twitter  @JewelryNewsNet.