Lucca Preziosa Young Jewelry Winners

Eight young goldsmith and jewelry artists were selected to show their work in the 2009 "Lucca Preziosa" exhibit. Lucca Preziosa is a project designed by "Le Arti Orafe," one of Italy's most prestigious jewelry schools, to highlight what's new in contemporary jewelry made by young artists. Winners were selected by an international jury. Here are a couple of my favorite pieces from among the winners. Sharon Massey's Bursting Brooch (left) made of steel, cotton muslin, silver, 14k gold, and freshwater pearls looks like it's a bouquet of flowers for a bride. The smooth, pipe-like Maneater Brooch, by Daniel DiCaprio, is made of dyed lemonwood with textured gold. The show is taking place at the Villa Bottini in Lucca, Italy from April 24, 2009 - May 17, 2009.