aCleoni Information

Founded in 1986 by Antoinette Cleoni, Acleoni Designs Inc. is a jewelry design and manufacturing company located in Berkeley, California. During our 20 year history, Acleoni has grown into a major supplier of fine handcrafted jewelry for high end jewelry trade with Antoinette as CEO & chief designer. Today Antoinette's approach is still hands on working closely with local & Balinese artisans. We at Acleoni believe that jewelry is more than just a fashion accessory. As participants in a larger web of interconnectedness, seeking to create links between artisans and the public we interpret and design with the best of what culture, past and present, provides us. Using traditional and modern techniques we are honored to bring the beautiful gifts of the earth to you. We take pride in assembling a collection of evocative and orginal designs that use a simple elegant framework to enhance the radiance of the gemstones. Our signature look rests in the integration of handcrafted silver hinge work, silver castings, beads with an unusual spectrum of bezel set gemstones and an array of colorful mother of pearl inlay. The result is a classic and enduring look which can be passed down from generation to generation. As a California native, Antoinette grew up watching her brother craft handmade turquoise jewelry. Her fascination with stones led her to pursue jewelry making. She graduated with a degree in Social Ecology from University of California at Irvine in 1983, and moved to northern California to pursue a career in social work. When business interests took her to Chile, fate took over. She fell in love with the traditional silver and inlaid lapis lazuli jewelry produced in the region. Antoinette then began to import these pieces to the U.S. Encouraged by her success in this venture, she began working directly with the Chilean artisans. By incorporating different stones, such as malachite, turquoise, obsidian and rhodochrosite into the traditional Chilean designs, Acleoni Designs was born. In the early years, Antoinette ...