Italian Jewelry

     Italian jewelry is jewelry that comes from Italy. Italy is often thought to be a highly fashionable country (i.e. Milan is the fashion capital of the world). Therefore, Italian jewelry is highly sought out due to its reputation of being highly fashionable and beautiful, as well as being of good quality.      A lot of the jewelry that you can get from Italy you can also get in the United States, however the designers of this jewelry are often highly revered and therefore people will pay the extra money to get the design that they wish, imported from Italy. As well as using the same materials (i.e., gold, silver, diamond, Semi-precious stones etc.) and techniques as we see in North America, Italian jewelers employ various other techniques and different regions in the country specialize in different types of jewelry.

Italian Techniques

"Millefiori"
      Venice is famous world wide for centuries of glass making. Venetian jewelers have been using the special techniques for decades to create many beautiful pieces. The glass pattern on every piece is unique and set by hand.

"Murano" Beaded Jewelry
     Murano beads are handcrafted beads. They are then string onto cords to make necklaces and bracelets. They come in twisting, swirling and teardrop shapes.

Italian "Charm Bracelets":
     The Italian charm bracelet is a new craze that has hit the fashion scene. They look like a plain silver band with thick square links, but you can insert your own links into the bracelet. These links are decorated with items of your choice, pictures, letters or numbers. You can spell words by inserting the letters into the bracelet or you can insert pictures. The pictures you get for the bracelet can range anywhere from simple designs (hearts, lips) to commercial logos (sport teams) to your favorite cartoon bracelets. The charms are made from materials such as sterling silver, gold and semi-precious stones.

Symbolic Jewelry

Italian Crosses:
      These crosses are similar to the Christian cross you see in North America, however they are often more elaborately decorated and curved.

Good Luck Horn Pendants:
      This small, gold horn worn as a pendant is believed to repel the "evil eye," according to Italian legend. In pre-Christian times, the goat was a symbol of nature and fertility. The goat's horn denotes the power of vibrant life over evil.

Hand "Le Corna" Pendant:
      This is another amulet to repel the evil eye. This hand gesture can still be seen in Italy by those repelling or applying the "evil eye." Two fingers are pointed at the target and symbolize the horns on a goat. This amulet is particularly recommended for nursing mothers, babies and men who would like to protect their fertility -- those said to be most susceptible to it's powers.