Growing up, my family made an annual pilgrimage to Italy to visit my father’s brothers still living in the verdant northern region of Friuli, at the foothills of the Alps. We spent several weeks there each August or September, with a few days enjoyed at the beaches of Lignano or Grado, local resort destinations in the Adriatic that attracted mostly holidaying Italians. With adulthood came the passing of those sun-drenched visits, and more recently the cadence of my trips to Italy has slowed to about one or two a decade.
When my family began to plan a trip to Italy this year, I was elated to be returning. It wasn’t until a few months had passed that an idea was sparked: I could combine my upcoming family trip with the exciting opportunity to study advanced stone setting in the country of my heritage and a place steeped in beauty and design! When this possibility came into view it took my breath away. That same night, my research led me to discover the Gerardi Setting School in Rome, a place where tradition and technique come together to create a peaceful and rigorous environment for learning.
A Week By the Sea
The initial impetus for a trip to Italy this year was to celebrate my mother’s birthday with extended family. We stayed at a beautiful villa on the Salento peninsula at the tip of the heel of the Italian boot. We ate and drank with the cooler breezes of fall in the air, and also enjoyed several warmer days by the water. My grasp of the Italian language is poor, but my mother and her siblings are fluent native speakers and this afforded us a glimpse into more local living.
The timing of this trip found me in the final lead up to running my first ever half-marathon, taking place back home in Toronto the week after my return. Naturally, I was seeking out the best running routes to continue my training. Several mornings, I enjoyed a run along the Lungo Mare of the nearby town, Santa Maria di Leuca. It was lovely to be on this seaside boulevard, taking in the exceptional views, breathing in the salty air, enjoying the breezes off the water and the opportunity for a dip in the tide pools to cool off at the end of my run, before heading up the three hundred step staircase leading from the town to the road where our villa was located!
The view from part way up the 300 steps in Santa Maria di Leuca.
Though the beauty of the land had me transfixed, with its ancient olive trees and mammoth cactus plants, the highlight of my time in Puglia was a morning spent on a boat to view and swim among the caves along the coastline. I love to be on the water and thanks to many travel adventures spent journeying out to sea on scuba diving boats, I feel at home laid out in the sun on the front deck with the sea splash caressing me and the rhythm of the boat lulling me into a meditative calm.
Traversing both the Ionian and Adriatic seas, we crossed the location where the two seas are storied to meet and over which stands an imposing lighthouse, guiding water-bound wayfarers and local fishermen each night. We had the opportunity to dive off the boat for refreshing swims and to explore the sea caves, and I was elated to see an abundance of marine life beneath me in the crystal waters. I even spotted a sweet little kingfisher swooping up to its shady rock perch after a fishing expedition.
Our final evening together brought us to Rua De Li Travai in Patù, which turned out to be my favourite restaurant in Puglia with its exquisite local fare, excellent service, and wonderful outdoor seating in back. Then it was off to Rome for the next part of my adventure.
Aquatic Emeralds in my Squiggle Setting inspired by the colours of the sea.
High Jewellery Stone Setting Course
The second leg of my time in Italy was spent in Rome, a place steeped in culture, history and lore. I kicked it off with a happenstance visit to the flagship store of the legendary Bvlgari, where I got to drink in the magical designs and unsurpassed craftsmanship. This was the perfect lead in to the two weeks I would spend at the Gerardi Setting School. This incredible school is a branch of the Accademia della Arte Orafe, which translates to the Academy of Jewellery Arts, where contemporary masters pass down traditional techniques to dedicated students.
A backstory: I have had many decadent ideas for pieces that have been beyond my reach to create. Investing in myself by attending this course has allowed me to expand my daydreaming into uncharted territories, and to incorporate these highly technical setting techniques into my rustic and earthy designs. I was deeply appreciative of the precision of the teachers, who encouraged me to perfect my efforts with each attempt, always nudging me towards an even better result. I also felt a connection to my father, a skilled brick mason born in Italy in the 1930s, he possessed a laser precise eye and dedication to the perfection of his craft. Working away on the minuscule stone settings under microscope, I could feel my kinship to him as each tiny element required the utmost care and attention, just as he put into his own work, though on a vastly different scale.
I learnt an unfathomable amount in the short duration of my course, an intensive consisting of 80 hours in the studio over two weeks. All of the stone setting work takes place under the microscope, where I honed my prong and bezel setting skills, learned polishing techniques that were unfamiliar to me, and explored a wide array of micro setting techniques for pavé and beyond. I even created and amended some of my own tempered steel tools, an invaluable skill that will allow me to create personalized tools in my own studio.
What I hope to bring to my work moving forward is a fusion of these tiny sparkling elements that demand a certain perfection to achieve, and the rustic, earthy style characteristic of my past jewellery creations; the impeccably imperfect. Always seeking balance between juxtaposed elements, I believe that these two aesthetics will blend together to create truly unique and exquisite jewels.
My Opal Twist Drop Earrings are a fusion of old world techniques and contemporary sensibilities.
Favourite Things During My Time in Rome
Going for a run through the beautiful Villa Borghese parks and gardens.
Restaurant recommendations: Capo Boi (seafood) and Bianca Trattoria (traditional Roman fare) for dinner, award winning Grué bakery for breakfast, Alla Rampa for lunch if you're out sightseeing in the centre of Rome.
Coppedè district is a must visit for history, unique architecture and inspiration. It is also a lovely way to get a more local experience of Rome and is walking distance from the Gerardi Setting School.
Terme Di Saturnia
Only two hours from Rome in Tuscany is the ultimate spa experience. Natural thermal pools full of beneficial healing minerals flow from underground springs at the perfect temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius. I came here overnight to slow down, recover and melt away stress after a stressful month leading up to my trip. Floating in the thermal pool on my back, I could feel the simple oneness of myself with the natural world. Book yourself a spa treatment or two to really indulge. Pet friendly, the Italians love their dogs and bring them everywhere. Don't be surprised to see a few well-behaved hounds around the spa grounds during your stay!
Enjoying a relaxing day at the Terme di Saturnia wearing my gold mini B Chain necklace.