It’s said that the path to success isn’t an easy one, and if you’re looking for a shining example of a successful company with a history that is anything but simple, then look no further than Buccellati. This Italian jewelry company is the result of the separation and merging of family businesses eventually resulting in a fashion accessory giant.
It began in 1919 when Mario Buccellati opened his first jewelry store in Milan. Buccellati gained popularity fairly quickly and by 1923 he was already completing projects for people such as the great Italian writer Gabriele d’Annunzio. Here’s a brief overview of how Buccellati became a highly sought after item selling at auction in Fort Lauderdale and all around the world.
Branching Out
With the help of promotion from famous individuals like Pope Pius XII and the previously mentioned Gabriele d’Annunzio, Buccellati was able to successfully expand at a fairly rapid rate. By 1950, there were already multiple Buccellati stores throughout Italy. 1951 marked the opening of the very first overseas store, with Mario getting one of his five sons to help him run it in New York.
When Mario died in 1965, four of his sons took over the business but eventually decided to split the company among themselves. Lorenzo and Florence took control of the Italian stores, Luca ran the New York store and silver wholesale business, while Gianmaria ran the production lines and laboratories. It was at this moment that Gianmaria started to become the creative force behind the famous Buccellati jewelry brand.
Gianmaria grew his side of the business and eventually took control of the entire U.S. operation, and had even expanded into Europe. It’s the brand operated by Gianmaria that has become synonymous with the Buccellati logo and is responsible for creating thousands of intricately detailed accessories that get top dollar at auctions all around the world.
Signature Styles
The Buccellati brand is known for many different distinct features, but one of the most well known and easily recognizable ones is the textural engraving done on many of the pieces. Mario Buccellati took this relatively unused technique and completely innovated it for his jewelry brand. These techniques were able to produce metal that appeared to look like Venetian lace and lengths of shimmering fabrics, as well as realistic flower petals.
Buccellati’s style is very reminiscent of Renaissance work with a focus on elegant fabric and nature themes. They’ve since become a massive influence in the market of more ornamental products such as handbags, tiaras, and other high-end hair accessories. A mixture of metals heavily featuring gold is commonly found in Buccellati products, as is the presence of unusually sized or colored gems.
