Buccellati Patriarch, Gianmaria Buccellati, Dies At Age 86

Gianmaria Buccellati

The man most credited for turning a family owned jewelry business into the international luxury brand, Buccellati, has died, according to family members and reports.

Gianmaria Buccellati died Saturday at the age of 86, according to a report in the Italian publication, Arts Life.

The Buccellati family confirmed the death in a brief announcement—written by Andrea Buccellati, one of Gianmaria’s three children and Buccellati president and creative director—sent from the brand’s US office Monday via e-mail. It reads as follows:

“With my deepest sorrow and together with my brother and sister and their families, and my father’s wife Rosie, I would like to inform you that Gianmaria – Honorary President of the Group – passed away last night.

“We want to remember him with affection for his great entrepreneurial spirit and the creative genius that made him famous in the whole world.”

Buccellati’s roots go back to 1919 when Mario Buccellati (Gianmaria’s father) opened a store on Largo Santa Margherita in Milan, Italy. However, it was Gianmaria’s vision that brought the company to international fame, opening stores in Paris on Place Vendome, London, Moscow, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Hong Kong, Milan via Monte Napoleone, Costa Smeralda, Capri, Elba, Beverly Hills in Rodeo Drive, Aspen and Sydney. The company already had a New York boutique founded by his father.

In a 2012 interview in Elite Traveler Gianmaria explained the international growth:

“After my father’s death in 1965, my three brothers and I founded MABUTI S.r.l to carry on the family tradition but as the brand grew two of our brothers chose to stay in Italy to pursue less hectic lifestyles. Eventually my brother Luca and I broke off to pursue our worldwide vision, creating Buccellati in the process.”

Gianmaria also served as creative director of the brand, which he officially relinquished to Andrea last year. It is tradition that a family member creates all of Buccellati’s designs.

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