First look: Alighieri’s jewellery for book lovers

jewellery on beach — (Image credit: Alighieri)

With Alighieri born out of a tribute to books, and to Dante’s Inferno particularly, it is only fitting that founder Rosh Mahtani has come full circle when marking the jewellery brand’s tenth anniversary.

‘When I started Alighieri, I always wanted to create imperfect objects and talismans that were timeless: I wanted them to be rooted in poetry and to celebrate the beauty of human imperfection,’ says Mahtani of returning to her literary inspirations. ‘I would say that I’ve stayed close to this founding ethos; ten years in, the textures and stories have remained with us.’

silver pencil holder on chain, resting on book

To mark the anniversary, Mahtani is unveiling the Alighieri Bookworm jewellery collection, a tribute to the talismanic nature of objects to do with reading. Textured bookmarks in sterling silver, pencil holder necklaces on swaying chains and magnifying glasses cradled in molten gold are given Alighieri’s signature, romantic spin.

‘This collection is one of my favourites to date, it really makes me smile,’ Mahtani adds. ‘I wanted the Bookworm to celebrate the magic of reading, of playing, of taking joy in the rituals of annotating with a little red pencil, or marking the page of your novel with a beautiful talismanic bookmark. It really does embody our key design codes: unlocking stories and narratives through objects.’

In a joyful juxtaposition of design, the jewellery pieces are also functional in their own right: ‘For instance, the Annotator Necklace is a sterling silver pencil holder, with a tiny red carpenter’s pencil, hidden inside. I wear mine as a talismanic necklace, but also genuinely often take the little pencil out to make notes as I’m travelling. It feels like a really special secret. Meanwhile, the Poet’s Lens Necklace is a magnifying glass, set in our signature molten gold, and the Crustacean Bookmark looks like a medallion but also functions as a bookmark. I wanted each piece to be a subtle nod to literature, an ode. The inner child in me also loves the idea of objects having secrets!’

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Alighieri is also available at farfetch.com

Items from Bookworm Jewellery collection

Hannah Silver is a writer and editor with over 20 years of experience in journalism, spanning national newspapers and independent magazines. Currently Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*, she has overseen offbeat art trends and conducted in-depth profiles for print and digital, as well as writing and commissioning extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury since joining in 2019.