Bal Harbour

Spring 2016

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76 BAL HARBOUR BUCCELLATI, BABY! Lucrezia Buccellati lends her hand to the Italian house's first fine jewelry collection for babies. And as always, it's a family affair. BY BEE SHAPIRO "I was five years old and brought a piece of scrap crystal to my grandfather. I told him it was a diamond and that he must make me jewelry from it." —Lucrezia Buccellati Ask any new mom and you'll hear how life-changing bringing a new baby into the world can be. And along with the process comes this revelation: There's now somebody infinitely more fun to dress than yourself. That was at least partly the reason why Lucrezia Buccellati, 26, the only female designer behind her family's eponymous jewelry brand, is revamping the company's baby line. The idea actually started some two years ago after the birth of her son. The moment got her started thinking about heritage, family and one poignant memory in particular. "I was maybe five years old and I had brought a piece of scrap crystal to my grandfather," Buccellati says. "Who knows where I found it? Maybe it was even from the playground, but I told him it was a diamond and that he must make me jewelry from it." Rather than laugh it off, grandfather Buccellati took her directive seriously and crafted little Lucrezia's very first piece of jewelry: "a ring with a little teddy bear that was engraved and had a diamond in the belly," she says. In time, the cherished object became more than a fanciful accessory. "The creativity and the experience of how that piece came together was what made me really fall in love with the jewelry world," she says. "It played a big role in what I decided to do with my life." Buccellati is now bringing that heartfelt sentiment to her customers. In June, the brand will debut a collection of fine baby jewelry in yellow gold with an optional diamond accents. The central motif? The teddy bear, of course. The adorable animal will be crafted into a pendant and bracelet. There will also be a teddy bear-themed silver flatware collection, cup and "jewelry" box for the tooth fairy. But the baby collection isn't only about heritage, Buccellati emphasizes. Though she is inspired by the past, she is firmly looking ahead to create more pieces for the line. "It's taking Buccellati tradition—like the engraving work on the teddy bear—but in a way that feels more personal and fresh," she says. COURTESY OF BUC CELLATI

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