The Creative Triumphs of “Made in Italy” at Oroarezzo 2024
Allow me to sum up the 43rd edition of Italy’s Oroarezzo with these words: think locally, shine globally! The Italian Exhibition Group lured crowds to the golden city from over 100 countries, all to flaunt the quality and creativity of Italian jewelry, spark international collaborations, and drive technological and business growth in goldsmithing.
The highlight of Oroarezzo was the Première competition. Designed to celebrate and inspire creativity among Italian designers and brands, this year’s 33rd edition, under the artistic direction of Beppe Angiolini, showcased the most beautiful and spectacular Italian bling. For the second consecutive year, Oroarezzo honored me with an invitation to join the panel of experts—another sparkling jewel in my magpie’s treasure trove of achievements!
Première: Simply Love!
This year’s theme, “Love and Beauty,” inspired artisans to intertwine craftsmanship and formal fantasy with moving narratives and symbols suggested by Angiolini. Heart motifs, flowers, infinity signs, crystals, and enamels in fiery red—all competed in translating emotions and passion into jewelry forms. Curious which masterpieces stole the show in the eyes of our chief magpie, Agata? In the Design category, the Femar bracelet, reminiscent of a blooming peony, captivated me. In Fashion, I was enchanted by Giloro’s Cupid ring. In the Tradition category, I fluttered my wings at the sight of Veneroso’s stunning necklace (totally my style) and the symbolic pendant by Lucchetta 1953. Fun fact: behind the Silver Light Group’s project, which triumphed in the Wearable Sculpture category, stands Małgorzata Sekuła from Poznań—we met years ago at the Art & Fashion Festival in Stary Browar, and today, Małgosia is successfully designing in Tuscany! Applause is also due to the budding creators honored in the Talents category (up to 30 years old). Contest debutants submitted sketches, and the winning designs by Chiara Angeli and Asia Barberia (my favorite!) will soon come to life. Congratulations to Unoaerre for the special award for a breathtaking necklace project with stones in the colors of love. The full list of winners is available in the description of my reel!
The World at Oroarezzo
An engaging program and stellar organization allowed the organizers to break their own records once again. Event attendance grew by 4% compared to 2023, with a notably increased interest from international guests (+14%). This year’s program was enriched with exciting new features. The “Precious Fashion” initiative is a platform for exchanging know-how and experiences between the jewelry industry and the luxury fashion accessories sector. Another addition to the Oroarezzo agenda was the Career Day project. During the fair, hundreds of local university students had the opportunity to meet with brand representatives and manufacturers looking for interns and employees. The aim of this initiative is to engage in educating a new generation of specialists and craftsmen, who will continue to develop and nurture the regional goldsmith tradition. Oroarezzo is, of course, an unmatched platform for reviewing the highest quality raw materials and semi-finished products, or accessing the latest technological innovations. On my Instagram, you’ll find a video guide through the most important sections of the Italian fair, showcasing how rich and specialized the Oroarezzo offer is. With #GoldenTeam, we’ll meet again in September at Vicenzaoro, but in the meantime, I invite you to browse the saved reports from Arezzo HERE!
