The recipient of countless awards and distinctions, it was perhaps his investiture as an Accademico Onorario (Honorary Scholar) in the acclaimed Accademia delle Arti del Disegno, founded in 1563 by Giorgio Vasari, that positioned Paolo Penko among some of Florence’s most prestigious artists, master artisans, and scholars. In 2024, the Penko Bottega Orafa even reached Hollywood as Paolo, his wife Beatrice, and his two sons, Riccardo and Alessandro, undertook the enormous task of crafting more than 500 crosses and rings for the film Conclave, which received an Oscar nomination for Costume Design, and won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay. 

Paolo Penko is Florence’s most renowned goldsmith. 

A native of Florence, Paolo’s hometown is his greatest muse: its history, its art, its architecture. For more than 30 years, Paolo Penko has devoted his professional career to retracing the footsteps of the grand masters that have preceded him.

By mastering their ancient (and sometimes obscure) techniques, and by incorporating their visual vocabulary in his creations, Paolo invites his patrons and customers to join him in an aesthetic conversation that spans centuries.