The story of Genoa’s historic Goldsmiths’ Street and the tradition behind the Via Orefici name.
Via Orefici means Goldsmiths’ Street.
It is a street in the historic center of Genoa, Italy, where goldsmiths and jewelers have worked for centuries. It is also where my experience with jewelry began, in my father’s jewelry business.
I later trained as a goldsmith and eventually took over the business. When I founded Via Orefici in the United States, the name was a natural choice. It connected my own history with the Italian goldsmith tradition that continues to inspire my work.
A Street with a Long History
The connection between this part of Genoa and goldsmithing goes back to the Middle Ages.
In 1248, statutes concerning the Genoese goldsmiths’ guild were established at the Church of Santa Maria delle Vigne, only steps from Via Orefici. The church remained connected to the goldsmith community, and a marble slab from 1459 depicting Sant’Eligio, the patron saint of goldsmiths, is still preserved there.
Throughout Italy, streets still carry the names of the craftsmen and trades that once occupied them. These were working streets, places where people made things and where knowledge was passed from one generation to another.
Via Orefici is one of them.
From a Street to a Point of View
Growing up around jewelry and later training as a goldsmith shaped the way I look at a jewel. I notice the materials, the construction, and the finishing. But technical excellence alone does not make a beautiful piece.
I also look for character, proportion, and wearability. I appreciate jewelry where the skill of the artisan is evident, and craftsmanship serves the beauty of the finished piece.
That experience continues to guide my work at Via Orefici. The name connects the street where my story began with the point of view that shapes the collections today.
