The association of jewelry companies is closing its doors.
Goodbye, the Goldsmiths’ Club. The association has decided to dissolve after 46 years of service to the industry. The somewhat surprising decision was made unanimously by the board of directors and ratified by the extraordinary members’ meeting, following a discussion begun in the final months of 2025. The reasons for the decision are summarized in a press release: “The closure of the Club reflects a profound transformation that has affected the entire sector. Italy remains the leading exporter of gold jewelry in the European Union, with a share of over 50% of the total and an average annual growth in exports of 19% between 2019 and 2024, significantly higher than that of all its competitors. Yet this same growth has occurred in a context of progressive concentration: many of the companies that have always animated the Club have been acquired by large international groups, and it is complex for managerial and non-entrepreneurial figures to hold positions in an independent association. The pool of independent entrepreneurs willing to invest their time in associations has dwindled. The governance of an association of this type requires a personal presence that the current context no longer makes accessible.
In 45 years of activity, the Club degli Orafi Italia has succeeded in being a clear and independent voice in the sector. It has created
knowledge, facilitated meetings, and increasingly brought the Italian point of view to international forums with
authoritativeness. We close with regret but also with the pride of those who know they have done their job well until the end.
Maria Cristina Squarcialupi, President of the Goldsmiths’ Club
Founded in 1980, the Club has brought together key players in the Italian goldsmith industry for over four decades, contributing to research, corporate culture, and the international promotion of Italian jewelry. The association has brought together top-notch brands, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, international organizations, and the specialized press, in the belief that dialogue among all stakeholders in the supply chain is a necessary condition for generating collective intelligence. Its mission has developed along four axes: research, training, information, and networking. In each of these areas, the Club has generated tangible and lasting value.
Among the Club’s most significant contributions is its multi-year collaboration with the Intesa Sanpaolo Research Center for economic analysis of the Italian goldsmith sector: a biannual meeting that has grown in scope over the past few years and has become an essential reference for anyone working in the sector. In recent years, the Club has expanded its activities: from networking meetings during VicenzaOro to event management during trade fairs, including institutional participation abroad, from in-depth conferences on the sociological aspects of retail to visits to prestigious institutions such as the one to the Bulgari factory in Valenza, and even initiatives in preparation with ICE for events at Italian embassies abroad, activities subsequently interrupted due to the decision to dissolve
