“The idea and purpose of fine jewellery is changing into something that is enjoyed during the day, in the evening and for every occasion no matter whether it is casual or formal. This is the kind of jewellery we create.”
Paolo Costagli is an Italian jewellery designer who was born in Florence in 1966 to Venetian parents. His childhood was spent surrounded by the colours, shapes and forms of the Italian countryside and he fondly remembers walks along the Ponte Vecchio with his mother, a jewellery collector, admiring all the beautiful jewels and gems sparkling at them from the shop windows.
Knowing that it was these objects of beauty that held the key to his future he moved to California aged just 19 to study gemmology at the renowned Gemological Institute of America. After graduating he took his new found knowledge and love of coloured gems to South America where he travelled to the Colombian emerald mines of Muzo and Coscuez. Working at the very heart of the gemstone trade, he spent time mining emeralds and eventually worked as a buyer for a major emerald export company.
In 1993 Costagli’s desire to create his own jewels drove him to relocate to New York. Here he was able to pursue his dream career and he began buying fabulous gemstones which he would set into innovative and joyful combinations which reflected the aesthetics of his upbringing. He gradually built a loyal following of stylish women who enjoyed his easy approach to fine jewellery and in 2000 opened his first atelier on Fifth Avenue and Fifty-Seventh Street. Describing his style Costagli said, “I am a gemologist at heart, and my intention is always to create a jewel that will showcase the natural beauty of the gemstone.” After one of his necklaces was featured in the Gemological Institute of America’s prestigious Gems & Gemology magazine, it was acquired by the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles as an “exceptionally rare jewel”.
In 2007, after a two year waiting game during which his work was very carefully reviewed, he was informed by the world famous department store Bergdorf Goodman that they would accept a collection of his jewellery, but only on a three month trial basis. However it was an immediate hit with clients and a decade later Costagli’s jewellery is still showcased in the store’s fine jewellery department.
In 2009 The Museum of Art and Design in New York acquired a bracelet from the Brillante collection which remains on permanent display in the contemporary fine jewellery collection. His work is now sold in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as America and Europe and in 2015 the flagship atelier moved to New York’s Madison Avenue. From here, Costagli and his team continue to pursue excellence both in the innovative design and craftsmanship of fine jewellery.