Explore Temple St. Clair’s Florence-Inspired Jewelry Collection: Top Picks Around the City

Introduction to Temple St. Clair

As a student of Italian art and literature in Florence in the early 1980s, Temple St. Clair did not expect to fall into the world of jewelry making.

Then her mother came to visit, bought an ancient coin as a souvenir, and asked for help finding a local goldsmith to turn it into a piece of jewelry. St. Clair wandered into the Casa dell’Orafo, in Florence’s long-standing goldsmith’s quarter, and found herself mesmerized by the artisans’ craftsmanship. She was hooked — and founded her namesake jewelry line in Florence in 1986. That same year, Barneys New York commissioned its first fine jewelry line from her studio.

Known for her signature rock-crystal amulets and statement cocktail rings, as well as the celestial motifs that appear on many of her pieces, St. Clair still relies on the techniques she learned at the Florence Goldsmith Guild years ago. Her Spring 2022 collection, Florence86, pays homage to the city where it all began.

St. Clair now calls New York City home, but continues to visit Florence regularly. “Every day in Florence is punctuated with something surprising and beautiful,” she says, “whether it’s tasting the recently harvested olive oil that one of my goldsmiths has brought to work or stopping in at a chapel to revisit a favorite painting.”

Interiors, Italian Style

“One of my favorite treasure troves is the showroom of designer and collector Riccardo Barthel, toward the end of Via de Serragli near the Porta Romana. Riccardo works with his wife, Daniela, and their son Francesco. They are constantly on the hunt at flea markets and estate sales across Europe. This is the place to go for furniture, textiles, and ceramic tiles. Barthel also runs Desinare, a cooking school.”

Buon Appetito

“I usually have my morning cappuccino and fresh juice at the aptly named Caffè degli Artigiani, the ‘artisans’ café,’ before starting the day in the studio with my goldsmiths. After work, I might pop back across the river to Cantinetta dei Verrazzano for a slice of focaccia with peas and stracchino, or to Procacci for a glass of Prosecco and a truffle panino.”

Beauty by Hand

“When I was a student I would have my research papers bound by bookmakers in the Oltrarno, across the river from the historic center; for the last decade or so, my favorite has been Il Torchio, which creates special books of my drawings and watercolors. When I need a mirror frame or unusual props to display my jewelry, I go to the woodworkers at Castorina. If you can imagine a shape, pattern, or detail in wood, Marco Castorina can create it with any finish, including decorative marbling and gold leaf.”

“And I often visit the tiny marble workshop Tavoli di Marmo, on Via de’ Barbadori. There, slabs of marble are delicately inlaid with stones like lapis, malachite, jasper, and amethyst. They also make custom tabletops with motifs of birds, fruits, flowers, and sea creatures.”

A version of this story first appeared in the June 2022 issue of iBestTravel under the headline “The Finer Things.”