It’s a common refrain: successful business models are defined by their agility – being able to adapt to industry disruption and rapidly changing consumer trends is key to longevity.
Does this apply to the world of fine jewellery? A world where pieces are crafted to last for generations, core aesthetic sensibilities haven’t changed for centuries and timelessness is a byword for beauty?
Giuseppe Picchiotti, founder of the eponymous Italian atelier, believes in finding a balance between tradition and modernity. His sophisticated designs are inspired by the refined architecture of his native Valenza and carried out by masterful craftsmen using conventional techniques and the latest innovative technologies.
Picchiotti points to his family as the company’s greatest asset. Each family member plays a unique and integral role in day-to-day operations.
His entrepreneurial story is defined by hard work and strategic planning. After studying at a local jewellery school as a young man, he moved to London for eight months to study English. This turned out to be a substantial competitive advantage in a time of rapid internationalisation – he became the only jeweller in Valenza who could speak English at the time.
Picchiotti took a job with a company focused entirely on export and began travelling extensively, an acute observer of the way people did business. A year later, in 1967, he launched his own venture with the help of his sister. After more than half a century of success, Picchiotti has become a globally regarded jewellery brand.
Recently, Tharawat Magazine had the opportunity to sit down with Giuseppe Picchiotti to discuss his journey and the jewellery design industry.
