Does anyone have any suggestions for places to seek out in Siena,
Florence, or Rome? I will be there for a week and would like to come
home with some interesting new pieces to incorporate into my work.
Sarah Sharp
LUCKY LUCKY! You will have a blast!! Italy is beautiful and very
inspiring. I studied in Tuscany (Cortona, Italy) for 3 months and
visited each city mentioned above. Trust me, you will have no
troubles finding amazening jewelry, or shoes, food, clothing, art,
ect…Florance has some of the best shopping I have ever experienced.
All three cities will have markets set up in plaza’s throughout the
city. These places are great to buy relatively inexpensive goods 
The vendors are pushy and be prepared to bargain.
In Florance there is this covered bridge in particular that has the
most amazing jewelry. Very expensive…way to much money for me, a
poor collage student at time. I believe the name of the bridge is
Ponte Vecchio. Its near the - 1/4 Palazzo degli UffiziAddress:,
an absolutely FANTASTIC museum that you must see!! The jewelers seem
to have taken over this particular bridge.
When I traveled throughout Italy I didn’t have a strictly planned
itinerary. I roamed the cities and bumped into many unexpected
artists and places. Give yourself time and freedom to wander and you
will find the unexpected.
Safe travels! Enjoy Italy
Taylor
It may be a good idea to contact Ken Scott at the Florence Jewellery
Making School. He is a Kiwi who has lived there for many years and
probably knows all of the best places to go so could direct you to
them and may be able to give you an introduction to some. I would
think that his school is a good start as he has some very talented
students there who produce some amazing work.
You can contact him on Facebook using either “Ken Scott” or “Florence
Jewelry Making Courses and Classes” or if you contact me offline I
will give you his email address.
No connection - Just impressed with his work and students
Robin Key
Clavis Jewellery
Aberdeen, Scotland
Florence Jewellery Making School.
Not jewelry but Firenze for sure (said again, too). You’ve seen the
book s, you’ve seen the pictures. ~None~ of those prepares you for
seeing the actual sculpture of David. Not one of the two or three
copies scattered around the city, but the real thing. It’s not
actually in a museum, it’s here: http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/nw
Don’t miss it…
Sorry to say the Ponte Vecchio in Florence is no longer the source
for gold jewelry it once was. On my first visit there in the early
90’s I loved the bridge and bought a lot - lots of selection,
interesting styles and good prices (I wasn’t making jewelry then). I
was there for the second time in 2009 and very disappointed. The
bridge was one of my first stops, and I bought NOTHING. Was tempted
only once by a rather ordinary looking 20" chain of links of decent
heft and size, but the price was $2000. And this was before gold
skyrocketed. Many of the shops had converted from gold to silver
(just like many of us), but the styles seemed too ordinary. I
realize that the better shops may have moved to the side streets of
Florence, but I never found them.
In Florence today better to spend your money on leather and
lingerie. At least the Uffizi museum is still good, but better buy
your admission in advance!
Re the rest of your time, Rome is a gorgeous place just to wander in
also. Siena is still on my to do list, but probably worth a visit
also. Sorry I can’t give you any specific jewelry leads.
Mary Partlan
White Branch Designs