Commentary – Valenza sees opportunities for growth as goldsmithing hub
By David Brough
VALENZA, Italy, December 12, 2019 – Valenza has great opportunities for growth as an export-focused goldsmithing hub as it has nurtured specialist skills for generations.
Nestled in an agricultural belt in northwestern Italy between Milan and Turin, Valenza prides itself as one of the leading centres of excellence for goldsmithing in Italy, as well as Vicenza in the northeast and Arezzo further south.
Gemstone selection at Pasquale Bruni
Valenza is also noted for the skills of its artisans in processing and cutting gemstones.
A recent visit to the artisanal workshops of Lenti Villasco, and Pasquale Bruni in the Valenza dstrict, underscored the extraordinarily high standards of operations, from creative design planning to manufacturing and quality controls.
Piedmont region is doing all it can to promote Valenza as a centre of excellence in goldsmithing and jewellery making, but its hands are tied in terms of commercial incentives because of strict EU rules.
Quality controls are thorough at the state-of-the-art workshops in the Valenza district.
For example, diamond detection machines are used scrupulously to seek out any possible presence of undisclosed synthetic diamonds in supplies of melee from India and elsewhere.
Safety standards for artisans are rigorous.
Many of Valenza’s companies are family-owned concerns, like Pasquale Bruni, where employees consider themselves to be like part of the family and stay with the companies for many years.
The common thread uniting Valenza, Vicenza and Arezzo is the high quality of so-called “Made in Italy” production, utilising skill sets honed over generations.
Now is the time for enhanced collaboration between Valenza and the other goldsmithing hubs to seek common ground to brand “Made in Italy” excellence to export markets around the world.
Eugenia Bruni, Creative Director of Pasquale Bruni
Perhaps Valenza could in the future stage a promotional showcase within the Vicenza gold jewellery fair (VicenzaOro)?
VicenzaOro is after all the number one export conduit for “made in Italy” gold and silver jewellery to the leading markets, such as the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Retail buyers from around the world flock to the event, held twice a year on the outskirts of Vicenza.
The presence of such buyers would be a fabulous opportunity for a Valenza promotion.
In the UK, the London show IJL (International Jewellery London) has showcased the skills of regional hubs, such as the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter, and the Sheffield Assay Office.
Perhaps in Italy, a greater collaboration between the goldsmithing hubs will be the way forward to build Valenza’s future?
Manufacturing standards are rigorous and state-of-the-art at Lenti Villasco
