The handcrafted look and feel of silver Italian jewellery is
the trademark that has made it the preferred choice of buyers from all over the
world for hundreds of years. Italy has earned its reputation for quality and
original design from a history of exacting techniques, much of which has been
handed down from one generation of jewellers to the next.
A good example of this tradition is Fortunato
Pio Castellani, who opened his Italian jewellery workshop in Rome around 1814,
first creating fashion jewellery from the popular designs. By the 1830s, he had
become inspired by the Etruscan discoveries of ancient Italian jewellery.
Castellani became the first 19th-century jeweller to create works closely modelled
after classical Italian and Greek prototypes, thus creating a new fashion
trend.
Castellani was inspired to pursue the
'granulation' technique, which was perfected by the Etruscans in the 9th to 4th
centuries B.C. and made Italian jewellery of this period so unique.
Castellani's passion for excellence became close to an obsession and resulted
in the revival of many ancient techniques which have become some of the
greatest contributions to the history of Italian jewellery making.
Fortunato Pio was joined by his two sons,
Alessandro and Augusto in the 1850s, creating and marketing their Italian jewellery
designs to local, international patrons, artists and educated tourists visiting
Rome. By the 1860s, popular demand for their unique styles prompted Alessandro
Castellani to establish a workshop in Naples in addition to opening shops in
London and Paris. The Italian jewellery of this family won widespread acclaim
leading to international expositions in Florence, London, and Paris, ultimately
becoming the design that every jeweller throughout Europe wanted to duplicate.
The fame of Castellani's designs reached America in 1876, at the Centennial
Exposition in Philadelphia, and the next year the much-praised Italian jewellery
collection was on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The granulation technique used in creating
Italian jewellery by the Castellani family and others are just one of many that
every aspiring jeweller must learn. The incorporation of fine detailing and
meticulous finishing are the foundation for the luxurious effect that is
difficult to find in any other jewellery.
Besides the impact of history and tradition,
the reputation of Italian jewellery is supported by its quality standards for
silver and gold, which are amongst the highest in the world. The silver grade
of "925" is not the only consideration taken into account. There is
also an extreme amount of care given in the production of the alloy and through
each step until the finished jewellery piece is completed. Whether the item is
crafted by an individual jeweller or from a large jewellery company, silver
Italian jewellery production is treated with passion and respect.
The variety of designs you can choose from in
silver Italian jewellery covers every style; classical, modern or avant-garde.
You can find replicas of designs from different periods in history, such as the
Renaissance or you can have your own custom design brought to life.
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