Inside Damiani, Italy’s Family Jewellery House

Valenza is a small town in Piedmont with a very particular reputation. It is Italy’s city of goldsmiths, and it is where Enrico Grassi Damiani opened his workshop in 1924. A century later the house is still a family business, now in its third generation.

Damiani jewellery is made for real life. The designs are elegant enough for an evening and simple enough to wear on a Tuesday, which is perhaps why so many pieces are bought to be worn rather than kept in a safe.

A Century In Valenza

Enrico Grassi Damiani founded the house and designed its first signature pieces. His son Damiano gave Damiani the modern style it is known for, and today the third generation of the family leads the company. The headquarters still stand in Valenza, on a square named after Damiano Grassi Damiani.

What has not changed is how the pieces are made. Damiani describes its jewels as entirely handmade by the master goldsmiths of Valenza, and the town matters here. It has trained goldsmiths for generations, and many of the techniques used in the workshop are passed from one craftsman to the next rather than learned from a book.

The materials are classic fine jewellery. Gold in white, yellow and pink, platinum for many bridal rings, diamonds above all, and coloured stones such as emeralds, rubies and sapphires. Damiani talks about three generations of passion for jewellery meeting a team of designers and craftsmen who still work under one roof.

Eighteen Awards

The Diamonds International Awards were often called the Oscars of jewellery. Damiani won its first in 1976 with the Shark bracelet and went on to collect 18 of them, a record no other house holds. For a family company from a small Italian town, it is the clearest proof that the work stands up next to the biggest names in the world.

Truly unique jewels, entirely handmade by the master goldsmiths of Valenza.

The Cross Everyone Asks About

The founder was fascinated by the Belle Epoque, the years when cinema was born. The Belle Epoque collection borrows its shapes from the frames of a film strip, small circles and rectangles of gold set with diamonds, sapphires, rubies or emeralds.

The cross is the piece people recognise. It is built from two interlocking elements, so the light moves between them as you wear it. A tiny letter D hangs on the chain beside it. It is worn by women and men, on its own or layered with other chains.

Damiani Belle Epoque Cross3,940 EURShop now

The cross comes in several sizes and in white, yellow and pink gold. Our article on the Belle Epoque cross compares every size side by side.

Flowers, Twice

Two collections are built around flowers, one from each of the first two generations. Mimosa was designed by Damiano Grassi Damiani as a tribute to women, with the mimosa as an emblem of feminine strength. The stones are set in what the house calls apparent chaos, clusters of different sizes that give each ring a soft, three dimensional sparkle.

Damiani Mimosa Ring2,690 EURShop now

The same setting also appears on the wrist. The Mimosa watch has a 32 mm case in 18K gold surrounding the dial, set with 59 brilliant cut diamonds totalling 3.32 carats, each placed by hand by the goldsmiths of Valenza.

Margherita goes back to the founder himself. Enrico Grassi Damiani designed a jewel for Queen Margherita of Savoy, and the daisy has stayed with the house ever since. Each flower has a centre of a diamond or a coloured stone, surrounded by petals set with gems.

Damiani Margherita Ring1,680 EURShop now

The Modern Side

D.Icon brings ceramic together with gold and diamonds. It comes in white, black and a warm cappuccino ceramic, usually with pink gold, and the clean shapes make it the easiest Damiani to wear with a watch or with other rings.

Damiani D.Icon Ring1,690 EURShop now

Veramore gathers the house engagement and wedding jewellery, from solitaires and eternity rings to wedding bands and tennis bracelets. Depending on the model, a diamond is set inside the band or on the outside, a small detail that makes the ring personal.

Damiani Veramore RingFrom 1,160 EURShop now

D.Side is the most affordable way into the house. Its best known ring was created by the goldsmiths of Valenza together with Brad Pitt, two concentric circles joined by diamonds.

The Collections At A Glance

LUX-A-PORTER prices in EUR, checked on 21 October 2026.

Indicative prices in EUR as of October 2026. Live prices vary with size, gold colour and stones, and each product page always shows the current price.

Sizes

Damiani rings are made in Italian sizes. On our site each ring shows the EU size with the US size next to it, so you can choose without a conversion table. If you are not sure, our Damiani ring size guide explains how to measure your finger at home. Crosses and necklaces come on chains of a fixed length, given on each product page.

How To Wear It

Damiani pieces are designed to work together. A Belle Epoque cross sits well on a second, shorter chain, and a Mimosa ring looks natural next to a plain wedding band. D.Icon is the one to mix with steel or ceramic watches, because the ceramic picks up the colour of the strap. If you are building a set, keep to one gold colour and let a single piece carry the stones.

How To Choose

For a first piece, the Belle Epoque cross or a Mimosa ring are the most popular choices. Both show what Damiani does best, diamonds in a design you will recognise. If you want something for every day, a D.Icon ring is the simplest option. For a proposal, start with Veramore.

Read also the Mimosa collection explained.