Roman Splendour: Miseno Returns Home to Italy Ahead of VicenzaOro

Whenever I prepare to attend an event, in this case VicenzaOro, I ask questions about who’s new on the scene, who’s exhibiting for the first time, and wonder what stories I might discover. This year, I learnt that the Italian brand Miseno, whose founder has been operating from New York for many years, will be making its debut at Vicenza and will be showcasing new Italian-made collections inspired by its Mediterranean heritage. Moreover, the brand has “returned home” with a new office in Valenza to support its next chapter. Here, I can share more…

Anyone familiar with a map of Italy may recognise the name ‘Miseno’. It’s an area in the province of Naples with a long history, dating back to the Romans who called it ‘Misenum’. However, for Antonio Cardamuro, the founder, chief executive, and creative director of the fine jewellery brand, Miseno is the place that features in many of his precious childhood memories. Although Miseno jewellery is produced in Italy, the brand operates from the other side of the world, in the United States, and has found the perfect balance between American and Italian sensibilities… think opulent golden designs, hardstones, bold proportions, and elegant, feminine jewels that draw inspiration from the Mediterranean.

I’ve long been a fan of the brand; in 2016, I wrote about its Vesuvio collection, and in 2021 I shared insights into the Faro, Procida and Marea collections. At the core of its storytelling is the eponymous port town and its Roman archway, known as ‘Arco Felice’, which was fabled to bring love and happiness to anyone who walked through it. The brand wants everyone who wears its jewellery to have the same things – hope, love and joy – so that’s why its logo archway is a symbolic finishing touch. When Cardamuro created his brand, he channelled his experience at big Italian houses like Bulgari and Buccellati into a contemporary collection of his own design. Today, he specialises in 18k gold jewellery, set with lapis lazuli, malachite, onyx, and diamonds, among other gems, in wearable designs that can easily transition from day to night. I’ve always had a soft spot for the sunlight-inspired Raggi collection with radiating lines of white diamonds and the utmost elegance of the Sabbia d’Oro range, especially its long wrap-able sautoir.