Jewelry is a universal language” – a preview of Milano Jewelry Week 2026
When one of the most beautiful places in Europe transforms into a city of jewellery, I simply have to be there. Milano Jewelry Week is a unique event whose energy spills out onto the streets of the entire metropolis. During MJW, jewellery and its creators take centre stage. It is a celebration of creativity, diversity, innovation and talent. From 20–26 October, Milan will become the international capital of brilliance for the sixth time.
Milano Jewelry Week is the only industry event that unfolds across the entire city. As part of the so-called “Experiential Journey”, local jewellery and design studios, showrooms, galleries and brand headquarters open their doors to the wider public. During MJW, many of these locations host special events: collection launches, exhibitions, artistic performances, craftsmanship demonstrations, press meetings and parties. The atmosphere is incredible – it feels like one huge jewellery festival, with Milan living and breathing the brilliance and beauty of jewellery throughout the week.
The city of jewellery
The Experiential Journey programme is an opportunity to discover the local jewellery scene, but Milano Jewelry Week is an international event celebrating the diversity of jewellery traditions, styles and techniques. At the previous edition, 400 exhibitors from 60 countries took part, with more than half coming from outside Europe. Interestingly, the events taking place as part of Jewelry Week are open to the wider public and, for the most part, free of charge (all you need to do is register via the website) – last year, as many as 20,000 people took advantage of this opportunity.
The largest and most comprehensive exhibitions will take place from 24–26 October 2026 in the city centre, in the fairytale interiors of historic palaces. The Jewelry Hub at Palazzo Serbelloni is a prestigious show featuring the latest collections from luxury brands from around the world, as well as vintage jewellery and watches and diamonds. It is a true paradise for buyers and collectors. I always make my first stop at Palazzo Bovara for the Artistar Jewels exhibition. In my opinion, it is one of the world’s finest showcases of contemporary art jewellery. At MJW, I discover absolute gems – in terms of design, creativity and technique, these are world-class creators proving that jewellery is art and that the notion that “everything has already been done” simply does not apply here. One of the rooms at Palazzo Bovara will also host the Talent Show, featuring students. As is tradition, MJW will once again recognise the most outstanding creators and projects among its exhibitors – during MJW Awarding Night, we will discover the winners in categories such as Contemporary Design, Gemstone Excellence and Emerging Designer. This year’s programme is also packed with new networking and community initiatives, while Sotheby’s Milan branch will host MJW Talks – a series of educational lectures and discussions.
Pure art in Milan
At Milano Jewelry Week, one thing comes through particularly clearly: jewellery is so much more than a product, an object. It is an expression of talent and imagination. It is art rooted in traditions and centuries-old cultures, drawing on surprising and unexpected sources of inspiration. “A clear vision underpins the event: jewelry is a universal language, preserving stories while interpreting and passing on meaning,” write the MJW organisers in their preview of this year’s edition. The phenomenon that is the Milanese event was also perfectly summed up by my dear friend Muriel Piaser (CEO and creator of PRECIOUS ROOM by Muriel Piaser): “I am very impressed by the creative quality of the artists present at Milan Jewellery Week. It was a beautiful global presentation of different jewellery styles and the strength of the jewellery market and industry in the world today. Some beautiful encounters, some passion, some pure art with a lot of love.” I could not agree more – MJW is a celebration of artists whose talent shines with hundreds of carats.
