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THE GENERATION GAME

Left to right: Gino, Maria Cristina,


Lucrezia and Andrea Buccellati,
photographed at Andreas home in
Milan on April 19, 2016

P H OTO G R A P H S BY ALESSANDRO FURCHINO CAPRIA


Diamond
DYNASTYFrom founder Mario to his great-
granddaughter Lucrezia, four generations
of Buccellatis have steered the legacy of
Milans most prestigious high-jewellery

M
brand. By LAURA RYSMAN
ilan is, today, a trail
blazing hub of fashion,
design and big business.
But its also an old town,
a onetime capital of the
Western Roman Empire
and a crossroads of
Renaissance commerce
and culture. The narrow
lanes at Milans heart,
where an ancient amphi
theatre lies and goldsmiths toil away in tiny, centuries-old
workshops, is where Andrea Buccellati calls home. Its where his
family, a clan counting almost a century at the most rarefied crest of
the jewellery business, continues a legacy of the highest Italian craft.
The ties of history are unbreakable, says Andrea, the stately
president and creative director of the Buccellati company. His
elder brother Gino, head of silverware production, and his sister
Maria Cristina, communications director, sit nearby on a damask
sofa. We wouldnt be here without our links to the past and to the
artisan tradition, he continues. The grandchildren of the brands
founder, the three siblings and a cousin, Luca (CEO of Mario
Buccellati Italia), helm the jewellery empire today. Andreas
27-year-old daughter Lucrezia, as co-designer, is the fourth
generation to join the family ranks at Buccellati.
Buccellati is a connoisseurs jewellery brand. Utilizing arcane
techniques and ornate decoration descended from Renaissance
styles, the house produces elaborate one-of-a-kind creationsa
clients custom order can take up to a year to complete, and may
cost six or even seven figures. Its an acutely narrow business model
to maintain, but Buccellati refuses to relinquish its artisan traditions.
Andrea learned the jewellery craft from Buccellatis artisans,
hanging around them while his father, Gianmaria, ran the
business. By 16, he was spending afternoons there playing
making rings and other jewels in the workshopand started to
work soon after. I spent 40 years at my fathers side, says Andrea,
as he reaches for a cigarette. I learned everything from him.
There was never any pressure to become a part of the business,
says Lucrezia, who is the first female designer for the house. They
AU G UST 2 016 www.vanityfair.com VAN IT Y FAIR ON J EW EL LERY xx
discord over the direction of the company divided the
brothers. They partitioned the business, with Gian
maria, the youngest, retaining the Buccellati ateliers
and working with Luca in the American territory,
and Lorenzo and Federico taking the Milan,
Rome and Florence stores. But in 2011, nearly
40 years after the split, Gianmaria and Lore
nzo met to merge their businesses for the next
generation. When they passed away within
months of each other a few years later, they
bequ eathed a unified Buccellati to their
children.
Andrea and I speak the same language, says
Luca. We grew up apart after the split, but we were both
accompanying our fathers to work, learning all about the Buccellati
business and working with the artisans. He and I can tell which
artisan fabricated, set or engraved a piece just by looking at it.

D
istinctive artisanship is what renders Buccellati jewellery
exceptional. Master goldsmiths must train for years to
engrave the companys signature cuff bracelets with
satin-like striations or meticulously saw out a delicate web of its
honeycomb perforations. These skills are passed down at
Buccellatis ateliers where, among the more than 350 artisans,
young graduates of jewellery programs apprentice expert
goldsmiths. These techniques would disappear if we didnt
nurture them, says Andrea. What were preserving is an
important part of Italys patrimony, but its also our own.
KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY There is history to preserve, but there is also the future to consider.
Left to right: Andrea, Maria Cristina and Gino In 2013, Buccellati sold 67 percent of the company to the Italian
Buccellati, photographed in Milan on April 29, 2016 private equity firm Clessidra for a reported 80m. We wanted to
invest for the new generation, says Andrea. The prescription

ANDREA AND I CAN TELL

WHICH ARTISAN
FABRICATED, SET OR ENGRAVED
A PIECE JUST BY LOOKING AT IT
B U C C E L L AT I . H A I R A N D M A K E - U P, T H I S PA G E : X X X X X X X . H A I R A N D

thought my brother would be the one, she said. but Ive grown up seems to be working. Sales for 2015 grew to 41m, but Buccellati,
G O L D , D I A M O N D A N D E M E R A L D R I N G ; S I LV E R A N D G O L D - P L AT E D

in this world of jewellery and found satisfaction in it. with its lavishly fabricated pieces, maintains one-of-a-kind as its
C U F F, A N D G O L D A N D D I A M O N D H AWA I I E A R R I N G S , A L L B Y

Mario Buccellati opened his eponymous jewellery shop close to core business, so growth is limited. The shareholders are Italian
La Scala in 1919. He had apprenticed with jewellers Beltrami e and they understand the Italian way, says Andrea. The
Besnati, but he had no capital to buy gold and gemstones, so, in a philosophy is to maintain our family style even with expansion.
carved gilt wood case with heavy bevelled glass, he cunningly Buccellati introduced its first ever advertising campaigns in the
M A K E - U P, O P E N I N G S P R E A D : X X X X X X X X X X X

displayed illustrations of what he could create for clients. Im in the last two years, as well as its first collections with serial production.
business of selling dreams, he would say. His dreams Now we might make 15 of certain designs instead of just one or
extraordinarily intricate confections that gave birth to the two, says Maria Cristina. The latest collection, Opera, retains
Buccellati style of Renaissance classicism and workmanshipwon Buccellatis floral intricacy with easy-to-wear pieces that have
him a loyal clientele, and he expanded the business to Rome, found a younger audience.
Florence and the States. His original glass case now stands filled Everything has to remain true to our spirit, says Luca at the
with the creations of his descendants in Buccellatis Milan flagship Buccellati shop. Our grandfather Mario was visionaryand
store on via Monte Napoleone. crazyto do what he did. Were blessed to be able to carry that
Four of Marios five sons learned the jewellery trade at his side, DNA forward, he says, gesturing as if to kiss his grandfathers
and they took the reins when Mario passed away in 1965, but jewel-filled case, gleaming at the entrance. buccellati.com
xx VANI T Y FA I R ON J E W E L L E RY www.vanityfair.com AU G U ST 2016

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