Online estate jewelry destination Beladora is taking its first step toward becoming a true retail platform with the launch of a branded collection of fine jewelry in collaboration with Carlo Weingrill, Italian makers of the original gold tubogas design, which it used to handcraft for fine jewelry houses such as Cartier, Bulgari and Tiffany & Co.
The four-piece Veneto collection utilizes the distinctive ribbed and coiled tubular design in a bypass bracelet tipped with hand-set diamonds; two styles of hoop earrings with diamonds; and a diamond wrap ring. Retail prices range from $2,750 to $5,950 and all styles are made from 18 karat yellow gold, while the bypass bracelet also comes in 18 karat white and rose gold.
“Beladora itself is so much about traction for the Web site and what it sells, said Russell Fogarty, managing director and owner. The site is the consumer-facing arm of Beverly Hills estate jewelry company Kazanjian & Fogarty, which deals with private clients worldwide. “It has now reached maturity level after 10 years with a certain number of people in the buying public, and we’d like to convert it to a platform with items that blend with the estate jewelry world,” Fogarty explained.
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Fogarty, a Christie’s veteran, knows that many of the pieces Beladora sells are limited, signed collectibles from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari, and once an item sells, it can’t be replaced. The choice to collaborate with Carlo Weingrill, which created many of the highly collectible pieces in the Fifties and Sixties that sell on Beladora today, was deliberate.
“We chose Weingrill as our first collaborator because wanted something handmade with a timeless design and a wearability that would stay chic 50 years from now,” he said. “There are a finite number of companies that can do that and the trick is to find a master craftsman.”
Enter Carlofilippo Weingrill, fourth generation of the 136-year-old family business. “Beladora is graciously promoting the Weingrill name, and heralding our design and specialty on its platform, to its clients. This is something that’s been rarely done for my family’s work over the past century. The U.S. is our main market, and Beladora’s presence here is an asset. It is wonderful to have a spotlight on the business from an online perspective, as it allows a wide and perhaps new audience to learn about Weingrill, he said.
Weingrill also noted, “I take great pride in knowing that a design formula that has been perfected over 100 years can still be reinvented for a contemporary purpose. The price point is also one that offers more people a chance to continue the tubogas legacy.”
With a limited quantity of 50 pieces, which Fogarty believes will sell quickly, the demand could also increase Beladora’s profile. The company plans to look for other design partnerships to fill the same timeless contemporary niche, as well as to introduce more co-branded Weingrill designs.
“This is a toe-in-water experience for us,” said Fogarty. “Most of our customers come to us because we’ve curated the pieces and done the homework behind selecting the right brand, so it can be a big boost to certain fine jewelry makers.”