Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, the city’s reputation for goldsmithing is still a work in progress. A case in point: the Oro di Roma – Il Gioiello Made in Italy show celebrated its fifth year of operation this week in Rome, bringing together jewelry designers from the Lazio region (most of whom are little known compared with peers in Valenza, Arezzo, and Vicenza) with international buyers.

Organizers include the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, and Sviluppo Lazio, a consortium of about 80 designers and manufacturers in and around Rome. In years past, events have garnered success, according to Giuseppe D’Alessio, principal, Confesercenti Provinciali, event planner for the show. This year’s group of 25 visitors, including JCKstyle, are mainly buyers from the United States, Russia, China, and Spain who met with officials, viewed jewelry, and got acquainted with the Lazio region—known for its food, wine, fashions, and more.

While much of the jewelry embodied the bold fashion aesthetic of the Italians, U.S. attendees sourced components and sought assistance for producing custom work. Plus, Italian designers were happy to modify existing designs to suit American tastes. During the gala dinner, Chicago-based Tammy Kohl, owner, Taköhl Treasure Ring, sketched motifs for some of her new Italian contacts to hand-engrave into rings. "I know of a couple engravers in Chicago, but why not give the local talent here a shot?" she said.

Weekly Gem
The Oro di Roma – Il Gioiello Made in Italy event did not feature a typical show floor of jewelry exhibitors. Instead, event organizers set up meeting stations—think speed dating—for Italian designers to present collections to potential buyers in 30-minute increments. While the format wasn’t flawless (appointments ran overtime and many didn’t produce sales), the event’s efficient means of networking won over most.

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