Successes, delights, and emotions – a report from the Oroarezzo 2023 fair

29 May 2023

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Is it possible that Italian passion flows in my veins? I ponder as I wander between the stalls of the trade fair, laughing with friends over aperitivo, sneakily glimpsing my animated gestures as I marvel at the beauty of golden necklaces in the reflection. The energy of sunny Italy and its people, their understanding of beauty, passion, and joy for every day, are all very close to my heart. That’s why I’ve attended every jewellery event organized by the Italian Exhibition Group in Italy for several years. Alongside Vicenzaoro, the spring Oroarezzo trade fair is the second most important industry event in Italy. What am I bringing back from this year’s edition? Hundreds of sparkly photos on my phone, new successes in my CV, a lot of emotions in my heart!

The events in Arezzo are primarily dedicated to the promotion of mastery and the astonishing design of Italian jewellers, especially those from the Tuscany region. Thanks to centuries-old jewellery craft traditions, Arezzo is known as the “golden city”. The fair held in this picturesque city is an opportunity to showcase regional heritage to the world. Thanks to efficient organization and promotional activities by the Italian Exhibition Group, representatives from 100 countries (!!!) flocked to Arezzo in May. Traders from as many as 55 countries attended the fair, which means one thing for local creators – their astonishing projects will soon adorn the fingers, necks, and wrists of jewellery lovers in Asia, the Middle East, both Americas, and, of course, all over Europe. The record attendance of this year’s Oroarezzo edition is a success I cheerfully applaud – the prestige of the event can be measured in hundreds of carats, brava!

As a juror, I’m all about that 10/10 glow!

If you follow my Instagram @blingsiscom (you don’t? Time to catch up!), you’ve undoubtedly seen the video shot by Katarzyna, in which I’m intensely focused, hunched over display cases at the fair, taking fervent notes… This year, I’ve added another shiny point to my CV: I was among the jury of the prestigious PREMIÈRE competition at Oroarezzo. I’m still bursting with pride: it’s an honour, but above all a great achievement – confirmation that the industry sees yours truly as an expert – I’ve been working towards this for years. The sparkling competition within PREMIÈRE is the “highlight” of the event in Arezzo. This year, the competition’s theme was “light”. The poetic slogan inspired invited Italian goldsmiths, who presented golden interpretations of the main theme at the fair. On those aforementioned sheets, the jurors noted their scores – I rated each submitted work on a scale from 0 to 10. I had to keep my favourites a secret (even from Sister!) until the results were announced. …and the winner is… [drumroll]

PREMIÈRE: jewellery full of light

On the list of PREMIÈRE competition winners, I saw as many as three sparklers from my “top of the top”! Among the laureates was the phenomenal Moraglione 1922 ring with a fairy-tale central stone (it seems to contain another universe, ah!) surrounded by diamonds, the striking Unoaerre bracelet embedded in the hottest trends, and the extraordinary F.A. Gioielli ring with colourful gems. In total, 13 works were awarded, as well as a debut project within the new section of the TALENTS competition dedicated to young creators. It was an extraordinary experience and honour to work alongside Beppe Angiolini, the chief juror of PREMIÈRE. After deliberations, we had a little chat, exchanging comments and admiration – grazie, Beppe! The magnificent jewellery could also be seen during the main trade fair presentation. I couldn’t peel my wings off the sparklers on the Unoaerre and Allesio Domenico stalls – I literally fell in love with their grand, full of luxury necklaces. You know me, jewellery lover, you know I’m in team “glamour” and “maximalism” – Italian jewellery houses very much “feel” this aesthetic, and the goldsmith’s magnificence is realized with craft mastery and attention to every detail.

Breaking news: Blingsis x Prezioza

Among the cabinets full of sparkle and at evening networking events, acquaintances are made and ideas for new projects sprout. A few years ago at the Italian fair, Katarzyna and I met Giovanni Micera, the head of the prestigious Prezioza publishing house. I’ll let you in on what we “cooked up” with Giovanni under the Tuscan sun: while you’ll be reading my report from the fair in Arezzo, I’ll be on set with Katarzyna – the editors invited us to create an 8-page editorial for the printed edition of the Prezioza magazine! Tears of joy? Check. Satisfaction? It doesn’t leave us for a moment. It’s another proof that the events in Arezzo and Vicenza are much more than statistics and sales… For me, the sparkling fairs are about people: wonderful organizers, friendly bloggers, creative journalists and managers – all those with whom we share a passion for sparklers and the emotions that jewellery symbolizes.

Ah, the Italian life! After hours, I had a fantastic time with my shiny friends and Sister – full of laughter, with a breathtaking view of the Tuscan nature. In the evenings, we moved to a typical Italian villa, where we got to know each other even better while chatting and sipping aperol. I’m still giggling at the thought of our “inside jokes”: fox, ghosts, but… What happened in Tuscany stays in Tuscany! Esther, David, Tracy, Murat – I love you all! As I finish typing and my golden story about the Tuscan fair, I’m smiling broadly. Joy, gratitude, pride, emotion – a volcano of positive feelings is bubbling.