John Ringling, one of the five original circus kings of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, built Ca d’Zan, a Venetian Gothic inspired mansion in Sarasota, FL along with his wife Mable. Mable’s sketches of Venetian architecture, John’s opulent aesthetic sense and their desire to house their collection of European paintings and sculpture were incorporated in the home, which emulates the collections in Florence’s Uffizi Gallery.

The spectacular architecture of the building was the inspiration for Cynthia Gale’s Ca d’Zan Sunset collection, which features delicate filigree recreating Venetian Gothic architectural motifs. 

The Ca d’Zan Sunset Collection utilizes the delicate Filigree technique—a time-honored jewelry-making process. Filigree, which can also be spelled filagree, is a type of metalwork involving tiny beads and twisted threads of precious metals like gold and silver. These elements are meticulously soldered together or to the surface of a piece to create intricate, lace-like patterns.

This technique has a rich history, being popular in Indian and Asian metalwork, as well as in Italian and French jewelry from the 17th to the late 19th century. The distinctive filigree patterns in this collection are carefully crafted to evoke the aesthetic charm of Venetian Gothic art, celebrating both the artistry of metalwork and the legacy of timeless design.