From London to Ravenna: The Personal Journey Behind Our Signature Collection
Before Gió VELORI came to life, my days were spent in the vibrant heart of London, immersed in the world of Van Cleef & Arpels. Being part of such a legendary Maison was more than just a career milestone; it was a daily masterclass in how fine jewellery can capture a moment, tell a story, and carry the weight of history.
It was during my time in London that I gained a profound appreciation for how historical art translates into timeless, wearable design. I became captivated by the opulence of the Byzantine Empire, an era defined by what Italian historians perfectly describe as "fasto, luce, colore" (opulence, light, and colour). As I studied the archival designs inspired by this period, two defining elements left a lasting mark on my creative vision: the bold, unapologetic use of vivid stones, and the intricate art of perlage and granulation.
The Art of Perlage and "Divine Light"
It was while handling some of the Maison’s most iconic archival pieces that I truly understood the power of a golden frame. My fascination began with the vintage Couscous creations from the 1940s, where gold was meticulously shaped into tiny, tactile beads, and deepened when studying the beloved Alhambra collection, famous since 1968 for its delicate, beaded contour.
But this signature technique did not originate in 20th-century Paris; it is a direct descendant of ancient Byzantine metalwork.
To the artisans of the Eastern Roman Empire, stones were never simply set; they were revered. Gold and gems were not merely decorative, they were symbols of supreme power and luce divina (divine light). To highlight a gem's importance, ancient goldsmiths utilised meticulous techniques like granulazione (granulation) and filigree to frame their stones.
We embraced this through the art of perlage. Just like the iconic archival collections I worked with in London, this delicate golden beading does something remarkable to a piece of jewellery: it creates a halo of warm light, elevating a beautiful stone into a framed masterpiece. It provides a tactile, vintage charm, a nod to the famous “lustro di Bisanzio” (luster of Byzantium), that perfectly balances the sleekness of modern design.
When the time came to create the first collection signed Gió VELORI, I knew I wanted to harness this historical depth and bold use of colour, but ground it in a uniquely Italian heritage. My mind naturally traveled to Ravenna.
Echoes of an Empire: The Mosaics of San Vitale
Once the capital of the Western Roman Empire, Ravenna holds the soul of Byzantine art in Italy. If you step inside the Basilica of San Vitale, you are immediately met with the legendary mosaics of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora. These masterworks are a breath-taking display of polychromy, where mother-of-pearl tesserae were specifically used to depict the cascading pearls that illuminated the Empress's face.
The Ravenna Collection was born from this exact intersection of divine golden light and meticulous artistry. In our inaugural Earring Edit, the 18kt gold perlage acts as our radiant frame, while our carefully selected gemstones serve as our modern tesserae:
Green Malachite channels the lush, vibrant landscapes depicted in ancient frescoes.
Black Onyx provides the dramatic, grounding contrast that gives Byzantine architecture its profound depth.
White Mother of Pearl captures the ethereal, shifting light that once illuminated the mosaic walls of San Vitale.
A Legacy of "Gioia di Vivere" Crafted for You
Historically, Byzantine jewellery was strictly tied to the elevated social rank of the wearer, empires even decreed that certain stones were exclusively for sovereigns. Today, however, we wear jewellery as a powerful tool of self-expression. The ancient explosion of colour and light is no longer just a symbol of power; it is an expression of gioia di vivere.
Whether you are curating your own wardrobe of fine jewellery, or seeking a profoundly thoughtful gift for a partner, the Ravenna Collection is designed to transcend fleeting trends. Because the perlage technique requires absolute precision, we entrusted this collection to the master artisans in Valenza, Italy. When you select your preferred gold and stone combination, our artisans begin a deliberate journey to bring it to life.
Ready to carry a piece of this history with you? Explore The Earring Edit and discover the infinite possibilities of the Ravenna Collection.