Article: Behind the Eterno Collection
Behind the Eterno Collection
"Having neither beginning nor end, the circle has long been, across time and cultures the symbol of original perfection, the symbol of eternity."
This principle dominates my Eterno collection, a window to the past, to the prehistoric settlement of the Greek island of Santorini.
The Round One
It's been said that Santorini emerged from the sea. Its harmonious circular shape undoubtedly inspired Herodotus, the father of history, to call it Strogili, "the round one." Through the ages, the island has also been known as Kalliste, "the beautiful one," and by other names: Filitera, Filotera, Kalavria, Karisti, Tevsia, Thirameni, and Rineia.
Each name marks another era, another way people tried to hold the mystery of the island in a single word.
The Punishment of the Gods
Almost 2,500 years ago, the Greek philosopher Plato wrote about an incredibly wealthy and advanced civilization on an island. Its people, he wrote, had become unethical and greedy. Around 1500 BC, Santorini was ruined by the eruption of Volcano Thera, changing what it once was. It was speculated that this was the divine punishment for its people.
After being abandoned for centuries, Santorini began to rewrite its history, keeping many secrets in the ground until 1967, when one of them was unraveled.
The Discovery of Akrotiri
During excavations near the village of Akrotiri, an ancient Greek city was uncovered on the island. The name of the city still remains a mystery.
It began as a simple village. Because it was positioned on the trade route between Europe and the Middle East, the money flowed in, and it grew into a large and prosperous city. For more than 3,500 years, the ancient Bronze Age community lay hidden, buried beneath hot lava and piles of ash, which preserved the remains, freezing them like a moment in time.
For 3,500 years the city stayed under the earth, untouched, standing still, waiting to be unveiled.
Black Oval Ring
The Collection
Each piece of my Eterno collection is inspired by the beauty of Santorini and its mysteries, meant to last for a lifetime.
The black oval ring holds the shape of the island itself, the round caldera at the heart of the volcano, worn smooth by time and the sea. The black and gold necklace echoes the meeting of light and shadow, sun and stone, sky and earth. Every piece is worked in a two-tone mixed metal jewelry finish, 18k gold with black rhodium, or platinum with black rhodium, drawing the eye to the contrast that defined the island that inspired the collection.
Each piece is hand-knitted in my Florence studio using plekta d'oro, my signature technique, from a single continuous strand of sterling silver wire. It is then plated, carrying Santorini's harmony between the ancient and the eternal.
Explore the Eterno collection here.
