Roberto Coin’s jewelry is renowned for its alluring femininity and its unshakeable roots in Italian art, architecture, and history. The lively spirit and fluid structure of Roberto Coin pieces embody the colorful and vivacious energy that runs deep within the culture of Italy.
However, Coin’s pieces do not simply pay homage to the culture that inspires their designs: they are also incredibly diverse, rendering them remarkably stylistically flexible. These pieces can play the centerpiece to any jewelry collection in the world.
Nevertheless, one Roberto Coin collection truly rises above the rest. We’re taking you inside the Barocco collection, its modern descendant, and the amazing artisanal technique that unites the two.
Roman Barocco: The Original
The most popular collection of Coin’s arrangement of designs is undoubtedly the Roman Barocco collection. Named after the Italian word for “Baroque,” this Roberto Coin classic embodies the heavily-detailed, ornamental style of the Baroque era. Roman Barocco pieces are heavily influenced by the cathedrals and religious imagery of Rome, as evinced by the diamond-shaped cage design and the signature twisted thread motif.
The diamond-shaped cutout effect that Roman Barocco pieces demonstrate contributes to the light, airy aesthetic that makes these pieces ultra-wearable. While they have a significant presence on the body, the design is subtle enough so that they don’t overpower the rest of the ensemble. This particular element was inspired by Roman cupolas, which are small towers built on top of buildings to help air circulate, an architectural feature that was developed during the Renaissance.
The twisted thread motif, which is signature to the Barocco collection, brings a remarkable amount of detail and dimension to each Barocco piece. The woven gold evokes early medieval religious art, which was often bordered or ornamented by twisted ropes. This detail is also proof positive of Roberto Coin’s amazing artisanship as a jewelry house: created with longevity in mind, the threads that make up each Barocco piece were welded out of a specially-concocted alloy that becomes remarkably durable once cured in a certain type of oven. The very thin gold threads are artfully twisted together while still malleable after being heated, resulting in a one-of-a-kind design that will last through the ages.
New Barocco: The Evolution
Everything is sleek in the 21st century, including and especially the jewelry. Stackable and customizable rings, bracelets, and necklaces rule the market. The New Barocco collection is Roberto Coin’s response to that trend. The modern descendant of the Roman Barocco, the New Barocco retains the solid roots in Italian heritage but forgoes the complex ornamentation tied to Baroque art in favor of a sleeker silhouette that envelopes more powerful and meaningful symbols into the design, instead.
Characterized by two principal looks, the collection features pieces whose designs incorporate either pavé diamond clusters or Navette-shaped cage effects. Borrowing inspiration from Italian culture and religion like its predecessor, the New Barocco collection marries the complex artistic styles of the 1600s with the pragmatic styles of the modern era.
The pavé diamond clusters are welded together in a dome shape to suggest volume and to make a significant visual impact. Inspired by the domes that sit atop Italian cathedrals, the pavé diamond design is meant to catch the eye, much as the churches do when they stand out against the Roman skyline. The pavé clusters throw impressive halos of light thanks to their many facets, a feat that would not have had the same effect from a single, large stone. Whether the clusters form the center of a statement ring, stations of a necklace, or the primary element of a drop earring, they maintain a unique allure that is the result of the perfect balance between the antique and the modern.
The Navette-shaped cage design, similar to the diamond-shaped design of the Roman Barocco collection, brings levity to the New Barocco pieces. Though it was inspired by the netting in bridal veils, this romantic design element is also evocative of cathedral windows. As some Navette-designed New Barocco pieces also feature several beautiful marquise diamonds, the fire and brilliance thrown by the stones in these pieces of jewelry combine with that elegant shape to conjure the memory of the stained glass that decorates Italy’s churches. And, like in the Roman Barocco collection, the twisted thread motif that makes up the Navette cages calls back to the decorations in religious art. It is this motif that unites the old with the new and shows off the remarkable Roberto Coin craftsmanship that wins the hearts of jewelry enthusiasts everywhere.