Francarlo International began it’s operation in the city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in 1970. Francarlo Micilotta always had a passion for jewellery and began making jewellery at the tender age of 15, completing his apprenticeship in Italy where he also attended the acclaimed Benvenuto Cellini Jewellery school, one of the foremost in the world. Following his father to South Africa in 1968, the 20 year old Francarlo, barely able to speak English, began by repairing jewellery for various stores and commissioning privately.

At only 22, Francarlo launched his first store in Main Street (now Govan Mbeki Avenue) and 15 years later moved to Westbourne Road where it became a destination store of choice for 23 years. During this time, a second outlet at The Bridge Shopping Centre in Greenacres was added. In 2005 the entire Francarlo Designer Goldsmith Operation began a 2 year amalgamation which culminated in the opening of a beautiful retail store in the new wing of the upmarket Walmer Park Shopping Centre.

Francarlo’s daughter Tanya (now Tanya Slabbert) joined the family run operation in 2005 as the opening of the store in Walmer Park offered her a window of opportunity. This move followed six years in Valenza, Italy’s “City of Gold” where she completed 2 years of night school at the very same Benvenuto Cellini Jewellery school where her father had studied so many years before.

While in Italy Tanya became Marketing Coordinator and Client Liaison, for Ambrosi Gioielli, a company steeped in history, supplying jewellery stores around the world with exclusive high end jewellery. Tanya had the opportunity to represent the company at the prestigious International Jewellery Trade Shows around the world, gaining valuable International experience in all spheres of the jewellery industry.

In 2011, having worked many years in the jewellery industry both locally and Internationally, Tanya’s husband, Leslie, joined Francarlo, bringing with him the expertise he’d garnered from his time spent abroad in both the United States and the United Kingdom, before eventually returning to Port Elizabeth. Tanya and Leslie both hold a diploma in Jewellery Design and Manufacture, from Cape Technikon (now Cape Peninsula University of Technology) and have also completed various courses in diamond grading and coloured gemstones.

In 2023, after 18 years of trade at Walmer Park Shopping Centre, it was time to follow our vision, opening a new store in the heart of Walmer, located in a new development on the corner of 13th Avenue and Main Road, where you can park and run in, enjoy a coffee with us in a chic and elegant setting, with a cozy intimate feel which many have compared to the experience they once enjoyed from back in the day when our flagship store was in Westbourne Road all those years ago. You will see “Francarlo International” displayed proudly on the building, you can’t miss it when driving by! Remember to take a squiz when getting near 13th Avenue!

As a family owned business, Francarlo International values each and every customer, taking pride in providing and designing exquisite jewellery which will reflect your individual style. We look forward to crafting your next designer piece with you, contact us today or visit us in store to make your dreams come true.