The philosophy behind Alessandro Testi’s fine-jewelry brand Rebecca is based on spontaneity. The brand is named after a character in an Italian noir film, which Testi saw only in passing and whose title he can’t remember. But the character—and her brash confidence—stuck in his memory, and she became both muse and namesake for his designs.

Today Rebecca is one of the top jewelry brands in Italy, with sales of over 60 million euros. The line, based in Empoli, is so well regarded that in 2007 Testi SpA was given the Confidustria Award for Excellence, essentially being named the best jewelry company in Italy by the industry’s worker’s union.

Rebecca is available in more than 1,000 independent retail stores in Italy and is distributed in more than 30 countries. The brand also has 14 of its own stores worldwide. Stateside it’s found in Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and at its recently opened Beverly Hills, Calif., boutique.