NARDI. "Moreto Veneziano" Brooch

NARDI.
Brooch by the prestigious Italian firm Nardi, crafted in 18k yellow gold, featuring a face carved from ebony, round-cut emeralds, and cultured pearls.
Signed “NARDI” on the reverse.
Weight: 26 grams.
Measurements: 5.8 x 4.2 cm

It depicts an Oriental-inspired male bust, part of the iconic Moretti Veneziani collection from the Venetian house. The figure wears an elaborately carved turban, enhanced with braided gold accents and crowned by a crescent moon featuring a star set with an emerald. The headdress also incorporates a dark faceted garnet, possibly of the pyrope or almandine variety. The attire features a rich geometric composition of worked gold and emeralds, complemented by white pearls that add luminosity and color contrast. Hinged earrings with pearls and a double-prong clasp on the back.

The Moretti Veneziani collection is one of the most recognizable creations of Nardi Jewelry, a firm established in Venice during the 1920s. Inspired by the city’s artistic and ornamental tradition, these figures reinterpret the historical Venetian imagination through a unique combination of stone carving and precious materials, artisanal goldsmithing, and colored gemstones.