Guido Damiani, emblem of Italian Excellence

Guido Damiani, President of the Damiani Group founded in Valenza in 1924, received the title of Cavaliere del Lavoro from the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, in 2020. This title is in recognition of the results obtained in the world of business, but above all, for the commitment to ethical and social responsibility aimed at improving living and working conditions in Italy. This brand represents the made-in-Italy par excellence and thanks to its strong roots in the territory, designs and produces its own jewels with the care and passion of dedicated craftsmanship. Damiani greatly treasures their artistic and cultural heritage passing it on through their Academy and implementing it through their illuminated ethic and sustainable policies.

Guido Damiani told me Damiani’s story dates back a hundred years: my siblings and I represent the third generation. Let me tell you how everything came about. As a child, I loved going to my father and grandfather’s workshop in Valenza and playing with the gemstones, letting my imagination run wild in the midst of a thousand wonders. It was a magical place for me. That was when I realized that I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps. My love for jewelry was soon to be shared with Silvia and Giorgio, my siblings. Passion is the engine of everything we do; I believe this is the key to our success.

How did you achieve positive results during the Covid 19 pandemic?
In those terrible moments, our first thoughts went to our collaborators: our responsibility was to keep them safe. We encouraged remote working and implementing strict safety measures in the workplace. We also took out a specific Covid insurance policy to support their healthcare costs. Technology has helped us a great deal and will continue to do so. Surely, the pandemic has changed the way we work. We immediately accelerated all digitalization processes. We never stopped working, continuing to provide a very high-level service to our clients. We organized digital events and online presentations and developed our e-commerce platforms. It was a very sad period, but I can say that in two years we simply had to undergo an enormous change and an acceleration that we would normally have managed over a longer period. New beginnings are always positive.

The great relaunch of Calderoni Diamonds. Tell me something about ethical diamonds.

We guarantee the stones and their origin. Our Company has always been synonymous with reliability, credibility and ethics. We offer only the best diamonds regards clarity, colour, cut and carat, certified and carefully chosen by our expert gemologists. Moreover, our suppliers must ensure compliance with the Kimberley Process: an international procedure aimed at ensuring that the profits made from the diamond trade do not contribute to financing violence and civil wars. In addition, Damiani provides a system of guarantees to ensure that sector operators continue to certify, with a declaration of conformity, the origin of the diamonds throughout the supply chain. Damiani is committed to the fight against the exploitation of child labour and pays great attention to the environment by maintaining safe and responsible work practices. We support the development of local communities. It makes me very proud to have been appointed president of the Ethics Committee of Assogemme.

What is your advice to ambitious young people who intend to enter the world of jewelry and become entrepreneurs?

Passion, determination, study and commitment are the keys to entrepreneurial success. Never stop and never give up in the face of difficulties. Some ” Nos ” will prove more valuable in life than a thousand “Yeses”.

What are the future challenges that await you?
The expansion towards key markets, primarily Asia. But above all the possibility to defend and pass on a profession as wonderful as ours. We have taken action in this sense with important training activities such as the Damiani Academy. Activities that allow our goldsmith Masters to hand down the craft to new generations to ensure that an important heritage such as made in Italy is never abandoned but preserved and continuously nourished.