(5) The Mysterious Jewelry Maker
By Simon Brockbank
Our second day of the field trip takes us back to Florence, but outside the medieval City. Florence is separated by the Arno river, with the historic center on the north bank. That side is the most famous and visited part of the city, with many tourists failing to cross the river.
That is a mistake, as the bridges offer a splendid view on both sides of Florence and access to many restaurants, shops and places of interest on the first two streets right after the river. After crossing the Ponte Alle Grazie, behind what appears to be the door to a small house, lies the atelier of Maestro Alessandro Dari, a true treasure outside the medieval city.
The Mysterious Atelier
As soon as I entered the small atelier, I was greeted by a mysterious gothic atmosphere. The softened light, ambient music, rotating gears and chemistry glassware transported me into an alchemy lab, but in the most appealing and interesting way. Then it hits me : detailed gold rings, trinkets, living jewelry are everywhere around me. Exquisite displays of Maestro Dari’s work surrounded the narrow walkway in museum size stands, suggesting silence to fully take in everything. Shiny moving spiders, underwater castles, precisely cut precious stones on gold ornaments filled the tall displays, truly more than the eye could see. Passing each display multiple times was necessary to grasp the overwhelming amount of detail. A second floor could also be accessed, giving an overhead view of the atelier, revealing more chemistry glassware and musical instruments.
After the members looked around the place, Maestro Alessandro Dari addressed the club and told us about his journey. He is a former pharmacist that learned jewel making as a hobby on his own, explaining the strong alchemy atmosphere of his atelier. While he was talking about his work, I couldn’t help but notice his most unique watch : instead of being flat, the glass was shaped almost like a cake bell, revealing what most certainly is some of his gold work around the mechanism. Very much like the watch, every piece displayed in his atelier was unique and very detailed.
Maestro Dari explained that jewels are meant to have a soul, live as pieces of art, not fashion, which is something that deeply resonates with TSC. He also mentioned that rings are especially important to him since they carry family identity and can show the meaning of love. That reminds me of a Greek tradition towards wedding rings : both bands are always made from the same metal. Not just the same material, but really the same piece : as two halves of one whole. Should one ring be lost, they are both remade to keep that principle. That is perhaps what is most interesting about unique pieces, the meaning behind the object; beauty meeting history inside and out.
Craftsmanship forged by history
Looking at Maestro Dari’s work brings us to the Etruscan civilization, which dates back to 900 BC and was located in what is Tuscany today (and other nearby provinces). That civilization is known for its very advanced goldsmith techniques and characteristic jewelry. Etruscan jewels are typically big, elegant, refined and require mixing several manufacturing techniques. One of them involves using gold as a wire around another object, which is called filigree : ornamental work of fine wire formed into delicate tracery. Another technique, which is the most famous from the Etruscan, is called granulation, which involves applying tiny spheres or granules of metal onto a surface. Etruscan didn’t use any solder for that technique, which means no heating was performed to make the alloy melt and bond the metals together. In fact, Etruscan mostly used pure gold for that technique. Their approach is considered perfect and is a testament to the skill of their artisans.
Maestro Alessandro Dari is a master goldsmith that won several awards and is renowned internationally. As a self taught artist, he studied the Etruscan technique for over 12 years, which he still believes to be the most difficult. Master Dari’s work is so accurate that some of his pieces were sold as antique by mistake, which still makes him smile every time he tells that story. Even though they are inspired Etruscan work, Maestro Dari’s jewels are very much original as they often involve miniature sculptures placed on bracelets, pendants or rings. In fact, Maestro Dari is the first artisan to make castles and churches on rings.
After listening to the tales of Maestro Dari, in which we learned that he is also a musician on top of having studied pharmacy, the members could buy some pieces to bring back home. Several members indulged, after all, when and where can you acquire unique pieces that mix ancient techniques with renaissance inspiration?
Exploring Outside the realm
The sartorial club found first regrouped menswear enthusiasts, but is now exploring outside that realm, which is how treasures like this atelier end up as field trips. While it might seem out of scope at first, tradition, excellence and craftsmanship are the heart of Maestro Dari’s work, which makes it perfect for the club that celebrates it. Not only would most never find that museum, we would never have the privilege of learning the story from the artist himself without the club.
Our next field trip destination takes us back to menswear with a touch of finesse, as we will visit Vivian Saskia Wittmer’s bespoke shoes atelier.
