Our Mission: The mission of Via Orefici Jewelry is to create exquisite artisanal jewelry that celebrates the unique style and personality of the women who wear it. We are committed to luxury craftsmanship, creativity, sustainability, and timeless value. We aim to create unique pieces that showcase exceptional quality, beauty, and character, and are crafted to be enjoyed for years to come and passed down as a testament to their timeless quality and beauty.
Artisan Italian jewelry: Italy has a rich history of producing exquisite artisan jewelry renowned for its exceptional quality, beauty, and craftsmanship. Italian artisan jewelry is meticulously crafted by hand using traditional techniques passed down through generations of skilled craftsmen. Each individual piece is created using tools such as hammers, chisels, and files, and is crafted from high-quality metals like gold, silver, and platinum - mostly reclaimed and locally sourced to ensure sustainability - and natural precious and semi-precious gemstones. The intricate designs showcase delicate work, granulation, and hand engraving techniques that blend traditional and modern styles, resulting in timeless, contemporary, and stylish pieces. Italian artisans are known for their exceptional attention to detail, taking great care to ensure that every element of the piece is perfect and that it will be enjoyed for a lifetime. As a result, Italian artisan jewelry is highly valued and sought after by collectors and jewelry enthusiasts alike.
Fine jewelry: Fine jewelry refers to high-quality pieces crafted from precious metals and natural gemstones. The metals used are typically gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, while the natural gemstones include diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and semi-precious stones. These materials are highly valued for their rarity, beauty, and durability, and are often used to create pieces intended to last a lifetime. The term "fine jewelry" is used to distinguish these pieces from costume or fashion jewelry, which is made from less expensive materials and designed to be worn more casually.
18-karat gold: Via Orefici Jewelry is exclusively made in 18-karat gold. 18-karat gold is the type of gold used for fine jewelry; it is a gold alloy composed of 75% pure gold and 25% other metals, such as copper, silver, or zinc. The quality of gold jewelry is determined by its purity, which is measured in karats, with 24 karat gold being 100% pure gold. Gold is alloyed with other metals to increase its strength and durability; 18 karat gold is a popular choice for fine jewelry because it has a high percentage of pure gold, that makes it more valuable and durable than lower karat gold, such as 14K or 10K.
Reclaimed or recycled gold: Reclaimed gold refers to gold that has been recycled or repurposed from existing sources, rather than newly mined, and it is obtained by melting down old jewelry. It is also known as recycled gold or eco-gold. This process helps reduce the demand for newly mined gold, which has environmental and social impacts, such as habitat destruction, water pollution, and human rights abuses. Reclaimed gold is used by jewelry makers who prioritize sustainable and ethical practices. Sustainability is important to us and we want to make ethical choices that reduce the environmental impact.
Natural gemstones: Natural gemstones are formed by natural processes in the earth, without any human intervention. They are minerals, rocks, or organic materials that have been cut and polished to be used in jewelry or decorative objects. Some examples of natural gemstones include diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, topaz, amethyst, and turquoise, among many others. Natural gemstones are highly valued for their unique beauty, rarity, and durability, and they are often prized for their color, clarity, and cut.
Via Orefici Jewelry trademarks: Italian jewelry is marked with a set of stamps that indicate the metal content and the manufacturer's trademark. The stamps are regulated by the Italian government, and they verify that the jewelry meets specific quality standards. If the jewelry is made of gold, it will be stamped with a number indicating the karat weight (750 for 18-karat gold) and the manufacturer's trademark number (as example, GE212 is the license issued in Genova number 212).
Artisan goldsmith: A goldsmith is a skilled artisan who works with gold, gemstones, and other precious metals to create jewelry and decorative objects. Goldsmiths use various techniques such as casting, forging, engraving, and stone setting. Goldsmiths require a high level of skill, precision, and creativity to create their pieces, and their craft has been highly valued throughout history, from ancient Egyptian and Roman goldsmiths to modern artisans. They work in specialized workshops that house a range of tools and equipment, including saws, hammers, chisels, gravers, pliers, tweezers, burnishers, machinery for casting and forging metal, and equipment for stone setting and finishing the pieces. Goldsmiths often collaborate with other artisans to create unique and beautiful works of art. In Italy, there are many independent goldsmiths who run small, family-owned businesses and, highly skilled, specialize in traditional luxury jewelry making techniques. They create unique, limited edition, or custom pieces highly valued for their beauty and craftsmanship; they take great pride in their work and strive for sustainability and ethical sourcing of precious metals and gemstones. Italian goldsmiths have a rich history, dating back to the Renaissance, and today they are an important part of Italy's cultural heritage.
"Via Orefici Jewelry" workshops: To create Via Orefici Jewelry, we only work with hand-picked independent goldsmith workshops in Italy. Authentic artisan Italian jewelry is often only available locally through the workshop or small boutiques, and we take pride in offering it to our clients.