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Italian Jewelry Design
So much of the jewelry we wear daily is inspired by an design originating so many years ago. By exploring the history of Italian jewelry, one can see the influences of Egyptian, Greek and Asian culture within the various creations. As long as two thousand years ago, the Romans were incorporating sapphires, emeralds, garnets, and amber from Sri Lanka into some of their very first works of art. Since then, Italy has introduced so many designs, as well as created various materials and techniques that have greatly influenced the handmade ethnic jewelry of today. My first thought when Italian jewelry came to mind was "Italian gold. Meanwhile I wear a filigree style of jewelry everyday, not thinking that the high-quality Italian workmanship was what made it so popular. The filigree design is a very intricate and detailed jewelry making process. Creating a filigree design entails taking the finest pieces of metal wire, twisting them together and then pounding them flat. Lots of filigree "style" jewelry is manufactured to look like filigree, but it's not the same as the handcrafted filigree from Italy. I, for one, can definitely appreciate the craft and how it is done since it’s sort of like making wire jewelry. Surely nothing I have ever done could compare to the Italian filigree style, but a lot of the techniques are the same. I read somewhere that filigree looks almost regal, but it is so versatile, you can throw it on with a pair of jeans. And that is so true.
Another Italian jewelry design is that of Italian mosaic jewelry. It is often called Pietra Dura and this jewelry type also entails a very skilled, detailed craftsmanship. Italian mosaic jewelry (Pietra Dura) is constructed of exquisitely cut and fitted, highly-polished colored stones that are then mounted onto a dark background, usually made of marble . The stones are interlocked so closely together, you can barely see the division of the tiny stones, causing this Italian jewelry design to look like beautiful minature paintings. Most mosaics are of a floral pattern, but I have seen various designs including insects, birds, animals and abstract type patterns. These pictures set in gold or silver and sometimes they even have an intricate filigree border encasing the pendant. Italian mosaic jewelry (Pietra Dura) is made in Florence and was once given out as a souvenir jewelry in the fifties. Even today, you can sometimes find it in the souvenir shops of Italy. Although the Italian jewelry design of Pietra Dura normally uses gemstones and coral, they are sometimes made with cuttings of glass or precious gemstones.
Also from Italy is the Italian Cameos which can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome. These cameos are extremely collectible and can be found at estate sales, etc. Although many of them are seen in shell, German agate was chosen as the best material for creating them. There are many reproductions of cameos on the market, but they don’t come close to the quality of the Italian jewelry design cameos that are carved by hand.
I don’t know how I could have forgotten about all the beautiful Italian glass that is used to produce an Italian jewelry design. Especially when I am such an avid glass collector. I have been a glass collector my entire life, but the first time I saw actual handcrafted Venetian art glass was during a recent visit to Las Vegas. They have a beautiful display at the Venetian Hotel and I went absolutely crazy when I went into that shop. You really have to see it in person to appreciate it. Venetian glass is made in Murano, an island off of Venice and sometimes referred to as Murano glass.
Venice is considered the birthplace of modern lamp work beads. The millifiori technique of making this glass is centuries old. This technique begins with the layering of sliced canes of glass and tiny glass beads. At one time, glass making was divided up into tasks so that each person only knew part of the process. Unbelievably, telling the secrets of these glass or bead making techniques was considered an act of treason and punishable by death. They still use this process in the beads they make today. It was in the late 13th century that the glass making industry moved from Venice to the island of Murano, Italy.There is a myth that the reason glass production moved from Venice to Murano was to keep the process secret. The real reason was because the island was a safer place since the high temperatures needed to make glass could ultimately cause fires in the city. And of course, Italian jewelry design discussion could be complete without the mention of Italian gold. Italy is known as the world leader in gold jewelry production for its outstanding technical skills. Most Italian jewelry comes from five regions: Veneto, Tuscany, Piedmont, Lombardy and Campania. The four main districts for gold jewelry products are Vicenza, Arezzo, Valenza and Torre del Greco. Most Italian gold is 18K. They made large fibulae or clasps, necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Italians are renowned for their high quality, stylish, trend setting gold work today. Additionally, the wonderful Italian sterling silver jewelry cannot be ignored either. Now there are Italian jewelry designers that have chosen to work exclusively in the highest quality sterling silver. In conclusion, the history of the Italian jewelry design is long and remarkable. As I stumble across more interesting information, I continually update my website, so please feel free to stop back. |
