Panetta Jewelry (1945-1995)
Benedetto Panetta was born in Naples, where he studied the art of crafting precious metals. Young Panetta abandoned his modest jewelry shop in Naples in 1901 to immigrate to the USA.
He was initially hired as a designer at Trifari and in 1930 when Trifari moved from New York to Providence he moved on to work for Pennino Brothers, another renowned jewelry manufacturer. In 1945 he established his own company together with his sons Amadeo and Armand.
From the start, Panetta’s goal was to eliminate the line between precious and costume jewelry. Creations with exquisite details were made using sterling silver, silver and gold plating, high-quality rhinestones, crystals and pearls. His distinctive creations featured jewelry with enamel pave settings and other elaborate settings using the best materials.
After Benedetto died in 1960 his sons continued the family business until the early 1990s when the company was sold to one of their best Japanese customers who closed the business in 1995.
