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P R E S S K I T

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Contents

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The brand’s history 3

The philosophy behind the collection 4

The Collection 5

The brand’s history The history of a brand of jewellery is the story of how an idea is born, of how it grows in unison with the soul of its designer. Francesca Furzi is a designer, living in Turin, and her first collection is the expression of her life, her studies and the experiences that characterize her personal style. Francesca was born in a place where people still keep a strong connection with their ancient artefacts and their traditional work: Tuscany. In the small village where she was born, at the foot of Mount Amiata, Francesca was fascinated by the antique jewels of her family, created by the hands of the expert goldsmiths of the 18th century. She later moved to Rome, the heartland of history and art, and it was here that she decided to start her artistic studies. She was fascinated by sculpture, by its soft and decisive shapes, by the shining marble, and by the idea of creating life and emotions from stone and transforming her imagination into reality. Her search for perfection led her to get a degree in Industrial Design, with the aim to unite the harmony of design with a concrete application, because beauty has to be observed, but also lived. When she finished her studies she moved to Milan and then to Turin, where she worked for one of the most important design companies and then specialised in automotive design. Art and technique thus came together creatively to bear new and unpredictable solutions. In Milan, the city of fashion, Francesca was influenced by the research of new trends; she developed the most interesting ones in a new and personal way and began anticipating future trends. In the automotive world, at Alfa Romeo’s Colour & Trim department, she refined her sense for aesthetics connected to luxury and modernism. But she never lost the passion for jewellery that she cultivated as a child, and it was at this point that she decided to open a new chapter of her life dedicated to jewellery design. To do this she chose to start with hand-made jewels. She wanted to understand what happens after the idea, how a jewel starts to take shape, how to model metal, how to set a precious stone, how gold can transform itself into emotions. She moved to Bassano del Grappa, where a major goldsmith company gave her the possibility to learn not only to design but also to construct a jewel. This experience was a major turning point in her development. Here is where she started the first sketches of what is now her first collection. She returned to Milan and then again to Turin, the city of automotive design, working during the day for the design studio of Lancia and during the night to perfect the design of her jewels. Today, finally, those jewels have come to life in her first collection: a collection born as a result of the search for beauty, the fruit of tradition and of the rich and diverse experiences of Francesca Furzi.

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The philosophy behind the collection The first collection of Francesca Furzi seeks the eternity of beauty, a search that has been handed down from antiquity, crossing the paths of the most ancient civilizations. The art of jewellery carries echoes of distant epochs. The philosophy of Francesca Furzi is to gather the essence of eternity and to express it in every one of her creations. Each jewel is influenced by a journey incorporating the art of sculpture, the concreteness of the technical sketch, the harmony of vehicle shapes, the world of fashion, but also by history and other cultures. These aspects coexist successfully in equilibrium and harmony in every single jewel, a present in which the past crosses paths with the future, chasing it along the sinuous and decisive lines of a ring, emerging in the twinkling of the precious stones, and bursting free as it catches the light. The collection of Francesca Furzi is a limited edition and each piece is numbered. Produced entirely in Italy, the jewels are handcrafted with passion and commitment by experienced hands. Each piece is made even more precious by the use of skilfully cut diamonds and/or precious stones. Francesca personally views each creation to make sure that the message embodied in each piece is expressed with any touch of light, thus ensuring the utmost authenticity and uniqueness in all her work. The collection is composed of 13 jewels: 11 rings, and to enrich the collection, 2 pairs of earrings. Rings by virtue of their shape convey the meaning of union and love. Francesca’s rings have concrete lines that are harmonious and clean and help expose the diamond to the light. Light falls like raindrops on her collection, signifying the embrace between the skilful technique of design and the magic of art, recreating the ancestral essence of beauty. The earrings of the collection give greater resonance to the movement of the light as it is carried in gentle movements to the face and the eyes along sparkling pathways. Francesca Furzi is an artist who creates form and allows expression through her jewels. A woman that wears a jewel created by Francesca Furzi experiences the search for the essence of perfection, because beauty is timeless and sparkles with emotion.

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The Collection The artist, an industrial designer, was born in Tuscany, has grown artistically in Rome, and then professionally in major design studios of well-known automotive brands. Each jewel is influenced by a journey incorporating the art of sculpture, the concreteness of the technical sketch, the harmony of vehicle shapes, the world of fashion, but also by history and other cultures. The collection of Francesca Furzi is a limited edition and each piece is numbered. Produced entirely in Italy, handcrafted with passion and commitment by skilled hands, each jewel is a work of art enriched by brilliantly cut diamonds. Francesca personally views every single creation, thus guaranteeing the authenticity of her work. The collection , shown here, is also available in yellow and pink gold.

Pagoda, 18 ct white gold, yellow sapphire and diamonds Preciousness takes inspiration from Buddhist architecture, full of charm and mysticism. In the ring, the concentric and smooth, concave surfaces are illuminated by diamonds that seem to glide along sinuous lines. An intense glare culminates in the central stone. Stacking up the basic shape, the volume of the ring rises towards the sky, looking like the roof of a distant pagoda.

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Unione, 18 ct. white gold, and princess cut diamonds. This piece of the collection contains empathy that accompanies the birth of a union. The ring Unione, two identical but complementary elements embrace each other, just as in life, compensating one another. The result of 'eternal embrace, with the diamond in the middle, looks like a seal that holds together the two forms.

Giro, 18 ct. white gold, princess cut diamonds The ring is inspired by the technical and functional world of design in the automotive sector. An essential line with brushed outer surfaces which are contrasted with the polished internal surfaces. A simple and straightforward style that is the basis to emphasize the diamonds, clearly visible in the perfection of their cut.

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Parentesi, 18 ct. white gold, and princess cut diamond The earrings are matched to the ring Giro and inspired by the lines of the automotive world in which a form is created for a purpose. Two ‘brackets’ framing the beauty of the wearer, and the central diamond attracts the gaze of the viewer. Just as in writing, Parentesi earrings can discreetly emphasize eternal beauty.

Equilibrio, 18 ct. white gold, pearl and pavé of diamonds The pearl has always been a symbol of purity. To emphasize the meaning in this ring the pearl is held in equilibrium, in balance, almost suspended. A sensitive touch, a polished surface and the other enriched by a Pavé of diamonds, a balance between rationalism and dreams, between the heart and reason, a balance where Love has the pure charm of a pearl.

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Bilancia, 18 ct. white gold, pavé of black and white diamonds A ring made out of simple lines that, in a harmonious way, culminates at the two surfaces meeting one another. One is enriched by a Pavé of white diamonds, The other lights up the fascinating darkness of the precious black diamonds. Black and white, extroverted and introverted, light and darkness, can coexist and live in the same ring, reaching the essence of Beauty.

Nodo, 18 ct. white gold, princess cut diamonds. Nodo(Knot), symbol of connection and strength, in this creation it is enriched by the diamond. The light penetrates into the stone through the open corners, making every gesture illuminate. The forms are linear and harmonic, the square section of the stone is found all along the golden path, and go back again, leading to a smaller stone that seals the bond.

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Goccia, 18 ct. white gold, pear shaped diamond Inspired by water, a valuable and vital element. Goccia(Drop) expresses in full, the simplicity and essence of beauty. An actual design re-evoking one of the past. The shape of the diamond center that has always been preferred on pendants, is arranged asymmetrically with respect to the hand. To enrich with light the center pear, the Pavè of diamonds prepared to an art form to emphasize the ring with light. The surfaces of the ring are uniform, and the drop seems to glide along the walls to then reappear onto the smaller opposite side.

Abbraccio, 18 ct. white gold, ruby and diamond Pavè This precious ring is inspired by the memory of Italian folk tradition, to give young children the ring from the shape of a snake whose eye was simulated by a ruby. Revisited in a modern way, keeping unchanged the twinkling of those ancient gestures, the ruby appears bright and shiny. An open circular shape, enriched by a Pavé of diamond, highlights points of light that appear like falling stars along the edge of the ring.

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Luci, 18 ct. white gold, pavé of diamonds A harmonious and elegant design is featured in the earrings Luci(Lights). Two cylinders, one illuminated by a polished surface, the other enriched by sparkling Pavé of diamonds, accompanying the sinuous and sensual movements of a woman.

Intreccio, 18 ct. white gold, brilliant cut diamond A wrap-around design that frees the precious stone from any constraint. The large surface on which it rests emphasizes its brilliance making it the unique protagonist. A dynamic shape based on the technical and functional design, a determined line connecting the wearer to the essence of beauty.

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Clip, 18 ct. white gold, princess cut diamond Clip is inspired by the style and the elegance of high class. Recalling in the shape the cuff of a shirt, synonym of elegance, and the way in which the button matches the two flaps of fabric. The diamond is the button that holds together the two parts that remain on two different levels, and wrap the finger on which the jewel is laying.

Padaung, white gold 18 ct and brilliant cut diamonds (approx. 1.75 ct.) Inspired by the tribe Padaung and to the custom of its women to enrich the neck of rings from the most tender age to lengthen it, it is one of the 13 jewels of the first collection of Francesca Furzi. With the ring Padaung the designer expresses a full research of the essence of beauty that characterizes the collection. Just like the face of the women of this tribe Padaung, in this creation the diamond, approx. 1.75 ct. appears almost suspended on the rings that rise upward in a surge of eternal emotions.

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Via Massena 3 10128, Turin

ITALY Tel: +39 011 3249434 Mob: +39 328 8987782

site: www.francescafurzi.com email info@francescafurzi.com