Then you grow up and you go through a phase of denial: no jewels, no frills, you kind of lose interest in them. But then, you push through these years – known as getting old! – and the love for those jewels being hidden in the drawers, stored in ivory or red velvet jewel boxes, comes back.

The iconography is seen throughout the Sicilian treasures and also reveals a time before they were accessories they also contained an atmosphere.

Sitting on a stool, in front of a Baroque vanity table in a Sicilian bedroom, between a mother-of-pearl hairbrush and perfumes that haven’t contained any essence for a long time, it’s fascinating to play “lady” wearing a ring or earrings from years past and realising they are in fact so modern, and that a little black dress and a 50’s necklace give you an ageless elegance.

The little votive medals we use are handed down from one generation to another: my favorite one in yellow gold has the face of an angel hand printed on the front. But I also love to wear the triple stiff chain in satin-finished gold, held together by two rubies that turn into small flowers.

The floral pattern is also to be found in the oval drop earrings, with a turquoise stone surrounded by red gold, also hand printed: these have been passed down though my family for over 100 years, an heirloom if you will. 

The future of elegance is passed through tradition and I intend to keep this attitude of share and care integral to the way I treat jewellery as years pass.