Hand-crafted jewelry only a walk away at Onofrio D. Oro on Fifth

Thanks to Ridgeite Onofrio Demattia, an Italian-born jeweler whose work has been showcased on both the Queen Mary and the Queen Elizabeth cruise ships, those looking for a  one-of-a-kind, hand-carved masterpiece need to look no further than his Fifth Avenue shop, Onofrio D. Oro on Fifth.

“We’ve been here for three years,” said Demattia, a master goldsmith who, for over a quarter of a century, has been creating “whimsical,” one-of-a-kind jewelry masterpieces right here in New York. “I’m from the area, and I was just looking to get back in to Bay Ridge.”

Nicknamed “the Einstein of jewelry” in college, Demattia honed his art at the illustrious Tiffany and Co. for 10 years after completing his apprenticeship and, in 1995, branched out and opened his own Atelier, first in the heart of New York City’s jewelry district and then, back in his number one nabe, Bay Ridge.

“Fifth Avenue has been very good to us,” he said of Bay Ridge’s busy commercial strip that has adopted Onofrio D. Oro, originally established in 1989. “I like to call it ‘The Fifth Avenue of Brooklyn.’”

According to Demattia, many window-shoppers are drawn inside Onofrio D. Oro and end up leaving with one, or more, of his unique mini-masterpieces.

“I deal with a lot of rhinestones and rare gemstones,” said the store-owner and jeweler extraordinaire noting that, “everybody deals with diamonds,” but only at Onofrio D. Oro will you find stunning pendants, rings and bracelets with unique themes, many a part of the artist’s unique Nature and Marine Life collections – animals just one of his fortes.

Demattia is no stranger to the seven seas, his work having already been featured in magazines and trunk shows across the globe.

“You have to dare to be different in this industry,” said Demattia, stressing that he is not just an over-the-counter salesman but rather a true artist and designer. “Because of that, I’ve seen the world four times over.”

While traditional jewelers work with silver and gold, Demattia prefers using stone.

“I love using stone and really working on those pieces with a lot of detail,” he said, adding that Onofrio D. Oro also specializes in restoration. “But, of course, we also have the classic pieces you’re looking for.

“We completely re-master family heirlooms,” Demattia went on, stressing that, “If other jewelers say they can’t fix it, we can do it.”

Even more so, Onofrio D. Oro will take your old gold and turn it into something brand new.

“You’re always going out seeking an artist for something exquisite, but you’ve got one right in your own neighborhood,” said the Fifth Avenue jeweler, guaranteeing something to tickle any Ridgeite’s fancy.

Onofrio D. Oro is located at 7407 Fifth Avenue, and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information on this fine jewelry shop’s Bay Ridge locale, visit www.onofriodoro.com, or find them on Facebook.

An 18-karat starfish hand-crafted by artist Onofrio Demattia.
An 18-karat starfish hand-crafted by artist Onofrio Demattia.

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