It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that Marco Mancini and family are presenting this project.
The jewel is the expression of the soul wearer that the artist is only called to interpret.
After great dedication, passion and enthusiasm we are now pleased to share, with satisfaction, the creation of a product which can be an object to admire and notonly for those eyes who contemplate the object but also for the eyes of the wearer appreciating the deep intrinsic meaning of each tiny detail.
LAUDAMUS VETERES, SED NOSTRIS UTEMUR ANNIS
WE PRAISE THE PAST, BUT USE THE PRESENT
Based on this famous quote of Ovid, Master Goldsmith Marco Mancini wants to show the character, strength, beauty, and above all creativity in being sensitive to translate the unreal into the real. Leaving the feeling and the story contained in the artworks intact, managing to transmit its own essence.
Marco’s curiosity is based on a common and constant element as the attention described by Ovid in ‘Metamorphosis’, where the transformation is always described in great detail. Ovid makes extensive use of ‘variety’, that is the continuous transition to very different concepts, with strong stylistic diversity. A continuous narration embedding all the stories in a smooth and harmonious way.
With this concept the ‘Metamorphosis collection’ project follows the challenge and fantasy of universal history in a unique object that becomes pleasure for the harmony and the details contained in the originality of the unreal.
The history of man is told by works he left behind
Marco Manicini
INITIUM SOMNIANDI
THE BIRTH OF A DREAM
The Master Goldsmith, Marco Mancini, approaches the Goldsmiths world and its art for the first time in 1978. That day marked his future, and it was not long after that, when he became known for his technical and artistic skills in the industry. His passion for this art took him on long and endless journeys, to search and discover new techniques and tools, which he could apply to create his unique and valuable jewellery This passion led him also to produce complex and spectacular work, such as; precious crowns, pastoral crosses, shrines and a book dedicated to his hometown, where Master Marco has his roots.
In 2009 Alessandro and in 2012 Sara, Marco’s children decided to follow their father’s footsteps and join the family business, they wanted to be involved in the creation of these works of art. This gave the Master a new force and strength that made him bring his company, which has been operating for the past thirty years, to the next level: the creation of a new brand recognized worldwide and aimed at the world of luxury.
The artist began his career with the name “Marco L’orafo” (Marco the Goldsmith), basing all his work using the initial of his name “M” as his brand. After the creation of his masterpiece “Navalia” he reached his artistic maturity and approached the use of symbolism, to tell the history of the jewels. In 2002, he met with Master Rosmundo Giarletta, who eventually became a close friend rather than a colleague.
Marco describes him as his brother. From here the second evolution created, the name “MARCO gioielli d’Arte”, showing a head of a lion holding a ring in its jaws, (mooring cleat) a faithful reproduction of the sculpture by Master Jacopo Dell’Opera which dates back to 1519.
ROYAL EYEWEAR
METAMORPHOSIS COLLECTION
Four pairs of glasses made in several versions, were presented at the world premiere at Madonna di Campiglio, from the 3rd to 10th of January 2015. They are designed based on historical recognition of the creatures in the mythical Greek pantheon, which had been inspired by two main themes: Navalia and Poseidon by the “Genius Loci”; Medusa and Argo by the “Power of the Gaze”, all tied together by small iconographic clues. The Metamorphosis collection has been accomplished in over a year of research, design and manufacturing.
Five people worked hard for a total of 11.680 hours, by using almost 2kg of 18k noble metal. 2.125 Extremely high quality diamonds were set in 9.000 micro-prongs, for a total of 69,06 ct. The collection will be limited, to only 30 pieces each variant (color and model), giving way to new models, thus making each series more rare and prestigious. This imprints the character of each eyewear, giving it Its very own “soul” transmitted by the artist and making it a fascinating unique custodian of the mystery hidden within it.
“The metamorphosis collection’’ wants also to proudly proclaim that all the models have been wholly produced in Italy: the well-known “MADE IN ITALY” brand.
“Metamorfosi Collection” vuole inoltre segnalare con orgoglio che tutti i modelli sono stati realizzati interamente in Italia, meritando così il noto brand “MADE IN ITALY”.
GRADUS ET PROCESSUS
THE PREPARATION
The main phase was an extensive research on the topic of “ancient Greek mythology”, pillar of the four styles, which inspired the story of each pair of glasses told by the usage of symbols. This marked the character of each pair of glasses giving it ‘soul’, transmitted by the artist, which made it unique, fascinating and a guardian of a mystery hidden in them. Each model is made with three different types of gold 18kt. (White, Yellow and Red).
The diamonds, which were chosen and used, were carefully selected after a long and meticulous choice: they were cut to perfection in order to achieve an extremely high gloss, which included the top three grades of the scale color (D-E-F) and with considerable purity levels (between IF and Vs). A pair of glasses is composed on average from 20 gold parts, divided from one another; obtained thanks to the “lost wax casting”: an ancient technique widely used in jewellery, dating back to The Bronze Age, and which was mastered two thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Chinese.
The finishing steps are very complex and confer to the more compactness and surface gloss of the treated parts. At this point, after carefully polishing comes the joining and the welding of the pieces. This occurs in two-steps in a state of complete cleanliness. First pre-welding by laser the various components of the glasses, then the use of a flame that gives greater resilience and reliability.
Each model enhanced with engravings filled with the “enameling” technique or with wonderful ceramic inserts. The first process consists in the art of combining a glass type material to a metal surface; and then to obtain a perfect contrast between the luster of the metal and the transparency of the enamel. The origin of this technique dates back to the ancient Egyptians, around 2800 BC, and is a particularly attractive means to express artistic creativity.
The high-quality ceramic inserts are entirely shaped by hand, until they are attached perfectly in the cavities previously engraved in the metal, to create a sweet contrast to the beautiful fretwork created on the plate. To customize the templates the presence of a micro-sculpture in the center of the piece also helps in designing the god or the mythological creature in which the eyewear describes the adventure. These sculptures, thanks to the great amount of detail obtained in such a small surface, can capture the observer who is carried away by the charm of mythology. Even acetates, which complete this sublime work, are chosen by Italian eyewear craftsmen to match perfectly with the highest quality of all the precious metal parts.
