Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Embedded with diamonds, colored sapphires and other precious gems, the Italian designer Francesca Villa ‘s 18-karat gold jewels are enlivened by intriguing artifacts such as miniature antique toy figurines, 19 th century carved glass buttons and reverse intaglio carvings sourced in antique shops, flea markets and elsewhere. “Francesca Villa’s collectors and I all love her storytelling as much as the way her jewels breathe new life into small, exquisite found objects from different eras and cultures,” says Valery Demure, founder of the online jewelry site Objetdemotion and the Marylebone, London gallery of the same name, both of which showcase Villa’s jewels. “I find her concepts truly poignant and they embody impeccable craftsmanship.” In the narrative of jewelry history, Villa’s one-of-a-kind and limited edition creations arise from a cosmopolitan, bohemian vein that’s reminiscent of the one mined by 20th century Sicilian jeweler Fulco di Verdura. Juxtaposing compelling gem materials with emotionally impactful yet prosaic objects like antique chess pieces, miniature paintings and seashells, Verdura excelled at glorifying repurposed elements in his luxurious adornments. In Villa’s view, however, she designs jewels that contain repurposed materials from throughout history “that echo the heartbeat of other people’s lives…