Viva Italia! Why the JCK Italian Pavilion Was a Sight Worth Seeing at JCK Las Vegas

In collaboration with Barbara Palumbo

It’s hard to believe that the jewelry community hasn’t gathered in the city of Las Vegas for the JCK and LUXURY shows in more than two years (TWO YEARS!) and judging by the number of exhibitors, buyers, retailers, journalists and overall attendees, the jewelry world was more than ready to get back to trade shows again. 

One of the highlights of the JCK show in Las Vegas has always been the Italian Pavilion, which was front and center this year at the Sands Convention Center, just past the entrance to the show floor and just prior to the Plumb Club. While COVID travel restrictions into the United States made it a tad bit more difficult for some of the Italian jewelry brands to fully staff their booths with familiar faces, the pavilion was still buzzing with excitement, energy, and elegance, as was expected. 

As the world knows, gold – particularly yellow gold – is as synonymous with the country of Italy as fashion, wine, and food, and gold still was the star of the show at many of the booths of the Italian exhibitors on hand at JCK. 

The VAID Roma booth was constantly busy with customers looking to see the latest creations from the Roman brand. From gorgeous, wide cuff bracelets in the Confetti collection containing intricately placed diamonds, to dangling earrings from the Beads collection that delicately move with the wearer, it was obvious that each piece was crafted by artisans in Italy who knew the trade well and took proper care in assuring that their work was appreciated. 

Also in the Italian Pavilion was a brand that continues to make waves in the American market: Miseno. Antonio Cardamuro – President and Creative Director of the brand – was available to answer questions and explain the influences and ideas behind Miseno’s latest collections. Mr. Cardamuro explains that the brand’s collections are inspired by his homeland, and many take direct inspiration from the town in which he grew up. The pieces in the Baia collection are an homage to the polychrome mosaics kept in Capo Miseno’s Bay. The jewelry plays with a variety of gemstones and textures and many of the pieces are able to be layered or stacked. 

But the beauty of the pieces made by Miseno doesn’t just exist on the outside, as even the inner plates are engraved or pierced in beautiful patterns that coincide with the collections, themselves. “We don’t just stop with outer beauty.” Stated Mr. Cardamuro. “What is inside is just as important. It’s like a person. The pieces can be equally as lovely inside and out.” The Miseno Foglia di Mare collection was also on hand at the JCK which was inspired by the sea’s colors, energies, and rhythms. Unlike Baia, which contains more geometric patterns, Foglia di Mare is curvy and naturally feminine in appearance. If Mother Ocean were ever to exist as a person, these would be pieces she’d certainly consider wearing. 

Crivelli – which has a flagship store in Milan but is headquartered in Valenza, Italy in the Piedmont region – was a hot spot for those visiting the Italian Pavilion. The brand displayed their new Like: Chromatic Edition collection which garnered a lot of attention. The pieces were fresh and fun with soft lines and smooth textures. They also contained inlayed brightly colored gemstones such as turquoise, lapis lazuli, coral, malachite, carnelian, and others. The collection is made up of bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces, and the designs are available both with and without diamonds. Another fun collection to see by Crivelli was the Moods collection which taps into the tastes and trends of younger jewelry buyers by “speaking” a thought, feeling, or emotion without having to say a word.

Additional Italian companies showcasing their wondrous wares in the Italian Pavilion were Vanessa Gioielli, Musy 1707, Leo Pizzo and Picchiotti (who both also exhibited at the COUTURE show), and Giorgio Visconti. Also on hand was the company known as Regione Del Veneto which educates buyers on the master Italian craftspeople creating jewelry in that region of Italy. 

But the Italian Pavilion wasn’t the only place to see Italian Jewelers at the Sands Convention Center. At the LUXURY show which started days before JCK began, retailers were able to visit brands such as Savoia which is headquartered in Vicenza Italy, and Pesavento, which makes fun, affordable pieces perfect for everyday wear. 

Also in LUXURY were representatives from Marco Dal Maso, who unfortunately was not able to be there in person. Mr. Dal Maso is easily recognizable as are his pieces, largely crafted for men. His collections have been sold in high-end luxury retailers in the United States such as Neiman Marcus, and he is known particularly for his wild and wonderful lapel pins as well as how he’ll often mix leather in with precious metals and abstract gemstones or diamonds. 

There was even an Italian watch brand on hand – LOCMAN Watches – which are created on the island of Elba. LOCMAN considers themselves to very much be a Tuscan brand and enjoys pulling away from the norm of Swiss watchmaking. Over the years, the brand formed a partnership with Ducati to create watch collections dedicated to fans of sport motorcycling as well as Italian design. LOCMAN also works closely with the Italian Ministry of Defense and the Premiership, producing watches for the Armed Forces, Special Forces and the Italian Navy. 

Where would the world be without Italians making jewelry? It would be a lot less fun, a lot less beautiful, a lot less vibrant and a lot less glamourous. Yes, the world knows that Italy was the epicenter of culture and civilization in ancient history, but from those times stemmed the Italy – and the Italians – we know and love today. The wines from Tuscany, the pizza from Napoli, the gold from Vicenza, the limoncello from Sorrento, and the leathers from all over the region play a part on our everyday existence, no matter where we live. 

The amazing artists of the Renaissance era continue to wow and inspire generation after generation. Italian operas exist for our ears and our eyes. Italian movie makers gave us some of the most iconic works of art ever to play on a big screen. We are grateful for what Italy has given and continues to give to society, and that includes the magnificence that is jewelry made in Italy. So, where would the world be without Italians making jewelry? The true answer is, let’s hope we never have to find out. 

To learn more about the jewelers mentioned in this article, feel free to visit The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry website, here.