2020 was the annus horribilis of the enlarged fashion system, which also includes jewelry. Some “sub-branches”, primarily that of clothing, have suffered more than others, as is also shown by the extension of the block on layoffs to 31 October decided by the government for textiles-fashion-footwear.
For jewelry, however, the first months of 2021 gave some positive signals, confirmed by the picture of the Valenza district made last April by Romina Galleri, economist of the Studies and Research Department of Intesa-Sanpaolo. A cautious optimism for the entire Italian goldsmith sector confirmed by Giorgio Villa, president of the Goldsmiths’ Club, who in May presented the update of the quantitative summary of the Italian goldsmith sector, a joint report resulting from collaboration with Intesa analysts and economists -Sanpaolo and curated in particular by Stefania Trenti, who recalled that in 2020 “the long growth phase of the Italian goldsmith sector, which had led in 2019 to reach levels 63% higher than in 2010”.
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«We have certainly gone through an unprecedented crisis, but as a Club – explained Villa, elected president in April for the three-year period 2021-2024 -. We think and we will commit ourselves so that 2021 can truly be a year of change of course, of a return to normality and growth, albeit contained “.
But let’s come to Valenza: “Although the 2020 economic situation was particularly negative for this goldsmith district – explains Romina Galleri – the quality of the production fabric and the good degree of capitalization acquired over time and the investments in training and human capital reassure that the difficulties can be overcome ». In Italy there are three goldsmith poles, headquarters of as many districts: Arezzo (Tuscany), Vicenza (where the important trade fair VicenzaOro returns from today to Tuesday 14) and, indeed, Valenza. In these three provinces are concentrated 31.5% of the companies and 55% of the Italian workers involved in the manufacture of jewelery, costume jewelery and precious stone processing.
The province of Alessandria, according to the Intesa-Sanpaolo report, employs 5,494 employees (equal to 17.5% of the total Italy) and 802 companies operate in the area (representing 10% of the Italian total). The municipality that gives the district its name is also its heart: the largest number of employees are concentrated there (4,963 to be exact, equal to 90% of the employees in the province of Alessandria) and most of the companies (693, equal to 86% of the total). “Valenza, compared to Arezzo and Vicenza, has traditionally focused on high-end jewelery, thanks to the presence of numerous highly specialized artisan companies”, recalls the economist of the Intesa-Sanpaolo Studies and Research Department.