text Virginia Mammoli
Penko's Florentine Haute Horlogerie
Riccardo Penko tells us about all the techniques of the trade learnt from his father and how the collaboration for the big screen came about
From your studies between Florence and Arezzo to the apprenticeship in your father Paolo Penko’s workshop... Could you share your favourite techniques with us?
All the classic techniques of Florentine goldsmithing: openwork, engraving, cuttlefish bone casting, and lost-wax casting. But what truly sets our craft apart is the ‘Penkato’, a technique invented by my father, that combines engraving and chiselling, resulting in an extraordinarily luminous effect.
What are the greatest sources of inspiration in your city?
I don’t think there’s a detail in a museum or palace in Florence that we haven’t drawn inspiration from and reinterpreted.
Wearable masterpieces and collector’s items. Where can they be admired in Florence, beyond your two ateliers?
Occasionally, our jewellery is showcased in prestigious museums. For instance, the Vasari necklace is currently part of the exhibition La Sala Grande: Giorgio Vasari per Cosimo I de’ Medici, on view until March 9 at Palazzo Vecchio.
Paolo Penko’s creations have found their way to the big screen. How did the collaboration for Conclave come to life?
My father is considered one of the greatest master goldsmiths in the field of sacred art. That’s why Ilaria Marmugi, assistant to costume designer Lisy Christl, brought her to our workshop. We crafted over 500 pieces. Among these, the cardinal’s crosses stand out, each one personalised to reflect the character’s country of origin and personality - more ornate for a conservative, simpler and more modest for a progressive. Ralph Fiennes was deeply involved in the creative process for his cross, which he later asked to keep after filming.
What piece best embodies the spirit of Florence?
As a jewel, the Florentine florin; but also the crown of Cosimo I, one of the most iconic figures in our history.
