Silvia Furmanovich

Biography
Silvia Furmanovich
Since launching her brand over 20 years ago, Silvia Furmanovich has become one of the most visionary artists working in fine jewelry today. The designer was born in São Paulo, Brazil, to a line of Italian goldsmiths. Her great-grandfather created sacred adornments for the Vatican and her father worked as a goldsmith. “He taught me the importance of craftsmanship,” she says. “I learned to pay attention to every hinge and every clasp.” She established an appointment-only jewelry business in 1998 and opened her first standalone boutique in São Paulo in 2009. Furmanovich’s daring designs combine her meticulous attention to detail with her wide-ranging passions for innovative craftsmanship, the natural world, ancient cultures and unusual materials. And while her lifelong love of travel has informed many of her collections, her interpretation of those cultures — from Egypt to Japan — is rarely straightforward. Employing a unique alchemy of found artifacts, traditional techniques and materials both humble and precious, the designer creates wearable art that feels timeless and one-of-a-kind. Among the unusual elements she has used in her collections are wood marquetry, ebony, oxidized copper, vintage lacquer, shells, woven bamboo and netsukes (small sculptural adornments worn on kimonos); these are balanced by the rich opulence of 18k yellow gold, 18k rose gold, diamonds and the dazzling colored gemstones for which Brazil is known.
 
Furmanovich has designed special collections in collaboration with key cultural institutions around the world. In 2022, at the invitation of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and designer Madeline Weinrib, Furmanovich designed a series of jewelry pieces for The Heirloom Project, which celebrated the 10th anniversary of The Met’s reimagined Islamic Wing by seeking engagement with global craftspeople who pursue ancient techniques and design principles. More recently, Furmanovich collaborated with The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston as an extension of The Heirloom Project.
Works