Signature Aviation Spring 2025

INFLUENCE CRAFTSMANSHIP

This image 18K rose gold Venetian Princess Carnevale pavé diamond and mixed stones fl ower necklace, $55,000

Roberto Coin onrede fi nition

Easily one of the best-known Italian jewelry brands, Roberto Coin has been crafting exquisite jewels for decades. Elite Traveler ’s Roberta Naas goes behind the scenes at Vicenza, Italy, where Coin’s masterful designs come to life

Renowned as one of the world’s most iconic jewelry brands, Roberto Coin has been creating extraordinary jewelry since the 1970s. Drawing inspiration from his hometown of Vicenza and his extensive world travels, Roberto Coin has rede fi ned the art of jewelry making, seamlessly blending gold, diamonds and gemstones with groundbreaking concepts. The 80-year-old Roberto Coin, whose warm smile, bright eyes and incredibly good nature could win anyone over, began designing jewelry in 1977. Nearly two decades later, in 1996, he established his own eponymous brand. Having a background in the hospitality industry, his approach has always been rooted in serving others, and it was his desire to create designs that celebrate the women of the world at every stage of their lives.

“I was a businessman who fell in love with jewelry not a jeweler who wanted a business. There is a big distinction,” says Coin during a visit to the brand’s workshops in Vicenza — the gold capital of Italy. “I se out to make something beautiful for every customer Creativity equals freedom, and I am constantly challenging myself to do better, to be better.” The collections that Roberto Coin creates re fl ect a remarkable diversity and run the gamut from attainable gold and gemstone designs for young women to one-of-a-kind masterpieces for connoisseurs. And, since its founding almost 30 year ago, the family-owned company has grown by leaps and bounds. From its early intricate Appassionata woven gold masterpieces to its modern Mosaic geometric series; Tiny Treasures diamond line; and Venetian Princess Collection (inspired by the architecture and culture o Venice), every piece designed by Roberto Coin exud a mastery of the jewelry-making arts and exempli fi es exceptional innovation. So diverse are the collections that they are equally at home on the red carpet, the big screens and at home. Roberto Coin’s atelier, La Quinta Stagione (translated: The Fifth Season), in Vicenza, is a two-story facility (currently undergoing a huge renovation) that combines tradition with technolo g y. Artisans work magic all with the goal of making the impossible possible. A tour through the workshops is enlightening, revealing the seamless marriage of old-world craftsmanship and state-of-the-art techniques. While “If it isdi ffi cult, we like it. If it is impossible, we want to do it. It is not the question of if you can sell it, it’s the question of if you can make it.” y, r. a ;

et

rs

Above 18K rose gold Venetian Princess Carnevale pavé diamond and mixed stones large fl ower drop earrings, $21,500

of des

jewelry making here is predominantly a handmade feat, with workers’ benches lined up and dozens of people setting gemstones, polishing gold and more, there are also multimillion-dollar machines that bring necessary processes into the future. Gold is melted in proprietary ovens, 3D printing is employed for certain molds and advanced De Beers machines scan every diamond — even the thousands of tiny ones that go into melee settings — to ensure they are natural. All of the gemstones used in Roberto Coin jewelry are sourced from around the world, and only from non-con fl ict countries. The most important stones are selected by Roberto Coin or his son Carlo, vice president of the brand, and then passed to the precious stones experts for evaluation. At least 15 people sort stones daily, according to size and color. And every diamond receives a Roberto Coin stamp lasered into it. Quality control takes place at every manufacturing process and at intermittent points, beginning immediately after lost-wax casting of the molds and ensuing through polishing (even the inside of three-dimensional pieces are electro-polished to ensure shiny surfaces) to check for precision and porosity. From fi ling to assembly and setting, every worker is responsible for the quality of their own

Left All of the gemstones used in Roberto Coin jewelry are sourced from around the world, and only from non-con fl ict countries