Q) jewels, hardstones , watches reparation and custom-made men's clothing Fashion and culture itinerary in Florence

This workshop, founded by Edoardo Pestelli in 1908 boasts a long tradition in crafting and restoring jewels. Pestelli’s workshop turned out unique, antique-style gold and silver items, mosaics, coral, pearl, semiprecious and gemstone jewels that satisfied not only the rising middle class but also the international aristocracy. Edoardo’s two sons followed in his footsteps, then came his grandson, and finally his great-grandson Tommaso who was born in 1969. Tommaso literally grew up with the designs, models, samples, and the extraordinarily beautiful objects in the workshop to go on to study sculpture at the Accademia di Belle Arti and restoration at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure. Today, Tommaso designs and makes the items himself, and is the first member of the family not to use outside craftsmen; the unique pieces that come out of his workshop embody the spirit of the Wunderkammer, the late sixteenth century “room of marvels”. Some of Tommaso’s pieces already have a place in the permanent collection of contemporary jewelry in the Silver Museum in Palazzo Pitti..
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All that remains of the original, eleventh century Vallombrosian church, is the Romanesque façade (visible on the inside of the building) and the crypt. The XVI century façade by Buontalenti leads to the cross-vaulted Gothic interior with its lateral chapels. One of these chapels, Bartolini-Salimbeni, was decorated by Lorenzo Monaco during the first half of the fifteenth century. Two other masterpieces created for this church, but now in museums, the Adoration of the Magi by Gentile da Fabriano (Uffizi) and the Deposition by Beato Angelico (Museo di San Marco) date from the same period. In the right transept is the beautiful Sassetti Chapel, decorated by Ghirlandaio around 1480 with lively frescoes depicting scenes from the Life of St. Francis set in Renaissance Florence. The frescoes are filled with portraits of the era’s rich and famous; and the Annunciation on the altarpiece which abounds with classical references. In the left transept is the tomb of the bishop, B. Federighi, by Luca della Robbia.
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Mario Sciales began his career, in his hometown of Naples at the age of ten when he was apprenticed to a great tailor. He moved to Florence in the 1960s to work with Michele Marinaro whose patrons included a good part of the Florentine aristocracy. When Marinaro died, Sciales took over the business and added his own name. The loyal clients have been joined by others – entrepreneurs and successful businessmen – and their numbers have grown, especially since he began making annual trips to the Regency Hotel in New York in the 1990s. Each strictly hand sewn garment is custom fitted on a linen tailor's dummy to guarantee the best fit and lightweight. The shop is most famous for its formal attire: tails and morning suits.
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