Since 1990, a strong passion for the history of jewelry
About Le Sibille
Like in a Renaissance workshop, LE SIBILLE are the guardians of the ancient Small Roman Mosaic technique.
The small Roman mosaic
Camilla Bronzini, Francesca Neri Serneri and Antonella Perugini share a passion for this ancient goldsmith art.
At the end of the 1500s, the colossal project of recreating the altarpieces in Saint Peter’s Basilica using micro-mosaics took place.
Later, in the mid-1700s, the Vatican Mosaic Studio took advantage of this micro-mosaic process. And with that, mosaic workshops multiplied in the capital city.
Table tops, small boxes, tobacco boxes, brooches, bracelets and necklaces were covered in microscopic, multi-colored tiles to create reproductions of ancient monuments and scenes from everyday life.
Our Creative Process
Le Sibille’s journey to revive the ancient Small Roman Mosaic goldsmith technique by crafting one-of-a-kind handmade jewels.
Those magical, microscopic tiles created with a spinning technique are now found in the one-of-a-kind jewels made by Le Sibille. Both artisans and artists, Le Sibille dedicates a considerable amount of time to each jewel – much like they did in times past. And each tile is placed on an 18K gold base by hand. The mosaics are reproductions of Greek, Roman, early Christian, Byzantine, Renaissance, Baroque, Islamic and Asian art. Along with their micro-mosaic collection, Le Sibille boasts two other collections. The more recent, I Giganti, wich features colored stones, and Lilliput, an original interpretation of modern jewelry.
The micromosaic, formerly known as Small Roman Mosaic, is a technique developed in Rome during the second half of the 18th century. Its designation has been used to mark the distinction between the old technique from the new one where the tesseras, sometimes smaller than 1 millimeter, are created by "threading" the glass paste.
The glass material made up of silica, magnesium oxides, potassium and calcium, melts into an homogeneous paste when reaching the temperature of 900/1000° C. The mixture is then shaped with flat pincers molding the tesseras in different ways (square, rectangular, triangle, round). The spun glass is then placed again over the flame to be threaded. This is how the rods are born, moving on for the cutting with jewelry tongs and finally put in place for the mosaic-making.
Even before 1990, Le Sibille practised and performed this technique bringing it up-to-date, revising the ancient splendor into an innovative and modern touch. The musive patterns move from architectural decorations to three-dimensional motifs as domes, Roman houses, architraves, temples.
Francesca Neri Serneri, the creative and visionary mind of the team, starts envisioning a new jewel by a simple sketch: with only a few pencil strokes she brings to life the goldsmith support, combining the colourful glass tesseras with precious stones. The result is a stunning and unique jewel, which comes from the past of an ancient Roman tradition and ascends to an excellent artisanal experience.
Meet Le sibille
The team behind the jewels
Francesca Neri Serneri
Camilla Bronzini
Antonella Perugini
Welcome to our world
an internationally recognized and constantly evolving excellence
Le Sibille is the result of tireless curiosity and love for art and cultures from all over the world
rome, 1990
United by a strong passion for the history and ancient techniques of jewelry, Camilla Bronzini, Francesca Neri Serneri and Antonella Perugini give life to Le Sibille, a goldsmith workshop of excellence inspired by the ancient Renaissance workshop that brings to light the rare technique of the Small Roman Mosaic or “Micromosaic”, term coined precisely by Le Sibille.
Maison
Le Sibille, Maison of excellence in the production of jewels with Small Roman Mosaic, creates real wearable works of art. Each piece is handcrafted by mosaic masters in Rome, the Eternal City, the birthplace of ancient and contemporary art.
ethical production
Le Sibille craft their jewels taking into great account the environment, the human rights, the energy and quality of the work. Since the beginning, they have been supporting a living standard in balance with universal energies. Art and beauty are seen as basic living needs, as means of transformation and well-being for the whole mankind. Jewels are the quintessential talismans: such power is known since ancient times, when gods gifted human warriors with physical strenght through precious weapons and jewels.
jewels as talismans
Many qualities are attributed to gold: cleansing, creative talent, divine power. The Egyptians, as well as the Babylonians, covered themselves with golden fittings on their journey through life and afterlife, aware of the soul’s immortality. Our jewels share the same principle: they take simple, spiritual, linear shapes to enhance the virtuoso arrangement of micromosaic; they catch the eye with colours and patterns rich in meanings.
handing down beauty
Micromosaic is an effort to preserve beauty from the passing of time. This concept resonates with Le Sibille: their jewels are designed to be eternal and artistically valuable, unaffected by fashion and habits. Perfect to be handed down from one generation of women to another, from mother to daughter, as a symbol of love and longevity.
Le Sibille tells an Italian story of knowledge, culture, beauty all over the world,
through a unique and unmistakable style
a combination of tradition and innovation
If on the one hand the Maison is always looking to the future, on the other it celebrates the tradition of different styles and historical eras, distinguishing itself for the modern reinterpretation of the ancient artisan technique of the Small Roman Mosaic or “Micromosaic”.
The tiles that form the highly refined masterpieces take you back in time to the eighteenth century, to the ingenious intuition of an artisan of that time to save the frescoes of St. Peter in Vatican, which were deteriorating, covering them with the precious pieces of a mosaic.
From Rome to the world
The message of Le Sibille is a hymn to culture and universal love, which unites different eras, religions, cultures and sensibilities. It starts from Rome and is aimed at the whole world, without barriers or borders.
And just as in the past the ancient prophetesses Sibille used to reveal the future to those who listened to their response, every Monday at 6 pm CET Le Sibille share their message with the world through the Instagram channel @lesibille. The appointment is a tribute from the Maison to the community in an atmosphere of union and sharing that includes all generations and represents the essence of Le Sibille.
unity of elements
Through jewels we awaken people, sharing what we knew all along but forgot in the meantime. Beauty is transformation, and when we find it we understand heaven is our present. According to Le Sibille the glass tesseras of micromosaic are a combination of the four elements of life: earth, fire, water, air. The basic elements of human life since ancient times; the foundation of beauty, which nurtures our soul. Each jewel tells countless intertwining stories.
made in italy
When pursuing excellence, it becomes the guiding light for everything Le Sibille do: it takes many hours and days of work to complete a piece. Time is the key to their quest for excellence. Since 1990, Le Sibille have kept evolving, communicating the artistic mastery of Roman handcraft. They are the ambassadors and guardians of this fine and ancient technique, through which they voice worldwide traditions and feelings. Le Sibille strive to increase their investment in research and quality. True to their Roman roots, they stay at the heart of Rome, producing and ensuring, together with their artisans, the excellence of this unique art.
