Italian Soul: Fratelli Piccini and the Heart of Florentine Jewellery Craftsmanship

October 20, 2024

By Katerina Perez

8 min read

It is not every day that one gets invited to Florence to discover the last true jeweller of the historic Ponte Vecchio bridge, traversing the river Arno beneath. Fratelli Piccini opened its atelier in 1903, specialising in soulful craftsmanship that comes from the heart and hard-working hands. Today, it is led by fourth-generation CEO Elisa Tozzi Piccini, who graciously welcomed me into her family’s treasure trove nestled under the Vasari Corridor. Like a living, breathing time capsule, the Fratelli Piccini story is something I am thrilled to share with you below…

If you have been reading this website for a while, you will know how fond I am of a genuine ‘hidden gem’. When I arrived in Florence to visit Fratelli Piccini, I felt as if I was stepping into a familiar, welcoming place where time passes slower, more methodically, and with a real respect for traditional craftsmanship and artistic values. The business was founded in 1903 by Elisa Tozzi Piccini’s predecessor, Pirro Piccini. Back then, the Ponte Vecchio was a very different place, less touristy but similarly full of character, with people milling about trading precious items and reusing and repurposing gems, all by hand. Today, Fratelli Piccini is the ‘last man standing’, so to speak, with the only operating workshop on the bridge and an absolute commitment to preserving the old ways of jewellery making. 

Fratelli Piccini Dragonfly brooch, crafted with intricate front and back detailing, with diamonds, sapphires, and pearls set in 18k yellow gold

Fratelli Piccini Dragonfly brooch, crafted with intricate front and back detailing, with diamonds, sapphires, and pearls set in 18k yellow gold

Elisa is fiercely protective of this artistic vision, so much so that she refuses to be drawn into 3D technology and computer-aided design techniques. Instead, she nurtures an environment that prioritises uniqueness and the importance of the human touch. Rather than being augmented by computers or AI, every piece of Fratelli Piccini jewellery comes from the mind and soul of the jeweller. As you might imagine, staying true to such deep-rooted principles is harder than you might think in today’s world. During our conversation, Elisa and I spoke about the loosening of the term ‘jeweller’ to encompass retail businesses and brands that don’t necessarily produce pieces themselves. “What has changed a lot is the culture,” she explained to me, adding that people are drawn to dependable, big-name brands without really understanding the nuances or soul of what they’ve purchased. The Fratelli Piccini experience is far more personal. 

Fratelli Piccini CEO Elisa Tozzi Piccini with her mother Laura Piccini and Katerina Perez holding a Dragonfly brooch

Fratelli Piccini CEO Elisa Tozzi Piccini with her mother Laura Piccini and Katerina Perez holding a Dragonfly brooch

 The façade of Fratelli Piccini atelier, which is also an authorised retailer of Patek Philippe

The façade of Fratelli Piccini atelier, which is also an authorised retailer of Patek Philippe

 Interior of the Fratelli Piccini atelier

Interior of the Fratelli Piccini atelier

 A framed trophy awarded to Fratelli Piccini for the first prize at the International Diamond Awards in Buenos Aires in 1959

A framed trophy awarded to Fratelli Piccini for the first prize at the International Diamond Awards in Buenos Aires in 1959

 The Fratelli Piccini powder compact (left), designed by Armando Piccini, is hand-embossed in 18k yellow gold and platinum, studded with diamonds. The Triton brooch (right), a micro sculpture in lapis lazuli, was carved by him in the 1960s in 18k yellow gold with diamonds

The Fratelli Piccini powder compact (left), designed by Armando Piccini, is hand-embossed in 18k yellow gold and platinum, studded with diamonds. The Triton brooch (right), a micro sculpture in lapis lazuli, was carved by him in the 1960s in 18k yellow gold with diamonds

 Fratelli Piccini Intreccio black and white bracelet with pavé diamond in 18k white gold with matching earrings

Fratelli Piccini Intreccio black and white bracelet with pavé diamond in 18k white gold with matching earrings

 Fratelli Piccini Rosae brooch featuring 16.53 carats of diamonds showing the arrangement of the petals in 18k yellow gold, along with its image in the catalogue

Fratelli Piccini Rosae brooch featuring 16.53 carats of diamonds showing the arrangement of the petals in 18k yellow gold, along with its image in the catalogue

She continues: “The jeweller was someone you trusted, like a doctor. Nowadays, everybody believes they know everything because you can go online and use Google. But jewellery should be a mutual pleasure.” Here, she is referring to the idea that both parties – the jeweller and the client – should create a relationship so that the act of passing a piece from the bench to a customer’s hands is uplifting. “For me, it’s like having a puppy and needing to give it to someone. You want to be sure that the family that takes the puppy will care for it in the proper way.”

Fratelli Piccini Butterfly gold cuff bracelet with red tourmalines and diamonds in 18k rose gold

Fratelli Piccini Butterfly gold cuff bracelet with red tourmalines and diamonds in 18k rose gold

There’s a certain warmth and femininity in this way of thinking, which is no bad thing in the often masculine world of jewellery-making. And that’s another thing that sets Fratelli Piccini apart – its female-led team. Alongside Elisa, there is master craftsman Carlotta and production manager Chika, who steer the ship and produce unique pieces of fine and high jewellery. I was presented with many examples during my visit, including some colourful seahorse-inspired pieces that were created to toast the brand’s anniversary, beautiful golden roses encrusted with diamonds, and dragonfly brooches with large creamy pearls and blue sapphires. 

Gouaches at the Fratelli Piccini workshop

Gouaches at the Fratelli Piccini workshop

 Close up of oval morganite kept with its gouache

Close up of oval morganite kept with its gouache

 Close up of trapezium cut morganite pair kept with its gouache

Close up of trapezium cut morganite pair kept with its gouache

 Gouaches of a new collection at the Fratelli Piccini workshop

Gouaches of a new collection at the Fratelli Piccini workshop

 Close up of the trapezium cut morganite pair kept with the gouache of a collar necklace

Close up of the trapezium cut morganite pair kept with the gouache of a collar necklace

The atelier is split into three levels, including a boutique on the ground floor, a heritage area on the second floor filled with antiques, archival drawings and inspiring artefacts, and a workshop at the top, which looks out across the Arno River. I spent a considerable amount of time on the upper floor, speaking with Carlotta and Chika about various techniques, goldsmithing, engraving, enamelling, and wax carving. They are both committed to Elisa’s vision, which is to spotlight the role of the artisan and elevate a job that “doesn’t exist anymore” across the world. But that’s not to say the company isn’t embracing newer materials, like aluminium, which gives an ergonomic lightness to pieces. 

Carlotta, crafting jewels at the Fratelli Piccini workshop

Carlotta, crafting jewels at the Fratelli Piccini workshop

 View on the Arno River from the terrace of Fratelli Piccini boutique

View on the Arno River from the terrace of Fratelli Piccini boutique

 Interior of the Fratelli Piccini atelier

Interior of the Fratelli Piccini atelier

 Old moulds from Fratelli Piccini now adorn the walls, evoking memories of the past

Old moulds from Fratelli Piccini now adorn the walls, evoking memories of the past

 Close up of the materials at the Fratelli Piccini workshop

Close up of the materials at the Fratelli Piccini workshop

 Carlotta working at the Fratelli Piccini workshop

Carlotta working at the Fratelli Piccini workshop

 Close up of the jewel in making at Fratelli Piccini workshop

Close up of the jewel in making at Fratelli Piccini workshop

“It’s like couture,” Elisa says. “Just like in fashion, most things are industrialised now, but there are still some places where a tailor still exists.” This evidence of bejewelled tailoring is best seen in the One-of-a-Kind collection, which contains pieces that started with a sketch and passed into the hands of goldsmiths, enamellers, engravers, threaders and so on, requiring weeks if not months of complex craftsmanship. I was also drawn to the classical pieces in the Piccini One collection, which draw inspiration from Armando Piccini (Elisa’s great uncle) who was producing pieces in the family atelier in the 1940s and 50s. My favourite was the Cleopatra necklace, crafted in 18k yellow gold, featuring strands of hand-woven onyx grains, a chiselled gold profile of Cleopatra with nine carats of carved coral and two carats of diamonds.

Fratelli Piccini Cleopatra necklace featuring strands of hand-woven onyx grains, a chiselled gold profile of Cleopatra with nine carats of carved coral and two carats of diamonds, crafted in 18k yellow gold

Fratelli Piccini Cleopatra necklace featuring strands of hand-woven onyx grains, a chiselled gold profile of Cleopatra with nine carats of carved coral and two carats of diamonds, crafted in 18k yellow gold

Although many of these creations will be inaccessible to all but a lucky few, Fratelli Piccini doesn’t discriminate when it comes to sharing its art with the world. Elisa looks for clients who set the arrogance of money aside and demonstrate a polite inquisitiveness and fascination with the proportions, colours and feelings that contribute towards a handmade piece. The workmanship is exactly the same, whether it costs €1,000 or €1,000,000, she says of Fratelli Piccini’s bespoke output. 

 Fratelli Piccini Amazonia cuff, designed in art deco style, with ebony, chrysoprase, and diamonds in 18k yellow gold

Fratelli Piccini Amazonia cuff, designed in art deco style, with ebony, chrysoprase, and diamonds in 18k yellow gold

 Fratelli Piccini Fox Lady embossed and sculpted earrings in 18k yellow gold with rubies

Fratelli Piccini Fox Lady embossed and sculpted earrings in 18k yellow gold with rubies

 Fratelli Piccini Jellyfish earrings with moonstone and diamonds in 18k yellow gold

Fratelli Piccini Jellyfish earrings with moonstone and diamonds in 18k yellow gold

 Fratelli Piccini Sifilide ring with white and brown diamonds and sapphires in 18k yellow gold

Fratelli Piccini Sifilide ring with white and brown diamonds and sapphires in 18k yellow gold

 Fratelli Piccini Ghirlanda earrings feature hand-engraved jasper leaves by Armando Piccini from the 1950s, adorned with white and brown diamonds and orange and yellow sapphires in 18k yellow gold

Fratelli Piccini Ghirlanda earrings feature hand-engraved jasper leaves by Armando Piccini from the 1950s, adorned with white and brown diamonds and orange and yellow sapphires in 18k yellow gold

 Fratelli Piccini Ribbon bracelet, designed by Armando Piccini in the 1950s, features hand-engraving in 18k yellow gold with calibrated carré diamonds and sapphires

Fratelli Piccini Ribbon bracelet, designed by Armando Piccini in the 1950s, features hand-engraving in 18k yellow gold with calibrated carré diamonds and sapphires

 Fratelli Piccini Principessa Jasmine ring with white diamonds in 18k yellow gold

Fratelli Piccini Principessa Jasmine ring with white diamonds in 18k yellow gold

Every aspect of this visit to Florence reiterated that handmade craftsmanship is something to be treasured and supported to avoid being lost forever. Florentine and Italian artisans, more generally, have inherited such rich traditions it would be a crime to lose them. This is exactly the reason why Fratelli Piccini presents the Armando Piccini Award to a young artisan every two years – to preserve a legacy that is on the brink of extinction. It is especially fitting that Armando was also a young award winner, securing accolades at the Venice Biennale when he was just 23 years old! 

Katerina Perez holds Fratelli Piccini Seahorse brooches: Magda (left), featuring rubies and diamonds, and Charles (right), with milky aquamarine and diamonds in 18k yellow and white gold, respectively

Katerina Perez holds Fratelli Piccini Seahorse brooches: Magda (left), featuring rubies and diamonds, and Charles (right), with milky aquamarine and diamonds in 18k yellow and white gold, respectively

I hope I have inspired you to visit Florence and immerse yourself in something far different from the norm. This eschewing of modern technology isn’t simply a creative choice but a spiritual one. There’s something about crossing the Ponte Vecchio that makes the idea of mouse clicks seem not just out of place but entirely unnecessary! If you wish to discover the Fratelli Piccini aesthetic for yourself, there are two events to consider. The first is taking place in London on October 22 and 23 at the Giorgetti Showroom on Fulham Road, and the second in Paris on November 5 and 6, always with Giorgetti, at its showroom on Rue de l’Abbaye. This “Crafting Italian Excellence” collaboration brings together two ultra-centennial companies that jointly celebrate the highest Italian artistic traditions and represent the best of ‘Made in Italy’ excellence. Trust me when I say that you will discover something to inspire you.

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