First Salvatore Ferragamo jewelry collection

Luxury shoemaker Ferragamo in jewelry debut

Italian luxury goods house Salvatore Ferragamo launched its first jewelry collection this week, targeting wealthy clients who see gold, precious metals and jewels as a safe-haven amid uncertain financial times.

Global sales of designer clothes, leather bags and jewels showed double-digit sales growth in the first half of this year, but the risk of a new recession in Europe and the United States has prompted luxury makers to be cautious about 2012.

Salvatore Ferragamo said the value of watches and gems does not diminish with time, making them a safer long-term investment than clothes and some other fashionable accessories.

Created in collaboration with Gianni Bulgari — a scion of the Bulgari jewelry dynasty in Italy – the collection will go on sale in October at 18 selected stores in Asia, the United States and Europe.

Prices range between 300 euros ($410.728) to 15,000 euros. Gold prices have stormed to a record high this year, gaining about 30 percent as weakened economies in major countries and concerns over Europe’s sovereign debt crisis have spurred investment in perceived safe-haven assets.


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