Verus Ceramiche: Jewelry and Watches Made in Caltagirone
Sales Manager Andrea Alparone explains the birth of two new segments at the artistic ceramics company
Where did the idea of creating a line of jewelry based on the world of ceramics come from?
We could say that the idea came from two lines of thought: the first is simple, I would even say endemic to Caltagirone, a place that has been known globally for its production of artistic ceramics for centuries. There are still dozens of companies active in this field even now, but none has ever dared to go outside the realm of pottery and decorative furnishings. Our company has stood out over the years for its Moor’s heads and pine cones and we thought it was time to broaden our horizons. That’s why we decided to incorporate ceramics into the new jewelry collection, making it elegant, innovative and sophisticated. Secondly, we realized that it is precisely thanks to this type of excellent craftsmanship that Verus has become a recognizable brand with worldwide distribution. This will help us to create a large audience for jewelry too, or rather bijoux, since we only contemplate using silver.
How are Verus jewelry collections created?
We made the very first collections in the heart of the goldsmith district of Arezzo, where we will continue to produce some lines. In the meantime, we have also found several artisans in our area, in Catania, where the collections presented at Vicenzaoro were created. We like the idea of supporting local craftsmanship, which we already do with ceramics, and this will certainly be a way to do the same in another sector as well.
The binding element between these two branches of the company are the subjects represented: the Moor’s head and pine cone, our two must-haves, also feature in the jewelry. The ceramic details set into the various articles make them more beautiful and the enhancement and precision gives a more sophisticated result. As I said before, everything is made in silver with the addition of colored Swarovski. The price range is quite wide, going from €120 to €1,500 in the case of items with precious stones. Of course, the surprising extra touch is the artistic ceramic packaging. Obviously, it couldn't be just a simple box!
Which markets are you working with?
Our distribution of ceramics covers almost the whole hemisphere: we are particularly strong on the European market, followed by the USA, South America, and then Australia, China and Dubai and Doha in the Middle East. Of course, our jewelry distribution won’t be so widespread. At the moment our plans only include a limited selection of places, but we came to Vicenzaoro ready to be able to manage a large post-fair demand, thanks to the fact that we have already been working intensively on production for 7 months.
And then, the world of watches...
Yes. Always with a view to closing the circle in terms of jewelry items, we also decided to create a collection of watches that is as atypical as everything else we offer. There are 9 models boasting ceramic elements, such as bezels and inserts, mounted on a classic Swiss ronda movement, all assembled in Italy. The result is therefore of enormous quality, as the price range, which starts at €450, also reflects. We also have a celebrity representative for this new segment: the former rugby player and presenter Andrea Lo Cicero. Born and bred in Catania, he immediately appreciated the value of our latest idea.
We could say that the idea came from two lines of thought: the first is simple, I would even say endemic to Caltagirone, a place that has been known globally for its production of artistic ceramics for centuries. There are still dozens of companies active in this field even now, but none has ever dared to go outside the realm of pottery and decorative furnishings. Our company has stood out over the years for its Moor’s heads and pine cones and we thought it was time to broaden our horizons. That’s why we decided to incorporate ceramics into the new jewelry collection, making it elegant, innovative and sophisticated. Secondly, we realized that it is precisely thanks to this type of excellent craftsmanship that Verus has become a recognizable brand with worldwide distribution. This will help us to create a large audience for jewelry too, or rather bijoux, since we only contemplate using silver.
How are Verus jewelry collections created?
We made the very first collections in the heart of the goldsmith district of Arezzo, where we will continue to produce some lines. In the meantime, we have also found several artisans in our area, in Catania, where the collections presented at Vicenzaoro were created. We like the idea of supporting local craftsmanship, which we already do with ceramics, and this will certainly be a way to do the same in another sector as well.
The binding element between these two branches of the company are the subjects represented: the Moor’s head and pine cone, our two must-haves, also feature in the jewelry. The ceramic details set into the various articles make them more beautiful and the enhancement and precision gives a more sophisticated result. As I said before, everything is made in silver with the addition of colored Swarovski. The price range is quite wide, going from €120 to €1,500 in the case of items with precious stones. Of course, the surprising extra touch is the artistic ceramic packaging. Obviously, it couldn't be just a simple box!
Which markets are you working with?
Our distribution of ceramics covers almost the whole hemisphere: we are particularly strong on the European market, followed by the USA, South America, and then Australia, China and Dubai and Doha in the Middle East. Of course, our jewelry distribution won’t be so widespread. At the moment our plans only include a limited selection of places, but we came to Vicenzaoro ready to be able to manage a large post-fair demand, thanks to the fact that we have already been working intensively on production for 7 months.
And then, the world of watches...
Yes. Always with a view to closing the circle in terms of jewelry items, we also decided to create a collection of watches that is as atypical as everything else we offer. There are 9 models boasting ceramic elements, such as bezels and inserts, mounted on a classic Swiss ronda movement, all assembled in Italy. The result is therefore of enormous quality, as the price range, which starts at €450, also reflects. We also have a celebrity representative for this new segment: the former rugby player and presenter Andrea Lo Cicero. Born and bred in Catania, he immediately appreciated the value of our latest idea.
