I visited Bernard Delettrez atelier in Rome. Bernard focuses on designing Fine and Fashion jewellery for his eclectic, free-spirited and devoted clients. He sells in over three hundred boutiques worldwide.

Born in Casablanca but raised in Paris, Bernard’s life journey took him from California where he studied at the Gemological Institute of America to Brazil when he managed a friend’s emerald mine in the late 70s. It’s here he designed for prestigious houses like H. Stern.

His stone obsession comes from his fifteen years of living in South America.It’s impossible not to fall in love with vibrant colours and gem stones in Brazil.

Bernard’s taste has expanded to include a multitude of stones in all their varieties. During my visit, Bernard showed his recent coloured stone acquisitions. Fantastic to find a fellow jeweller with a strong passion for stones, I and Bernard bonded over some sensational stones – his collection of tanzanites and morganites is breathtaking.

I demystified the Bernard Delettrez avant-garde jewellery style. Bernard is modern Codognato, his collections are famous for featuring skulls, snakes and delicate various insects.

It is not fashion that inspired Bernard, but timeless powerful symbols. For example, the skull is a most powerful symbol in all cultures. A skull crowned by a wreath of roses is referred to as a ‘carpe diem’, a reference to the Latin phrase in a poem by Horace, which is generally translated as ‘seize the day.’

The skull is no longer symbolic of anything dark or evil, but instead becomes a positive symbol that encourages us to live life to its fullest.

Bernard Delettrez rectangular long and narrow pochette in grey python outside with hand

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GEMOLOGUE by Liza Urla is a celebration of fine, fashion and vintage jewellery featuring exquisite global discoveries, trendy urban street style, exclusive interviews and rare jewellery reviews.

GEMOLOGUE jewelry blog by Liza Urla is featuring talented jewellery designers, trendy urban street style, exclusive interviews and rare jewellery reviews. This jewellery blog’s goal is to encourage and educate about jewellery online in a fresh and original fashion to inspire women and men across the globe in a fashion and travelling context.

Jewellery blogger, writer Liza Urla, the founder of GEMOLOGUE, is a London-based and NYC-educated gemologist, who has travelled to and lived in many countries. She is now one of the most influential digital jewellery tastemakers. Her jewellery influence has been acknowledged by Financial Times, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

*Photographed by Francesco Amorosino. Styling and Art Direction by Liza Urla. All photos belong to GEM Kreatives for GEMOLOGUE.

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