Florence where to purchase leather purses and gold jewellery

When we there a couple years ago, the gold merchants were thick on Ponte Vecchio, the bridge across the river on Via Por Santa Maria. Other specialty merchants were on the street leading to the bridge. I don't recall upscale purses but maybe someone else more familiar with that area can help.

There is a shop that sells exquisite leather purses (and other leather items) near Santa Croce Church. The church is well worth a visit.

It's been a few years since I was in Florence shopping for gold and/or leather. With that said, I found really nice examples of beautiful leather in the higher line shops in the downtown area. Expect to pay through the nose for quality, but if that's what you want, then go for it. Really good quality purses, gloves, and other leather goods (although not the butter soft calfskin featured in Vogue Magazine) can be had in abundance at the markets near Mercato Centrale.

Gold is another matter entirely. You may know that Italy produces a major portion of the world's finished gold jewelry. The shops located on the Ponte Vecchio bridge seemed to be full of fashioned pieces, but I thought the prices were inflated for the value received. My ex brother in law, a jeweler, agreed. It is probably a function of being located in a high rent location. We found good value in the higher end shops located in the downtown city center and the Oltrarno. The pieces are not cheap, but $100 spent in a quality store in Italy probably will get you a piece that is worth more than if you purchased it in the U.S. I would be reluctant to purchase gold from a street stall.

If you have the time, Vicenza seems to be manufacturing center for gold jewelry, so that might be an option.

From personal experience, I can recommend Vaggi for gold and Massimo Leather for purses. Vaggi is the first shop on the right as you cross the Ponte Vecchio towards the Oltrarno, and Massimo Leather is located on Borgo la Noce near the San Lorenzo church and market. Both are honest shops with fair prices.

Santa Croce Church. Check it out - https://santacroceinflorence.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/world-famous-school-of-leather/

I have purses I purchased from the leather school behind the Sante Croce church and another excellent shop named Cellerini. Cellerini is on line so you can see what they offer.
Love my handbags from both shops. All well made. There is listed another store for locally made handbags in a booklet I am looking at.
Name of book is The Cognoscenti’s Guide to Florence by Louise Fili and Lise Apatoff. The store they list is Infinity on Borgo SS Apostoli
18R, near Ponte Vecchio. Website infinityfirenze.com. I haven’t been to their store but plan to check them out in Oct while there.