Commonly asked Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions - Orsini Showroom

Q. Where is your showroom?
A. My showroom is situated at 241 Parnell Rd, Auckland. This is in the middle of the shopping area, 1/2 way down on the L hand side. Several doors down from Non-solo Pizza (NSP), a well known Italian bar & restaurant. A couple of doors down from Sanderson's gallery.

Q. Do you operate within retail hours?
A. Yes, although I am happy to book private viewings. This ensures we do not get interrupted and you have personalised attention. The hours are 10.30-5pm most days except Sunday & I close earlier on a Saturday. Refer to the services page to see the detailed opening hours.

Q. Do you offer private viewings?
A. Yes, The advantage of this is that I can give personalised attention to each customer.

Q. If I make an appointment am I obliged to buy something?
A. Absolutely not.

Q. Is parking available?
A. If there is usually pay & display parking available on the street outside the store. Alternatively there is parking available in the public parking area just opposite the shop.

Q. Is it OK to just turn up without an appointment?
A. Yes, Just be aware that I may be out or busy with other clients so please phone first if you are making a special trip.

Q. Do you offer lay by?
A. Yes I do. I offer a 3 month lay by period.

Q. Do you offer duty Free?
A. Yes I do. To qualify you need to be planning to fly out of New Zealand in the next little while. This is a great saving as it means you do not pay GST. Please note that you need to purchase the item/s at least a few days before flying out so that Sarah can arrange for the jewellery to be available for pick up at the 'Collection Point' located at the Auckland International Airport.

Q. How can I pay?
A. By cash, EFTPOS, or credit card (AMEX, Mastercard, Visa).

Q. How can I find out when new stock is due to arrive?
A. Simply fill in the contact form on the website and you will be added to my customer database and you will receive a regular newsletter/ invitation to launch events.

Q. Do you have any antique jewellery?
A. No, all my pieces are new or contemporary jewellery pieces, generally from Italy.

Q. How often do you receive new stock?
A. Regularly, as I am often ordering in special requests for clients. However I do plan to order new ranges after attending the European jewellery trade fairs.

Q. If I am looking for a specific item can you source this item for me?
A. Yes, I do source for clients. All you need to do is be specific about what you are looking for and let me know and I will do my best to find it for you. The Pianegonda range of jewellery is quite extensive and I have catalogues with the full range that is available. I have had feedback from customers who have visited Pianegonda stores in Europe that they do not stock the same Pianegonda pieces and vice-versa.

Q. Will you hold a piece of jewellery if I am still uncertain?
A. Yes, I am happy to hold a piece of jewellery in my safe for a few days if you are still making up your mind. There is nothing worse than popping back a few days later and finding that the item has been sold. All the Pianegonda stores are unique so it may be impossible to find exactly the same piece. There is also no other supplier of Pianegonda, Marco Bicego and Hulchi Belluni in New Zealand.

Frequently asked Questions - Pianegonda Jewellery

Q.What type of jewellery does Pianegonda create?
Pianegonda jewels in gold and silver are for men and women who express their true self, with passion, personality, style, character, emotion and sensuality; The House's symbol, a lovesick heart, pays tribute to this passion. A candid heart, curved but sharp-edged, emblematic of life's two-faceted nature - sentiment and rationality. A heart encompassing the most authentic part of man, his spirit.
'Very me' jewels for 'very me' men and women.
Franco Pianegonda

Q. Who is Franco Pianegonda?
Since 1994 Franco Pianegonda has been the leader, centre and creative mind of a company that is radically changing the ground rules of the world of luxury and jewels. His capacity to observe and understand the signals emanating from the world of design, fashion, art, contemporary life, as well as from the interactions between highly diverse ideas and sectors, informs his style. Thanks to this creative flair the different nature of materials are exalted and combined to reveal their noblest and precious essence.

Q. What type of silver is used by Pianegonda?
Pianegonda uses exclusively 925%, nickel-free silver, in compliance with directive 94/27/EC and guarantees that its jewels are completely anallergic. The silver is galvanised with silvering and rhodium plating processes. On account of its softness silver is more prone to scratching and the effects of wear and tear than other metals. However, rather than comprising its beauty and value this feature means that silver accretes personality and soul as it chronicles the life history of its owner. Every Pianegonda Jewel is unique: exclusiveness is the product of the precious materials used and the craftsmanship deployed in its fabrication.

Q. What type of gold is used by Pianegonda?
Pianegonda makes exclusive use of 18kt gold. The handcrafted work embodied in Pianegonda branded gold jewellery is a guarantee of high quality. Each jewel is unique because the most important phases in its fabrication are performed by hand. This is the real value-added work that breathes life into each Pianegonda jewel and makes it special. The highest tradition of Made-in Italy jewellery is now represented by a contemporary gold-fashion.

Q. What type of gems are used by Pianegonda?
Pianegonda will use only natural stones, whose preciousness is exalted by the vividness, brilliance and mutability of their colours. Every one of the stones used, being natural, are unique and inimitable, while the purity of the materials and the choice of colours highlight their quality. Pianegonda only uses rough stones from war-free areas; further proof of the values embraced by the House Pianegonda. Fabrication and cutting, exclusively performed by hand, are a tribute to the Italian tradition of arts and crafts and recognition of outstanding quality.

Q. If a stone was to be replaced, why is it not possible to always have the same stones, in terms of colour, inclusions in the stone or dimensions?
Every stone in the pianegonda collection is as natural as it is unique, rare and one-of-a-kind. Two of the same tonalities in the rings are impossible to find for the sheer reason that they do not exist in nature. The same is true for the rutilated stones, as two of the same do not exist in nature. Again because of the nature of the stones and the artisan workmanship of the cutting of the stones, it is impossible to find two of the same sized stones. For this reason Pianegonda jewellery remains as unique in design as in the materials used to create these pieces.

Q. What types of Diamonds are used by Pianegonda?
Pianegonda's diamonds are, without exception, perfectly proportioned, premium and top quality, that satisfy the 4C evaluation criteria; carat, clarity, colour and cut. By insisting upon VVS-VS clarity, G-H colour and excellent cut, each diamond is exceptionally beautiful and unique. Moreover the diamonds are ethically mined in compliance with directives 1173, 1176 and 1306 of the UN security council.

Q. How should I care for my Pianegonda jewellery?
Pianegonda jewels will retain their beauty and lustre if handled appropriately and the owner observes a few simple rules.
Jewels should not come in contact with perfumes, creams, soaps, cosmetics, hair lacquer, chemicals and bleach as they can cause discolouring and even disintegration. Furthermore, guard against high temperatures, which can also damage jewels. Silver quickly blackens if it comes into contact with salted water, spa waters or sulphur-based products (eg. rubber gloves). Avoid using ultrasound cleaning equipment which can be damaging for gems. We advise you to clean jewellery using a soft humid cloth. Do not use any commercial cleaning products.
Take care not to knock your jewels and avoid rough surfaces. Hard blows can sometimes cause a diamond to splinter.
We suggest you conserve your jewel in the original Pianegonda casket in which it was sold. If returned with care to the casket, you will protect the jewel's surfaces.

Please note that the Pianegonda jewellery is a leading brand of jewellery in the Orsini store. Please note that there are other brands of jewellery available at Orsini that may not have the same product information as detailed above.