The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2026 - Issue 39

Contemporary Portuguese Heritage bitejewellery Arte Nova T here is a certain magic to jewellery that carries history. In an industry flooded with fast-pro- duced, trend-led pieces designed for a single season, a jewel forged with generational skill holds weight far beyond its metal and stone. For Arte Nova, the Portuguese jewellery brand launched formally in 2019, history stretches back far longer than its brand name suggests: seven decades, three generations, and a legacy of pioneering craft built in the goldsmithing heartland of Gondomar. The story begins in 1956 with José Martins Barbosa. When Portugal remained largely closed off from global trade and ideas, Barbosa set out to rewrite the rules of domestic jewellery-making. Undaunted by not speaking other languages, he became the first Portuguese gold- smith to import specialised jewellery-making machinery from abroad. It was an act of radical ambition, but it was only the start. Unsatisfied with off-the-shelf equipment, he began designing and building his own machines, many of which remain in operation in the brand’s factory today, a working monument to his ingenuity. Mia Zhang reviews Portuguese jewellery brand Arte Nova, carrying 70 years of family legacy into the future.