Luca Palmiero, Palmiero’s executive vice president, was recently in Hong Kong to unveil a new collection of bespoke high jewellery exclusively available at Masterpiece by King Fook. Luca talked to us about how the family-run business set up by his father, Carlo Palmiero, has now become an international brand.
Tell us about the origins of Palmiero.
Palmiero Jewellery House was started by my father in our Italian hometown of Valenza in 1979. Over the years, we have become famous for our intricately designed and handcrafted jewellery, all made exclusively in Italy.
How does your Italian heritage influence your work?
Firstly, our hometown of Valenza has a rich history of boutique jewellers perfecting their craft that goes back to the 19th century. By 1950, it was well recognised as Italy’s high jewellery capitol. Palmiero’s designs encapsulate this devotion to artisanal craftsmanship.
Secondly, many of our pieces are inspired from quintessentially Italian themes. My father especially loves to draw from our vibrant art history and gorgeous landscapes.
Why has Palmiero been so successful?
We never follow current trends; we always go our own way. When you look at the market now, it is very common to find pieces that are built to highlight one central precious gem. We do exactly the opposite, focusing on making the overall design into a piece of art.
We also stay on the cutting edge of high jewellery. My father was a pioneer in utilising multicoloured stones to enhance his designs. He started this back in the ‘80s, and was hailed a visionary.
Since then, the use of multi-tonal gems with intricate 3D designs in a Pavé setting has become a Palmiero signature.
What else sets Palmiero apart from other high jewellery houses?
Our brand is positioned at the very high end luxury spectrum. It’s not targeted to the mass market, but rather a niche group of discerning jewellery enthusiasts looking for unique statement pieces to punctuate their well-developed collections.
With such an exclusive clientele, do you have any competitors?
Well, currently, I don’t think we have any direct competitors in the international market. A lot of the other high-end brands create luxury jewellery but releases many pieces per design that can be found at all their boutique stores worldwide.
On the other hand, Palmiero’s clients get a sense of exclusivity because many of our pieces are one-of-a-kind. Each Palmiero piece has a unique story behind it, and is inspired from unlikely sources, be it Haiku poems about the four seasons, or a chameleon that changes colours at will. When you wear a Palmiero, you are not only wearing a piece of jewellery, but also being a part of a unique narrative. That’s what sets us apart.
Thank you.
Interview: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Text: Tenzing Thondup