Venezianico came into being in 2017, created by Alberto and Alessandro Morelli, two young entrepreneurs from San Donà di Piave with a love of horology. It was an ambitious project, but in the space of only five years they carved out a well-defined space in the watchmaking industry, backed by a strong identity that draws inspiration from the city of Venice.
Venezianico: the Serenissima identity
The name Venezianico evokes a sense of belonging to the lagoon city. Not simply in a geographical sense – behind this choice lies a desire to emphasise the values that have shaped the history of Venice, starting from the innate ability shown by inhabitants of the city to look outwards towards new cultures.
It’s also a place where time plays an important role, as shown by the presence of the Clock Tower, whose bell has marked time across the city since 1499. Other equally important factors led Venice to become a creative crucible of art and culture. In Venezianico this unique combination has found a new expressive form.
Mechanical watches only
“We design and produce automatic watches. They don’t have batteries, they’re entirely mechanical, powered only by the movements of the wrist, using this energy to recharge themselves. They are objects that live alongside their wearers, and that’s what gives them their charm”, says Alberto Morelli, the brand’s CEO.
The watches’ visual appeal is based on three elements evoking the city that inspired their creation – the colour of the Istrian stone used for the bases of its buildings, symbolising strength and durability, the grey sandstone that paves the “calli” evoking the Venetian people’s tenacity and industriousness and finally the typical gold of stuccos and mosaics reflecting a love of the beautiful. All these come together in the production of works of unique works of art.
Venezianico and the sea
We’d say there’s a fourth element, too – the sea. A link that is emphasised by the brand’s decision to name one of its most successful collections after the submarine Nereide, one of the last examples of Venetian ship-building expertise and technology. Of these the Nereide Madreperla must take pride of place in terms of popular approval.
This diver’s salient feature is the mother-of-pearl dial, whose creation highlights the brand’s technical abilities. The most complex technique is working the mother-of-pearl. To create a smooth, even surface it undergoes a shaping and polishing process and is then dyed green, which enables the mother-of-pearl to create a play of reflections recalling the colours of the Aurora Borealis. From mother-of-pearl to carbon fibre to aventurine, the Nereide collection finds in each material a form of expression that inspires timepieces that celebrate the magic of a unique city.
Time and Sails
Venezianico has measured time for the latest edition of the Cinquecento Trofeo Pellegrini. Organised by the Circolo Nautico Santa Margherita in collaboration with the municipality of Caorle, the offshore sail classic this year reached its 49th edition. It is one of the most demanding races held in the Adriatic as well as being the oldest two-handed event in the Mediterranean.
The race is 500 miles long, hence the name, from Caorle-Sansego-Isole Tremiti-Sansego and back. The link between the race and time was established by the around thirty yachts enrolled in the race based at the Orologio di Caorle dock. For the record, the first across the line in real time was the Vor60 Cleansport One, while Hauraki was the winner in the two-hander category.
Matteo Zaccagnino
