Joining the company in 1995 as a seventh generation jeweler, Massimo Gismond bears the responsibility of shepherding tradition into the future. He pays homage to his past through continuously retracing and rediscovering the ancient wisdom of master goldsmiths of Valenza Po, while also being mindful of the lifestyle of today’s contemporary jewelry enthusiast.

Massimo’s exacting standards required his artisans to turn to their grandparents or parents in order to re-discover techniques that had fallen out of use in lieu of more efficient means of production. While more expensive to execute due to the time and expertise necessary for their employment, these methods allow artisans to set diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies with gold thread so thin that it’s almost invisible. The resulting effect is one of stones that seem to float in the air.

The creation of each piece of Gismondi 1754 jewelry is a consequence of a symbiotic understanding between Massimo and his artisans. Under his stewardship, he encourages his team to demonstrate sensitivity and creativity, establishing asymmetrical symmetries, and placement and setting of unexpected stones. “In one of my jewels, the stones must not give the idea of being symmetrically arranged,” he explains. “What are the things that you never tire of looking at? The fire in the fireplace and the sea, because they never stand still and always have new, unexpected shapes; this is how my jewels must be!”

Massimo’s love for the colors, vegetation and looming mountains of his native Ligurian Riviera is evident throughout his expansive collections. Inspired by these natural surroundings and filtered by family stories of travel to the East, small memories and gestures of love are a driving force for his creativity. Along with his wife, Stefania Gismondi, who serves as head of marketing and communications, Massimo considers all of the employees of the brand part of a family that showcases mutual respect and admiration and a shared passion for their work.