Buccellati is an Italian firm famous for its textural gold jewellery and exquisite silver objects. According to family history, the Buccellati’s first foray into the jewellery trade was in the mid-eighteenth century when Contardo Buccellati worked as a goldsmith in Milan. In 1903, Mario Buccellati revived the family tradition, apprenticing at Milan’s prestigious Beltrami & Beltrami. In 1919, Buccellati took over the firm, changing its name to Buccellati. International acclaim came quickly.

Exhibiting at Madrid’s 1920 Exposition, Mario Buccellati caught the public’s attention when he hurled an expensive compact out a window when a woman asked for a discount, shouting, “I am not a tradesman!”¹ The next day, hundreds turned up to look at his booth, curious to see the unknown jeweller’s pieces. Everything sold. Buccellati was then invited to exhibit his work at a solo show; Spanish aristocrats came in droves, including the royal family who became lifelong clients.

In the years that followed, Buccellati’s work gained a loyal following in Italy and abroad. Poet Gabriele D’Annunzio dubbed him “The Prince of Goldsmiths” and ordered pieces by the hundreds.

The main design accomplishments of the Buccellati clan span four decades: from the 1920s to the 1960s. The most distinctive aspect of the firm’s pieces is their rich textural quality. As one jewellery historian put it, “every bit of surface is worked and finished, whether visible or not, with many different engraving techniques.” ² When the process is finished, the surface of a Buccellati piece often resembles a fine fabric: linen, tulle, or lace. Piercing techniques recreate the look of honeycomb, lace, or webbing. Use of mixed metals (silver and gold, platinum and gold) is also typical. If gemstones are used at all, they are often unusual: large cabochons, carved emeralds and rubies, and rose-cut diamonds. Naturalistic motifs are common fare. The pieces are bold and instantly recognizable as Buccellati. Despite the fact that the firm is effectively split, a distinctive look remains.

In addition to the jewellery created by Mario Buccellati, his compacts from the 1920s to the 1950s are particularly fine. Jewelled objects created by his son Gianmaria in the 1970s and 1980s including intricate chalices, candlesticks, amphorae, and chess sets, are also exceptional.³ Buccellati silver holloware and flatware likewise remain in a class of their own.

UPDATE: Sept. 2019 – Luxury Goods holding company, Richemont, acquired Buccellati from Gangtai Group Corp. (a Chinese investment company.)