Every piece of jewellery made in Italy conceals a secret aesthetic soul, rooting in a past enriched with strong values, from the Etruscans to Benvenuto Cellini, from the Renaissance workshops to the fusion of all the different populations that, over the centuries, inhabited the Italian Peninsula. To conceptualise ideas and design beautiful, pleasant and rewarding things is Italians’ life philosophy. Jewellery happens to be one of the most enchanting results derived from it.
Recognised for high-quality innovative designs, the Italian jewellery industry ranks the 6th most active trade balance against foreign countries and is one of the most profitable industries among ‘Made-in-Italy’ sectors. The country operates a complete jewellery production process in principal jewellery manufacturing districts namely Vicenza, Arezzo, Valenza and Torre del Greco/Naples. These four districts account for over 85 percent of jewellery’s total exports.
With 80 percent of the jewellery production exported worldwide, a positive trend has been witnessed in the country’s jewellery industry recently. In 2017, total exports of Italian jewellery jumped 12 percent to 7 billion euros and the imports increased by nine percent to 2.9 billion euros compared to the same period in 2016. Main export markets in order include the UAE, Hong Kong, the United States, France and other European countries.
During the 35th HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show (HKIJS) held 1-5 March 2018, the Italian Pavilion organised by the Italian Trade Commission (ITA) housed around 160 Italian jewellers occupying an area of 1,533 square meters, alongside an ITA Information Centre for the assistance of Italian exhibitors and international buyers and visitors.
ITA organises Italian Pavilions in different trade fairs. At each edition of HKIJS, the government agency brings new and old exhibitors to showcase their latest Italian jewellery designs to the global audience. With about 53,000 visitors recorded at the 35th HKIJS, feedbacks from the Italian Pavilion exhibitors were overall positive and over 80 percent of them have confirmed their participation in the 2019 edition.
An internationalised sector that has built its glamorous image and the ‘Made-in-Italy’ label with a broad customer base, the Italian jewellery industry is also renowned for its high production capability. The Italian goldsmith sector maintains its leadership in terms of production volumes for low design-content goods, such as traditional chains, pendants, crosses, etc, and also for medium-to-high value-added subcontracting works. This sector is hailed as the propelling engine of the overall industry, thanks to its flexibility and many long-standing family-businesses.
Although large companies have played an important role, SMEs have been considered the real creators of this competitive industry and is the heart of Italian craftsmanship. According to ITA, it is the concentrated small jewellery business in Italy that represents the cradle of the country’s goldsmith culture, preserves tradition, and enhances its merits.
To be more specific, the Campania goldsmith district originated from small artisan workshops and their excellence in processing cameos and corals. Ninety percent of corals fished in the world nowadays are processed in this southern district of Italy where the production cycle is complete including fishing, processing and distribution. In Vicenza, highly-specialised master craftsmen and SMEs boast jewellery-making traditions and techniques to offer products ranging from fine jewellery and silver jewellery to semi-finished products.
These assets of the Italian jewellery industry in fact result from jewellers’ continuous investment in research and development and technological innovations, a practice that has notably begun since the post-war period. Equipped with advanced technology and machinery, it is possible for Italian jewellers to communicate directly with customers and provide a rapid response to market requests.
“Technology and machinery have been supporting the jewellery manufacturing sector in Italy to evolve and grow to produce exquisite quality products with high fineness for a long time,” said ITA. “Many Italian manufacturers even produce their in-house new machines and technologies to be able to realise innovative ideas. Practitioners have enhanced their technologies that fulfil a kind of ‘engineering’ production without compromising creativity, aesthetics and the spirit of Italian style.”
With Italian jewellers’ second or third generation taking over their businesses gradually nowadays, this new blood is bringing new prospects to the jewellery industry. These young protagonists focus more on corporate social responsibility, new distribution channels, in particular e-commerce platforms, and new market segmentation based on consumer preferences and habits. In spite of the huge challenges ahead, their practice will lead the industry to a more transparent, proactive and healthier stage.
Facing the future, ITA believes that the Italian jewellery industry will thrive undoubtedly, with huge customer information asset and more cooperation and exchange within the industry. Dedicated to create a new, solid, fast and competitive business system with “no more soloists but closely-knit teams”, practitioners will need to make use of the tools including innovative products, continuous collections, fast services, brand building, direct distribution and sales network, effective communication and streamlined, flexible business structure with a strong sense of teamwork to succeed.
← Back