• De Vera

  One Crosby Street, 212-625-0838

  De Vera seems more typical of Rome than of New York—or any American city, for that matter. Stepping inside is like entering a collector’s home, where interesting heirlooms (like a huge gem-encrusted spider) and contemporary jewelry glisten in cases, and floor-to-ceiling shelves hold a selection of art books. Owner (a better word might be curator) Federico De Vera has created a seductive atmosphere, traveling the globe in search of oddities—remnants of statues, colorful glass vases, old Japanese figurines—and objects he later transforms into jewelry. One would be hard-pressed to find most of these items anywhere else, which might explain why taste-makers like Giorgio Armani come here. A word of advice: If you spot something you love, buy it. Chances are it’s one-of-a-kind and won’t be there long.

From the 2004 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine