De Simone Fratelli is a family business established in 1855 in Torre del Greco, on the slopes of Vesuvius, which has distinguished itself from the very beginning for its mastery in the selection and manufacture of top-quality natural raw materials such as coral, pearls, and gemstones and in the production of cameos and gold and platinum jewelry. Today, the brothers Fiammetta, Michele, and Massimo are at the head of the company and carry on the distinctive values of Made in Italy craftsmanship, quality, refinement, and elegance.
Resilience is one of the values of De Simone family: “Since 1855 – says Fiammetta De Simone – we have always been a united and solid family in the face of challenges. My brothers Massimo and Michele and I have been lucky enough to inherit the values of dedication, passion and resilience, and these values represent our greatest strength today. When we fail, we support each other; vice versa, we share each success with even greater joy. In this emerges the importance of the family.”
De Simone Fratelli represents an experience of exclusivity and beauty that from Torre del Greco spreads throughout Italy and then to the world. De Simone brothers are tireless travelers. This characteristic is inherent in the family’s DNA: in the early 20th century the company was among the first to be present in the United States in New York, then in Japan and Europe. “Our archive is full of travel stories – says Michele De Simone – and our work constantly takes us around the world to tell the story of our creations, meeting customers and communicating in person the values of our product, which represents a niche of excellence. However, over the years we have never lost sight of the strong link with the territory. It is our land and our tradition that make our company unique. Coral is a product linked to Italy and in particular to Torre del Greco, and this is a fundamental aspect of our identity. We believe that Italian excellence is built on territorial excellence.”
And the area of Torre del Greco with its beauty also influences the creative process behind each piece of jewelry. “We are surrounded by beauty – says Michele – from Vesuvius to the islands and the Amalfi coast. Coral and the colors of the sea are a source of inspiration for us and are reflected in our collections, which express sunshine, brilliance and elegance. We were lucky enough to grow up immersed in history and culture.” “From our territory – adds Fiammetta – also derives our open-mind: on one side, Torre del Greco looks at the sea, on the other it looks at the volcano. Two different landscapes that come together for a vision of beauty that is unique in the world.”
De Simone Fratelli is recognised worldwide as excellence. But what does “excellence” mean? “Excellence for us – explains Fiammetta – is culture, and differs from luxury, which is just homologation. Moreover, excellence is exclusivity. In this, craftsmanship plays a fundamental role, as well as nature, as the availability of excellent raw materials depends on nature. One of the distinctive values of De Simone Fratelli is craftsmanship. “Our craftsmen are great masters of art, and they bring immense value to the company by proposing new ideas, technical and stylistic solutions. Many of them have seen us grow, they are part of our family. Fortunately, today society is leaving behind the mentality whereby the figure of the craftsman is considered less noble than that of a university graduate or entrepreneur, and we are witnessing a return to the celebration of craftsmanship excellence.”
The company, one of the oldest in Torre del Greco, has a bright future ahead of it, with many purposes and projects. “We want to continue to combine innovation and tradition – says Michele – always creating excellent products with the same passion and emotion, which do not follow the market but our vision of beauty. I hope that the world will increasingly be able to recognise and appreciate our uniqueness, and that coral jewelry will become part of the excellence production for all jewelers, as it was in the 1920s and 1930s.”
Thinking about the future, Fiammetta then remembers her father Antonio, who recently turned 93. “He still works with great passion today. My wish for me and my brothers is to always keep the same enthusiasm he has when he enters the office. My father is our example: he loves his work and this has led him to never give up. And we, like him, want to keep on looking ahead, always far away.”
