Jewellery quarter
Ponte Vecchio
Florence, Italy
Florence's medieval bridge, given over to goldsmiths and jewellers by a decree of Grand Duke Ferdinando I in 1593. The small shops along it still sell jewellery today.
The Ponte Vecchio, Florence's medieval bridge over the Arno, has been the city's jewellers' street since 1593, when Grand Duke Ferdinando I de' Medici replaced the butchers and tanners on the bridge with goldsmiths and jewellers. A bust of the goldsmith and sculptor Benvenuto Cellini stands in the middle.
What you find
Small jewellery shops along both sides of the bridge, selling gold jewellery, Florentine engraved and textured gold (a local tradition), antique jewellery and watches.
How it works
A retail street, busiest in the middle of the day with visitors. The Vasari Corridor, built for the Medici, runs above the shops.
Tips
- Italian gold is marked with its fineness (for example 750 for 18K) and a maker's mark.
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