Marleine Nehman, spokesperson for Luca Carati, says the company has introduced more price-point-sensitive 18-karat gold pieces with and without diamonds ranging from $3000 to $6000 retail. It’s helping Luca Carati appeal to both new clients and established ones who are loyal to the brand, but may be hesitant to buy another expensive piece.
“We’re trying to get into that market because it’s tougher at the higher end right now,” she added.
Competition from Asian manufacturing centres pumping out lower-cost pieces are a concern for most Italian companies who choose to produce at home. However, Nehman says consumers looking for ‘Made in Italy’ jewellery understand there’s a premium to be paid.
“We have a small shop, our own designers, and we do all the modelling and setting there,” she says. “The labour in Italy is very expensive, but you can see the difference.”
Whether at VicenzaOro ‘Fall’ or About J—the fair’s invitation-only event held two days prior in Venice—companies were clearly ramping up on innovation.
Eduardo Bruner, marketing and creative director for Brumani, says he wanted to put a different spin on things. In the past, the company used a matte finish on the underside of cabochons to prevent the setting’s metal from affecting the stone’s colour. Now, Brumani is using it to create an entirely different look, in this case, applying the finish to its teardrop earrings.
“This process allows contrast between polish and matte,” Bruner notes. “And people want to know how the matte finish is created, so there is a story behind the jewellery.”
One interesting trend this year has designers using different coloured gems as the main stone in earrings. In one case, a company used a sapphire in one half of a pair and an emerald in the other. A matching ring featuring both stones is part of the set and meant to be worn together. Manuel Martin, Utopia’s director of U.S. operations, says this is a trend the pearl company has also embraced.
“There was a famous diamond dealer who once said there’s a nose between the ears and you can’t look at both at the same time,” he explains.
