Sculpted Jewels: The Intimate Family History Behind Daverio1933

My passion for shining a light on the hidden gems of the jewellery world has led me to Daverio1933 – an Italian brand built upon the most remarkable foundations of sculpture and artistic intuition. The company began following me on Instagram around three years ago, but it was only in recent months that the fates aligned, and I was able to visit its showroom in the small city of Bergamo, northeast of Milan. Although Daverio1933 has flown mostly under the radar, it is now preparing to return to Vicenzaoro in September 2024. Here, I would like to present its compelling story and equally unusual jewels to the world.

Many people who pursue an artistic and creative life have often, although not exclusively, learned these habits from their parents. I know this is certainly the case for me personally, and I believe it is the path that Franco Daverio laid for his son and grandson thanks to his lifelong obsession with sculpture. Born in 1917, Franco would establish himself as a renowned sculptor of intimate, totemic, and abstract bodily forms, often with hints of Egyptian and Sumerian art and, for the purposes of this story, a leaning towards chiselled and embossed metal surfaces. In their smallest iterations, these sculptures could be worn as copper jewellery pieces that set aside the conventions of 20th-century design in favour of an ancient aesthetic… like they’d be found in an archaeological dig. According to those who knew him best, Franco didn’t strive for acclaim. Instead, creating was as vital to him as breathing. 

His son, Luca Daverio, initially rebelled against this absolute obsession with art. He tells me: “When you live with an artist who creates from 7 AM until midnight, all week, to fuel his passion, and a mother who is similarly passionate about art, it permeates your life. I began to do work that was totally different.” This hint of teenage rebellion started and ended with Luca returning to his father’s workshop to assist in making chains for his jewels. From the moment he picked up a hammer, he understood his calling was to make jewellery, not in the same style as his father but underpinned by the same principles of limitless creativity and self-expression.

His workshop, which felt magical to me, was the place I found myself and my passion for creation; from the first moment I was able to shape something with my hands, I was fascinated by the creative process, Luca Daverio. 

The Dawn of Daverio1933

Luca established Daverio1933 in the early 1980s, focusing on a small workshop and boutique in Bergamo. His style of embossed and chiselled pieces was inherited from his father but adapted with more finesse and finery, featuring precious metals, diamonds and precious stones. He maintained the idea of ‘sculpted jewels’ and drew upon Italian goldsmithing traditions, notably in Valenza, to bring his ideas to life. In more recent years, the brand has evolved again, this time ushering in the digital age with a website, photography, and videos by Luca’s son, Pablo. He approaches the business differently but with the same intensity and energy as his older generations. “The legacy of craftsmanship that began with my father in 1933 lives on in every jewel we create,” Luca tells me. “We combine traditional techniques with modern innovations and believe our jewels are pieces of art that carry a rich history and a deep passion for creation.”

What sets the brand apart, at least in my opinion, is its sense of freedom. Neither Luca nor Pablo appear to feel compelled to follow anyone’s rules but their own, which was echoed by their father and grandfather, respectively, during his lifetime. Then there are the voluminous, dynamic and sculptural elements of pieces, and the chiselling and embossing techniques that create a unifying texture across multiple collections. All result in a defined point of view that is exciting to witness first-hand in Bergamo. 

Jewellery as Sculpture

Formal training in jewellery is an incredible thing, but it can also limit one’s perspective. If you’ve only ever been taught to think small, refined, and meticulous, then the idea of taking something imposing and condensing it into a wearable, three-dimensional object is not an easy leap. With such a rich family history in sculpture, Luca has taught himself methods of achieving his vision of large and small, meaningful and beautiful, traditional and contemporary. On my visit to Bergamo, he presented me with the many different chiselling tools that shape and texturise metal. Some look so similar to each other and yet produce very different effects, which is all part of the craft. The result is miniature sculptures, such as those in the Heritage collection, that have a rustic aesthetic despite the complex workmanship required to bring them to fruition. 

Modern Materials

One of the things I admire about Luca and his approach to jewellery-making is his opinion on materials. He doesn’t simply seek out gold because it is the most precious or diamonds because they are the most valuable. The former is essential to achieve the embossed and chiselled effect that most closely resembles his imagination, while the latter is perfect for capturing the sparkle of the night sky and his passion for the cosmos. He tells me that the “idea is not to do something precious” but to follow the pull of self-expression and create something different, expressive and harmonious. In this modern era of craftsmanship, there are now many more materials for Luca to use, including titanium. 

I especially like the Sidereum collection, which dusts textured surfaces of titanium with diamonds to evoke the night sky, constellations, the atoms of the universe and the fundamental carbon building blocks of diamonds themselves. The standout piece of the offering – a necklace – features a chain of highly polished and matte textured orbs, round brilliant-cut diamonds, and illusion-set marquise and princess-cut diamonds. This leads the eye to a large titanium pendant, brushed and slightly industrial in appearance, fixed with diamonds in orbiting circles around a ‘tear’ in the universe, revealing diamonds beneath. Earrings, bracelets, rings and more unique pendants complete the collection. 

Sentimental Treasures

Capsule collections are an abundant part of Daverio1933’s offering, all of which are distinct and built around a different theme, emotion or concept. The intimate ForeverHug Me collection celebrates the importance of a warm embrace in the form of rings, pendants and bracelets, set with yellow, brown, green and colourless diamonds in abstract forms. All have a chunky, voluminous shape that appears haphazardly constructed, which couldn’t be further from the truth! Next, there’s the Ricci collection, inspired by the sea urchin, that required the precision of lasers to polish the three-dimensional spikes of gold injected with gems. On the reverse side, the Daverio1933 logo – an abstract head – sits in the centre of an openwork gold structure that reflects the brand’s attention to detail. 

And let’s not forget the one-of-a-kind masterpieces that the brand produces annually. I was fortunate enough to try on two fabulous cocktail rings set with a 7.20-carat peridot and a 3-carat fire opal, respectively, and both inspired by the movement of an Argentine glacier. Another piece that caught my eye was the Scintilla ring with domed cabochons of sapphire and tanzanite, surrounded by complementary shades of blue, red, lilac and purple cabochons. Finally, I couldn’t leave Bergamo without photographing a cushion-cut Ceylon sapphire ring, surrounded by D-colour round brilliant-cut diamonds and accented with two triangular-cut diamonds that are built into the shank. This is proof that Daverio1933 can produce more classical jewels, but with its own twist, of course! 

I hope if you are travelling to Vicenzaoro this September that you will visit Daverio1933 and see its distinctive sculptural pieces for yourself. If you have a chance to travel further inland, the Daverio1933 boutique on Via Torquato Tasso in Bergamo is an intimate and cosy space for perusing art and jewellery. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the brand showcases its jewellery alongside art installations, which change monthly, and pieces by the late, great Franco Daverio himself. I felt instantly calm stepping into the space, which has a cocooning feel thanks to the earthy palette and organic shapes. Perhaps we will all get a taste of this at Vicenzaoro, where Daverio1933 will no doubt present its unique perspective to the world.