RAPAPORT... The world loves diamonds and Italian designers are only too happy to supply them – usually with stones of very good quality and always in imaginative designs. Here, a preview of the latest diamond jewelry from a quartet of Italy’s most innovative brands.
STAURINO FRATELLI
Established in Valenza in the 1960s, this jewelry manufacturer is managed today by brothers Davide and Stefano Staurino, the family’s third generation, who preside over a staff of 40 craftsmen. The company is especially proud that all jewelry is designed, produced and sold from its Valenza shop.
The Staurino brand is known for handcrafted jewelry of 18-karat yellow and white gold, diamonds and gemstones bearing simple, pure lines. While silhouettes and designs evolve from season to season, diamonds have always remained a critical part of this collection. The emphasis, however, is on design rather than stone size, say company spokespeople, and most diamonds are relatively small — from 20 to 30 points on average — and generally G color, VVS quality.
Some of the company’s best-selling designs were originally produced in white gold but have been restyled in yellow for the current season. Most jewelry from this brand is characterized by large silhouettes and movable elements. The latest collection, entitled Next Classic, is composed of Retro-inspired slave bracelets constructed with jointed elements that make them sensuous in form and comfortable to wear. The group also includes matching necklaces, earrings, pendants and rings. Major markets for this brand include the Middle East, the Far East and the United States.
Ponte Vecchio GioIelliOriginally known for its imaginative colored gemstone jewelry, this Florentine firm continues to differentiate itself from other Italian jewelers as it works to create a recognizable brand. According to Mario Petroncelli, marketing manager, the collection has evolved over the past three years.
“Formerly, we were famous for colored gemstones, but today the collection is split about 50/50 between diamonds and color,” Petroncelli says. Diamonds range in size from melee to 40 points and higher, with G-VVS being the lowest quality. All diamonds of 40 points and larger are accompanied by a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) certificate.
Petroncelli describes the styles as “classics with a new look,” the challenge being to find the perfect balance between the two elements. “This season, we give the feeling of color to the diamonds by using different colors of gold,” he adds. The pink is especially soft, giving the jewelry just a hint of warmer color.
Signature diamond designs include bold-sized necklaces, earrings and rings composed of small oval or round elements in playful, movable settings. The element of motion is another key factor here, adding more sparkle to the diamonds as well as tactile appeal.
Major markets for Ponte Vecchio jewelry include Italy, Europe, the Middle East as well as the fast-growing regions of Russia and Eastern Europe. The American market is the next big target.
PicchiottiAnother venerable Valenza brand that just celebrated its 40th anniversary, Picchiotti specializes in producing ultra-high-end jewelry, with many one-of-a-kind pieces. “We produce mainly classic and clean lines in high-end jewelry,” says Filippo Picchiotti, son of the company’s founder, Giuseppe Picchiotti. The biggest customers for this brand are Middle Eastern and Asian buyers, who tend to have different needs.
For Middle Eastern customers, for example, the preference is for elaborate pieces combining many carats of diamonds and gemstones such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds. Asian buyers, however, demand the highest quality gemstones, yet usually opt for more diminutive sizes. Americans, who tend to want more medium-priced pieces, have not been a strong source of sales recently.
During a major international fair, it’s not unusual for Picchiotti’s displays to include some fabulous, huge white and natural color diamonds, but in general, diamond size ranges from 10 to 50 points. All large diamonds are certified by either the GIA or the Diamond High Council (HRD), says Picchiotti, who, with his father, personally selects and buys all of the company’s diamonds.
New for this season is the one-of-a-kind Marily ring, named for the founder’s wife. It features a cushion-cut, 15-carat fancy yellowish-brown diamond. This ring is joined by two other stunners with fancy yellow cushion-cut diamonds accented by specially cut white diamond baguettes in the company’s signature trellis design.
Antonini
The third generation of this Milanese company orchestrated a dramatic change in direction from the firm’s 1919 origins as Liberty Gem, a colored gemstone supplier. In 1989, brothers Sergio and Carlo Giulio Antonini changed the company’s identity, taking their family name and introducing designer collections of 18-karat gold, gemstones and diamonds.
Since then, they have built an international audience of retail clients and have opened a number of freestanding retail outlets as well as in-store boutiques. New collections are introduced seasonally, most often bearing names and themes inspired by exotic locales, such as the newest, Australia. Most contain colored gemstones, but the newest collections are dominated by diamonds.
Why diamonds? “For years, we did so many colored stones,” explains Sergio. “We wanted to produce jewelry with the same personality but with different materials because our customers wanted something new.” Two elements characterize Antonini jewelry, he says. First, the jewelry is bold, using pavé diamonds — this season in both white and brown colors. Second, the styles are aimed at women who want to wear their jewelry all the time.
“We keep the designs simple because women want the wearability,” Sergio explains. Qualities on pavé are G-VS and on bigger sizes, F color. Generally, Sergio says, Asian customers are most demanding about diamond quality and because the brothers are unwilling to compromise the brand, they keep the same image and quality throughout.
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - June 2007. To subscribe click here.