Portuguese Craftsmanship
Fine threads. Patient hands. A heritage made to be worn.
Fado began with a journey north to Póvoa de Lanhoso. Our founder went in search of artisans who would preserve the original forms of Portuguese filigree, not flatten them into something easier to reproduce.
The family behind the filigree
Our founder chose one of Póvoa de Lanhoso’s oldest family workshops for the way its artisans preserve the traditional Heart of Viana: handmade, curved and full of depth. This choice defines Fado. The shape matters as much as the delicate wirework — the raised curves, the open spaces and the details that make a heart feel unmistakably Portuguese.
Fado’s role is to bring that family’s craft into your life without losing what makes it special. A piece may travel from northern Portugal to a home in the United States, but its connection to the hands and place that made it remains.
An ancient art, a Portuguese expression
Filigree has ancient Mediterranean roots. In Portugal, it developed a distinctive expression in the XVII century (1600s). During the XVIII century (1700s), the craft became more widely worn, moving beyond the elaborate objects with which it had long been associated.
In the XIX century (1800s), filigree gained a stronger identity in northern Portugal, particularly around Porto, Gondomar and Póvoa de Lanhoso. That is the living tradition Fado chooses to carry forward.
Built thread by thread
Traditional filigree combines fine gold or silver wires, often twisted and flattened, with a supporting frame. The spaces are filled with small, carefully shaped elements, then joined through precise soldering. The result is openwork: a jewel that feels intricate, light and full of movement.
In the workshops of Gondomar, the collaboration between goldsmiths and the women known as enchedeiras — who traditionally fill the frames — is part of the craft’s living heritage.
Heritage, in your own way
A Heart of Viana, a pair of filigree earrings or a delicate ring can be a connection to Portugal, a reminder of family, or simply a piece you love. Our collections bring these familiar forms into a wardrobe that is entirely your own.