Davide
Bigazzi’s handcrafted jewelry and hollowware are a blend of contemporary
artistry and old world craftsmanship that echoes back to his native Florence,
Italy. Capturing the intrinsic beauty and sculptural qualities of precious
metals has been his lifelong passion.
Davide is renowned for his mastery of chasing and repoussè, the ancient art of shaping and embellishing metal with raised bas-relief designs. From a young age, he apprenticed under one of the last remaining Italian masters of this highly expressive art form.
Davide’s earliest memories include observing neighborhood artisans in their “botteghe” (workshops) near the river Arno. His intrigue with metal was recognized early by the renowned Florentine sculptor and jeweler, Bino Bini, and at the age of fourteen Davide became his apprentice. For five years he painstakingly perfected his craftsmanship while aiding in commissions for the Vatican, national banks, churches, etc. At the age of nineteen, Davide began to pursue his own career, first as a bench jeweler, then as designer, model maker, and production supervisor for commercial manufacturers.
He quickly became a sought-after freelance designer and model maker, creating collections for fine silver manufacturers throughout Italy and commissioned jewelry prototypes for Italian fashion houses. In 1995, Davide received the International Artisans Award given during the international exhibition Mostra Internazionale dell’ Artigianato. The honor spurred him to quit his design career and return to handcrafting one piece at a time.
In 1997 Davide and his American wife, Elisa, joined forces to establish a studio near Florence. With an ever-increasing number of patrons in the U.S., they moved their business to California in 2003 and a few years later opened Davide Bigazzi Studio and Gallery in Menlo Park, California. Davide currently exhibits in art shows and fine galleries throughout the country and abroad, and teaches chasing and repousse' in the U.S. and Italy.