A piece of fine jewelry or classic investment timepiece is never just an accessory—there’s always a rich story behind it. In W’s series Rock Stars, we delve into what makes past, present, and future heirlooms so unique.
Amidst the trend of minimalism and simplicity that seems to be omnipresent in the jewelry world, Italian jeweler, Buccellati, grows in the opposite direction. The storied brand has always carved its own path. And when I say carved, I mean it literally. Each one of the house’s intricate designs, which simultaneously and delicate, is painstakingly etched and crafted by hand using age-old techniques that faded from the mainstream long ago.
Goldsmithing and sculpture have a strong place in Italian history from Brunelleschi, to Donatello and Benvenuto Cellini. Buccellati cites this heritage as a source of inspiration and emulation. It’s clear that the worlds of art, history and beauty have a profound place in the brand’s visual identity.
This influence is apparent once again in Buccellati’s most recent high jewelry collection. Il Gardinio di Buccellati was launched during haute couture week in Paris, and takes its inspiration from the color palettes of the Impressionists and the beauty of nature. The soft and realistic light of the gardens painted during this notable period in history shines through in each piece, rendering a collection that is elegant and unmistakably Buccellati.
When viewed in person, all of Buccellati’s jewelry, Il Gardinio notwithstanding, feel like witnessing something truly special. It is an experience that Lucrezia Buccellati, one of the family’s 4th generation of designers, and the first female designer of the house, is careful to uphold with the level of detail and craftsmanship that is present in each piece. The collection is a distinctly Italian take on impressionism, combining elaborate metalwork with softness and light. My favorite piece is the Agapanto Cocktail ring—a style that the house has become well known for—featuring an oversized tanzanite nestled in a garden of swirling diamonds.
You can peruse the garden yourself at Buccellati.com
