Milan Jewelry Week 2024: A Fusion of Tradition, Innovation, and Global Talent

Article and photographs by Ian Art Photo @ian.art.photo

Milan has long been known for its role as a global fashion hub, but during Milan Jewelry Week 2024, the city transformed into the beating heart of the international jewelry scene. The week-long event celebrated the intersection of history, tradition, and cutting-edge innovation in the world of jewelry, captivating industry professionals and enthusiasts alike.

A packed schedule of exhibitions, presentations, workshops, talks, live performances, and awards transformed the city's most evocative locations into showcases for jewelry’s finest creations. Historic buildings, high-end jewelry ateliers, artisan workshops, art galleries, fashion boutiques, and design showrooms became the backdrop for a dazzling display of creativity. The event fostered exchanges between designers, collectors, and the public, creating a space where new ideas and trends emerged.

Spotlight on Key Events: A Journey through Craftsmanship and Artistry

As a part of Milan Jewelry Week, Qooalivi had the pleasure of attending some standout events that highlighted the week's diverse offerings.

Talent Show at Galdus Formazione

The Talent Show was a thrilling showcase of the future of jewelry design, featuring the works of over 80 promising students from academies around the globe. Held at Milan’s Galdus School, the event celebrated innovation and creativity, offering a rare opportunity to explore the next generation of jewelry designers from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Their unique designs hinted at the endless possibilities for the future of the craft.

0,0...1 Infinitesimal - Graduation Show at IED Istituto Europeo di Design

This show brought together a group of designers from different corners of the world who found themselves united in Milan, forging bonds and sharing ideas despite their diverse origins. The collection represented a powerful narrative about the infinite possibilities of design and creativity, transcending geographical boundaries.

Artistar Jewels at Palazzo Bovara

Marking its 10th edition in 2024, Artistar Jewels remained a must-see highlight of Milan Jewelry Week. The event, hosted at the elegant Palazzo Bovara, featured over 240 designers from more than 60 countries. Visitors were treated to an extraordinary collection of over 800 unique jewelry pieces, ranging from wearable contemporary art to high-end luxury creations. Each piece was meticulously curated to reflect the individual stories, inspirations, and emotions of its creator, making the exhibit a breathtaking journey into the world of international jewelry design.

Vualle Jewels Experience

A captivating moment during Milan Jewelry Week was the Vualle Jewels experience, where guests were photographed before and after adorning themselves with luxurious jewels. The event highlighted the transformative power of fine jewelry, celebrating the unique beauty and individuality of every woman. It sent a powerful message about how the right piece of jewelry can illuminate a person’s spirit and essence, honoring their inner radiance.

Milan Jewelry Week 2024 was more than an event—it was a celebration of artistry, craftsmanship, and innovation, offering a glimpse into the past, present, and future of jewelry design. As the international jewelry community converged on Milan, the city reaffirmed its position as a beacon of style and creativity, bridging tradition with tomorrow’s vision. Below is the official closing press release. Innovation and Tradition on Display at Milano Jewelry Week

The must-see event dedicated to the jewelry world illuminated Milan for an unforgettable week.

The fourth edition of Milano Jewelry Week, sponsored by the Municipality of Milan, Assogemme, CNA Artistico e Tradizionale, and CNA Federmoda, concluded yesterday. From October 15 to 20, the city became the perfect stage for over 50 events that enlivened the streets of the city center, recording a significant increase in national and international attendees.

The great interest from industry experts and the press, both national and international, was confirmed again this year, with a growing number of visitors compared to the previous edition. Among the innovations that garnered the most success, the press and buyer tours, dedicated to industry professionals, allowed participants to discover the various events spread across the city.

“We are extremely pleased with the enthusiasm shown by visitors during this edition of Milano Jewelry Week. Our goal was to create an event that celebrated the world of jewelry, offering everyone the opportunity to feel part of an international community. Thanks to the participation of experts and enthusiasts, both national and international, we achieved this goal, allowing visitors to appreciate the art and craftsmanship behind each creation.” said Enzo Carbone, CEO of Prodes Italia and founder of Milano Jewelry Week.

Over 350 exhibitors from 60 countries were welcomed to prestigious locations in the heart of Milan, where the three collective events symbolic of the Week were held, along with exhibitions, workshops, live performances, conferences, and cocktail parties.

The Jewelry HUB, held at La Pelota, allowed visitors to discover niche brands and new collections. The Talent Show, at the Galdus School, showcased the jewelry of young talents from international schools and academies. Artistar Jewels brought a collective exhibition to Palazzo Bovara with over 240 artists from around the world, featuring a curated area by Harper's Bazaar, a digital presentation "Awe & Alchemy" by ACJ Northern Ireland, and masterpieces by Angry Jewellery and Chong Ho.

On October 17, Palazzo Bovara hosted the Vernissage of Artistar Jewels, an entire evening dedicated to the art of jewelry and the celebration of the project’s tenth anniversary. The following day, for the first time, the Vernissage of The Jewelry HUB took place in La Pelota, an opportunity to meet exhibitors in a relaxed and festive atmosphere.

Finally, during the Milano Jewelry Week Awarding Night on October 16, at Teatro Lirico Gaber, the winners of the MJW Awards, prestigious prizes awarded by a jury of experts to the exhibitors of the Week, were announced.

Among the awards, the Best Jewellery Art & Craft Award was presented to the brand Between the Twigsby Arduino Zappaterra, National President of CNA Orafi, along with Simona Micheli, National Head of CNA Artistico e Tradizionale, and Antonio Franceschini, National Head of CNA Federmoda. Paolo Cesari, President of Assogemme and CEO of Cesari & Rinaldi Gemmai, awarded Cindy Xu Eternal Jewellery with the Best in Gemstone.

The Best Trend award was given to Sal Jewelry by Italo Pantano, Multimedia Director of Harper's Bazaar Italia. The Best in Contemporary Jewellery, recognized by ACJ - The Association for Contemporary Jewellery, went to Tania Vásquez.

Faith Jewels caught the attention of Muriel Piaser, Founder of PRECIOUS ROOM by MP tradeshow & Muriel Piaser Consulting, who awarded the Best Exclusive Jewelry Designer. The brand was also awarded the Best In Diamond by Agnes Abdullahu, Founder of DiaMondaine Diamantaires Club, and the Best HRD Global Design Prize by HRD Antwerp.

Buonadonna received the Best Italian Excellence Award from Marco Giovanelli, Vice President of Piazza Italia Experience Piazza Italia 2, while Guido Solari, Owner and Director of Scuola Orafa Ambrosiana Via Tortona 26 and SOA Lab & Factory Via Savona 20 Milan, awarded the Best in Technique to Gabrielli.

Artist Ionian See won the Bryna Pomp Award, given by Bryna Pomp, Director of MAD About Jewelry, Museum of Arts and Design, and the brand Vualle Jewels received the Best in Milano, a recognition awarded by AOL – Associazione Orafa Lombarda.

The brand Chaton received the Best Antique Jewelry award, presented by A.N.T.I.C.O., while Atelier Ajour was selected by Laura Inghirami, Opinion Leader in the world of jewelry and Founder of Donna Jewel, as the winner of the Best in Creativity.

Finally, Shohista Turdiyeva, The Editor & Founder of Jewellery Pursuer, declared the brand Langi Rome, Mehragin Rahmati and ÓDE as the winners of the Best Jewellery Digital Voice Award.

Some special prizes were reserved for the exhibitors of Artistar Jewels, Talent Show, and The Jewelry HUB. Among these, Langi Rome, K.U.T. Jewelry, and Livia Trandafir were recognized as winners of Artistar Jewels by a jury composed of Alessio Boschi, Bryna Pomp, Guido Solari, Muriel Piaser, and Shohista Turdiyeva.

The Assamblage Award, awarded by the Assamblage National Contemporary Jewelry Association, went to Anthea Jewels by Carla Schiappa, Feifei Cheng & Xiangzhi Zhao, and Ionian See.

International partner galleries of Artistar Jewels selected various projects for their exhibitions. Among these, Mariantonietta Caputo and Monica Peksa were awarded by Tincal Lab Contemporary Jewelry Gallery and Workshop, while Christine Faulhaber, Gabrielli, ÓDE, and Livia Trandafir were selected by Galleri Sebastian Schildt. Yael Reisner, curator of Objects Beautiful Gallery, chose Andreia Gabriela Popescu, CODES, Hanna Kaufman, Hannah McGuinness Jewellery, ÓDE, Peanuts & Piggies, Tyl Joaillerie, and Urushi Jewelry as winners.

The Galleria Carlo Lucidi selected Alejandra Alfaro Suzán, Andreia Gabriela Popescu, Josephine Kang Zhou Yu, Meira Rauta, Yael Herman, and Z/CH Jewellery as winners. Frangipani Stúdió & Galleryawarded Alchemira, Andreia Gabriela Popescu, Atta Studio, Feifei Cheng & Xiangzhi Zhao, and KarenMarrun Matuk. The Gallery of Art in Legnica selected Lamia Saab Design and Monica Peksa, while The Sense of Beauty Gallery chose Anthea Jewels by Carla Schiappa, Binadi, and Z/CH Jewellery for collaboration. Furthermore, What If BERLIN awarded Atta Studio, Malga Objetos, and Urushi Jewelry, while Oìa Treasures declared Dimitra Besiou, Nvar, and Sabine Rotilio as winners.

Clement Cheung Napki, Lara Dheedene, ÓDE, Raffaella De Angeli, and Tania Vásquez were the winners selected by Ruup & Form Gallery, while A Little Piece of C by Berna, Atelier Ajour, Carolina Colacino, Cassandra Iosub, Christine Faulhaber, Cindy Xu Eternal Jewellery, Doris, Gaya Broggrei, Langi Rome, Mariana Gorga, and Roupaul by Sabrina Gallieri were the artists awarded by Blossom. The Pshyché gallery selected Delphine Tempels, Elenka Studio, Mirco Milesi, Teresa Kutuzova, and Tamiko Jewellery for collaboration. Finally, Gill Wing Jewellery London / Kath Libbert Jewellery Gallerychose Josephine Kang Zhou Yu and Nasim Javid.

As for the Talent Show Contest, the Best Talent By Galdus award went to Hannah Craft, Ruichu Yu, Sierra Apicella, and Zixuan Ni from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Gujin and Liqiujun, students from China University of Geosciences, won the Assamblage Awards for Talent Show and Best Talent by INHORGENTA, respectively.

Finally, the winners of The Jewelry HUB Network were Angry Jewellery, Federico Bellini, and Luxi Lexi INC, selected by Jade Jewellery, and Jenny Halada, Kyan Jewelry, and Vitale Jewelry, awarded by Gioielleria Brunetti.

The evening concluded with a vibrant celebration of creativity and excellence in the jewelry industry, further reinforcing the international community that Milano Jewelry Week has fostered, bringing together artists and professionals from across the globe.

About Prodes Italia

The conceptualization, communication management, and event coordination of Milano Jewelry Week are handled by the Prodes Italia Group. Operating globally in high jewelry, design, art, and wine sectors, Prodes Italia is the creator of Promotedesign.it, Din-Design In, Design For, Artistarjewels.com, Overjewels.com, Huesers Magazine, and Bestwinestars.com.

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OFFICIAL HASHTAG #Milanojewelryweek

PATRONAGE

Assogemme, CNA Artistico e Tradizionale, CNA Federmoda.

PARTNER

A.N.T.I.C.O., ACJ, AOL, Assamblage, DiaMondaine Diamantaires Club, HRD Antwerp, INHORGENTA, National Foundation for the Jewelry and Watch Industry, Piazza Italia, Precious Room, Scuola Galdus.

LOGISTIC PARTNER

Lez Rent

ACCOMODATION PARTNER

Hotel Dei Cavalieri, Hotel Susa, Hotel The Square, Kleos Hotel, Una Group Hotel, Worldhotel Cristoforo Colombo.

MEDIA PARTNER

City News, Donna Jewel, Excellence Magazine (beyond.luxury), Gruppo Beyond, Harper's Bazaar, HUESERS Magazine, Jewellery Pursuer.