Roberto Coin – a challenge to yourself

The Italian designer can easily be called one of the main trendsetters. The brand's history is a vivid example of the fact that it is never too late to fulfill your dream. Roberto Coin got into the jewelry business already in adulthood, which did not stop him from amusing the whole world with his unexpected design solutions. And the most amazing thing is that the author draws all these ideas from the world around him, saying: “Life is the best source of inspiration, you just need to learn to observe it.”

History of success

Hotel manager

Venice. 1944 War. It was during such a difficult time that Roberto Coin was born. His family is unlucky: seven-year-old Roberto lost his parents and is soon sent to boarding school in Switzerland. From the age of 11, the boy began to study the profession of a hotel manager, and upon reaching adulthood, the future jeweler went to England to the island of Guernsey, and began his career as an assistant hotel manager.

1968, 24-year-old Roberto opens his own hotel. Understanding perfectly how to act, he receives the attention of the public, and the hotel is known far beyond the island. The business grows and prospers, bringing in significant income, but Roberto’s soul is not in the right place. Thoughts increasingly turn towards a childhood dream: to create something beautiful for this world.

Reach your dreams

1977 Roberto sells his successful hotel business and returns to Italy, ready to make his dream come true. This is how a small jewelry workshop appeared. Roberto again spends time and money on training, greedily absorbing knowledge, and by 1996 he presented the world with the first collection under the Roberto Coin brand. But it’s not enough to release products, they need to be shown to the world. Coin presents jewelry at various exhibitions and immediately receives well-deserved awards.

Is it all about the ruby?

Roberto Coin products can be identified by the thin, shimmering red dot on the inside of the product. This is a small ruby, which, according to the master’s idea, should touch the skin in order to bring happiness and good luck to the owner.

Perhaps it was precisely thanks to such a recognizable “trick” that Roberto was able to gain fame, having sensitively sensed what people needed.

photo from en.robertocoin.com

Today, the main office is located in Italy, in the very first workshop where it all began. And the jewelry house annually produces about 500 new jewelry, with a unique design and amazing beauty, they are sold in stores and branches around the world.

Interviewed by: Elena Olkhovskaya

JEWELRY FROM ROBERTO COIN IS MEMORABLE FOR ITS EXPRESSIVENESS AND UNCOMPROMISING QUALITY. THE ITALIAN JEWELER, WHO FOUNDED THE COMPANY UNDER HIS OWN NAME IN 1977, SET HIS MAIN GOAL TO MAKE JEWELRY “NOT LIKE EVERYONE else,” AND HE SUCCESSES THIS 100%

Among the fans of his jewelry creations are many Hollywood stars: Gwyneth Paltrow, Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman, Naomi Campbell, Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Charlize Theron, Sarah Jessica Parker, Claudia Schiffer, Denis Richards and many others. Roberto Coin himself came to present his new collection in the Dubai boutique Damas Les Exclusive. Here we talked to him about a little bit of everything.

Roberto, in your opinion, what is the main difference between the Italian jewelry school and the others: French, English, Russian?

In everything! And there are a lot of differences. Because Italy is the mother of all jewelry traditions, it has been creating jewelry since the Middle Ages, since the Renaissance. The very idea of the Renaissance proclaimed the value of life in all its manifestations. Before this era, a person was born in order to work, eat, give birth and die. During the Renaissance, which was born in Florence, there were 84 districts in Italy, where every prince, princess and their children needed the best clothes, shoes, works of art, dishes, jewelry, houses, horses. Thus, the desire to create the best has become a tradition among Italians; they want to see beautiful houses, churches, paintings by artists, and the entire surrounding space. In those days, the creations of brilliant Italian architects appeared, who had no right to be just builders. Italy is a country of perfectionists. Today, more than 5,000 jewelry workshops operate on its territory; there is no such thing in any country in the world. In France, undoubtedly, they create beautiful jewelry, but many craftsmen at one time studied art in Italy, and the same applies to England. We are the first creators of fashion. It's not that we are better than others, we just have more experience. Today, around the world, about 50 percent of design is created by Italians.

As the owner of your own jewelry company for more than 30 years, can you tell by eye which student of which school made this or that jewelry?

First of all, I can determine whether it was a good jeweler or not. I can see exactly what techniques were used when working on the decoration. And what kind of school it is - French or English, perhaps, does not matter much today, since one of the most common trends is “fusion”, that is, a mixture of styles and schools. I became a master myself, learning the secrets of the craft from the most famous jewelers who make jewelry for crowned heads and the world's leading brands. Therefore, without looking at the label, I can immediately recognize Tiffany, Chopard, Cartier, Chaumet. I guess that's enough.

If you were to live during the Renaissance and become the court jeweler of, say, the Medici family, what would be the first thing you would create for your distinguished clients?

I never thought about it, but I think the coat of arms of this famous family would attract my attention. I would start working on the shield of the coat of arms, since it was this that at one time allowed members of the Medici family to open any doors. In those days I would have decorated it with diamonds, but now, most likely, with multi-colored gemstones. But both then and now everyone would know that it was the Medici. They were a strong dynasty.

Roberto, you were born in Venice, does your origin leave an imprint on your creativity and worldview?

You know, at first I was in the hotel business. It was a stunningly successful business. But after 33 years, I changed my occupation, entered the world of fashion, returned to Italy, and began to study with the great masters of jewelry. When I felt that I could open my own jewelry brand and had sufficient knowledge and skills for this, I did it. It was important for me to create something that had not been done before. I created my own style and vision, completely different from others, as I came from a different atmosphere. I was more in love with fashion than the hotel business, so I did a 180 degree turn in my life. This is Italian blood, and there is no escape from it. My ancestors lived in Venice since 1503. And before that, the family came from Spain, from the city of Coina, where the surname came from. Today I am a businessman with an Italian approach to creativity, and from an organizational point of view my company is more like a Swiss bank. I am a perfectionist, like all Italians, and I love order in everything, especially in creativity.

Is it true that every Roberto Coin piece has a tiny ruby on the back? For what?

Absolute truth. I studied a lot about gemstones and their magic. Ruby has one of the most powerful effects on humans. He heals, brings good luck and love. But only when it comes into direct contact with the skin of our body. Therefore, in each of my jewelry, on the side that touches the arms, neck, and décolleté, there is always a tiny ruby. It is like a “third eye” that allows a person to feel better and see the world differently. In such jewelry, every woman feels not just a beauty, a goddess. It's all ruby! Believe me.

Roberto, you, like the mythological King Midas, turn everything around you into golden masterpieces: a dress, a bag, and even golden sneakers. What motivates you?

First of all, women. Then fashion! I am sure that women are the future. Therefore, everything that men do happens in the name of women. But only! A woman is the center of the family, she is a mother, she is a friend. I believe that women can change our world, because I do not like what is happening on our planet right now. For them I try to do what has not been done before. If something already exists in nature, then I am not interested.

Thus, no one has previously managed to cover leather with gold when creating sneakers. The problem was how to do it well enough to make the shoe wearable. For example, coating steel with gold is easy; many have succeeded in this. Also, before, craftsmen covered wood with gold, but no one thought of doing this with shoes. In my case, it's 24-karat gold, applied as a layer rather than a sheet. This is more valuable - the thinnest layer of gold with a protective coating. The gold clasp features a traditional ruby, the color of which I used as the basis for the velvet insert that protects the top of the heel. And it turned out to be golden sneakers for a modern girl, and not glass slippers for Cinderella.

It is known that you are constantly involved in charitable activities. Please tell us more about her.

Since I was 24, I have always tried to take money from the rich to give it to the poor. I like helping children, and indeed all people. It's sad when you can't earn enough money to live on. I have taken and continue to take an active part in many charity events, auctions, and gala dinners. For example, he participated in an advertising campaign in support of children with AIDS, to whom the disease was transmitted from their parents - YouthAIDS. And this action took place in Africa, India and Russia, we collected 700 thousand dollars, which we used to buy medicines and send them to sick children.

Today it is part of my life to meet important people and raise money for charity. Every year I try to devote a sufficient amount of time to this matter. I like people who have money, but on condition: they must be smart and have a good heart.

Judging by your collections, you are not indifferent to the number “100”, take at least the Cento collection or a diamond with 100 facets. Do you believe in numerology?

Yes. There is a mathematical way to look at life. When you hear “100 percent,” it means absolute perfection. Since this is the number of perfection, for me it is a perfect number. My philosophy is to always think and act positively. Every day I wake up with a smile, go to bed with a smile and always think that tomorrow will be much better than today. I live well and all the people around me are always happy. My business is 90% women. They are more intelligent, diligent and stress-resistant. In my business, success is women.

What is the secret of your tireless desire to go forward and create, create, create?

I think my creativity is my freedom to think and imagine. The future belongs to those people who believe in the beauty of their dreams. We must dream! And always be positive! Then you will solve all problems.

Variety of forms

You will be surprised, but in Roberto Coin jewelry lines you can often find materials that cannot be classified as precious. Leather or wood get along well with expensive stones and metals. At first it seems strange, then it arouses interest, and then there is love, which makes you return to jewelry again and again.

The jeweler is not afraid to release completely unexpected products. Just look at the gold-plated leather sneakers. The technology is still kept secret and excites the minds of connoisseurs of the jewelry world.

From all the variety of shapes and design solutions, 4 main lines of jewelry can be distinguished. Let's look at each of them.

Haute Couture style

photo from the site en.robertocoin.com
Products of wondrous beauty with many diamonds that effectively complement each other - this is the Haute Couture style. There are three collections in this direction. Fantasia Cluster is an exclusive ring made of white gold, with diamonds, of course. Haute Couture – ring and earring set with white diamonds. Snake is a delicate snake bracelet that wraps around the hand in white gold set with rubies and diamonds.

Boutique style

photo from en.robertocoin.com
For those who are looking for sophisticated and elegant jewelry for an evening out. These products stand out for their functionality and unsurpassed elegance. In the collections Opera, Chic&Shine, RoiSoleil, Barocco, Mauresque you can find unique necklaces and thin pendants. Pay attention to the Classica Parisienne, Magnifica and Granada lines if you are looking for “that” gold and diamond ring. And if you need a bright and stylish bracelet, you should pay attention to the Capriplus and Appassionata collections. Splendor and luxury on your wrist are guaranteed. Moreover, in any desired version: even from rose gold, even from natural wood. Remember that Roberto Coin knows how to surprise.

Fashion style

photo from the site en.robertocoin.com
It seems that everything is clear from the name, but we would be mistaken if we do not explain: first of all, the direction consists of collections in which special attention is paid to floral motifs, vintage elements and natural elements. These are the boldest and brightest jewelry.

Romantic collections Spring, Ipanema, Roses, Art Nouveau made of gold, tourmaline and diamonds for sensual people. And the Liberty, BoldGold, Magic, Tartan, ClairdeLune collections made of gold with jewelry made of enamel, tiger's eye, rubies, diamonds, sapphires for a daring and attractive mood.

Animalier style

photo from the site en.robertocoin.com
This is a destination for admirers of the beautiful natural world. In each collection you can find figurines in the form of noble animals. Let's highlight just a few of the variety - Lizard and Elephant Skin pendants. Ladies with a sparkle in their eyes will love the exclusive Cobra necklace. And earrings, cufflinks, and rings are worth a look in the Turtle and Giraffe collections. For unique designer bracelets, check out Nemo, Unique Pieces and Leopard.