After two decades Marco Bicego is going back to its roots, highlighting the trademark coil technique that is the result of sudden inspiration spun in gold.
The extremely fine 18-karat gold strand, now shaped by the generational hands of expert craftsmen, was created by accident, saved by the founder of the namesake brand from being remelted in his father’s factory. Bicego recalls that it was a moment of sudden insight, explaining that he saw the simple chain for its beauty that resembled a silhouette of golden ribbons along sand dunes.
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Marco Bicego’s coil continues to represent a masterpiece and the brand’s most successful collection. For the fall/winter 2023 season, the artisanal technique will be treated with new sophisticated, contemporary designs and collection extensions: Marrakech, Marrakech Onde and Masai. The collections’ new take on beauty, said Bicego are irregular, purposely imperfect, and unique.
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Here, Marco Bicego speaks to Fairchild Studio about the origin of his signature coil technique, the evolution of Marco Bicego and the inspiration for his latest collections.
Fairchild Studio: What is the inspiration behind your latest collections?
Marco Bicego: In fall/winter 2023, we are putting the spotlight once more on our exclusive coil technique with new sophisticated, contemporary designs and collection extensions: Marrakech, Marrakech Onde and Masai. These new extensions are in line with my credo of creating beautiful jewelry pieces that complement each other and complete a look while exuding the wearer’s personality. The results seen today, in a seemingly simple coil chain, was the product of many hours of meticulous artisan research and development. Since the brand’s two-decade launch, the coil proves a masterpiece and artisanal technique of its most successful collections.
Fairchild Studio: How would you describe the Marco Bicego woman?
M.B.: My muse is the kind of woman you meet in everyday life, who impresses with character, class and elegance. I like to think that those who choose my creations appreciate the care with which they are made, the fact that they express the taste of a 100 percent Made in Italy product, and the fact that they are timeless pieces of jewelry that never go out of fashion. Beautiful on their own, they can be mixed and matched so that every woman can create her personal style and wear them at every moment of the day, from an informal meeting to an exclusive evening.
Fairchild Studio: What is your family history with the unique coil technique and how has it evolved?
M.B.: I made my debut as a designer in 2000 with Marrakech, which is still today one of the brand’s most distinctive and iconic collections. It was the year 2000 when a machine designed for processing gold jammed, resulting in a long, spiraling twisted strand being released. The craftsman was about to melt it down again, but I had spotted something special in that strand, a new way of making and creating jewelry. I decided to take advantage of that unexpected event by trying to develop a specific production method that would allow me to obtain that very same spiral.
The exclusive coil technique was born from this unexpected insight, which led to the launch of the Marrakech collection. The coil is lightweight yet robust; delicate yet versatile; and reproducible yet simultaneously unique.
Fairchild Studio: How is Marco Bicego putting its distinct craftsmanship at the forefront of design?
M.B.: Artisanal mastery and technical expertise is really at the core of all we do. Our rigorously manual artisanal approach requires not only time but also extraordinary skill. The incisions we make using a burin, the painstaking coiling process and the meticulous choice of precious stones are all expressions of the care and mastery that go into every piece of Marco Bicego jewelry. My jewelry is a distinctly Italian take on the goldsmith tradition, where the skill of master goldsmithing is expressed at its highest level.
Fairchild Studio: How does the vertical integration of your factory and house in one place help contribute to the distinctive craftsmanship of your products?
M.B.: All my jewels are created in our atelier in Trissino, near the goldsmith hub of Vicenza, Italy. The goldsmith tradition is deeply rooted here. Our master craftsmen have a talent and a passion that no machine could ever replace. Know-how and skills are passed down from generation to generation like a precious heirloom. They painstakingly etch and craft each intricate piece by hand using traditional techniques. This is one of the aspects I value most. The beauty of a piece of jewelry that is entirely handmade, cared for down to the smallest detail, and unique because it is irreproducible is an added value in all my creations. It is not easy to safeguard this heritage, but it is what makes my work special. Those who choose my jewelry know this and feel it.
Fairchild Studio: How are you continuing to encourage the next generation of craftsmen?
M.B.: Last year, we launched an academy program to train new master goldsmiths and professional jewelry artisans to introduce new professionals in the company to increase its specialized production capacity.
This training program is part of the company’s mission to preserve and enhance a historical savoir-faire, supporting the link with the local district and the territory where this same goldsmith tradition has its roots. The initiative was carried out in partnership with the Vicenza Professional School of Art and Crafts, one of the oldest and most respected institutions in the Italian goldsmith district. In the next few months, we plan to replicate a second edition of the academy to strengthen and grow even more the highly specialized crafts and skills of our atelier in Trissino, Vicenza.