Jewelry designer Cesare Barro brings latest collection of gems, stones to Mary Mahoney
Cesare Barro is at the top of his game. The multitalented Venetian-born designer was at Mary Mahoney on Worth Avenue last week greeting fans, sipping champagne and presenting his newest collection of one-of-a-kind jewelry designs.
“I met Mary 35 years ago at an art gallery in South Hampton,” said Barro. “We became friends, traveling together and sharing friends.”
Several eye-level cases held pieces of pins encrusted with gems, bracelets and necklaces made from healing semiprecious stones and noble metals including 18k gold and platinum. Each piece tells its own story and, in many ways, pays homage to Barro’s life experiences.
“When I was young, I started modeling and worked with Richard Avedon, Horst, and Francesco Scavullo. That led to acting. I was traveling between Italy and New York, living the jet-set life with Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, his wife, Gala and the Studio 54 Crowd,” said Barro, who will be in town until Jan. 15.
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At a certain point, bored with the situation, he bought a ticket to Greece and landed on the island of Tinos. His surroundings were so transformative that he decided to stay. He bought a neglected ruin, transformed it into a home, learned to speak Greek and immersed himself in the spirituality of ancient Greece. He stayed for 13 years and describes the experience as having created a renaissance of his soul.
After returning to Italy, Egon von Furstenberg asked him to design a jewelry collection. It was a great success and a new door opened for Barros. He went to Brazil to buy stones and was captivated by the beauty and diversity of colored gemstones.
With his house in Greece gracing international décor publications and his jewelry designs selling out, Barro’s path was launched.
“Cesare is an amazing, creative person,” said Mary Mahoney. “All his pieces of jewelry are different, and my clients enjoy wearing them.”
Barro’s newest creations are made from rare woods, 18k gold, platinum, diamonds, rubies and emeralds.
Several sets of earrings highlight this new direction: a pair of orange wood leaves with a ridge of rubies running down the center float on the wearer’s lobes; and carved ebony anemones are the background for square-cut emerald centers surrounded by garlands of 18k gold stamens festooned with multicolored gemstones.
A honey-colored pair of pearwood drop earrings are enhanced with delicate diamond dragonflies surrounded by four individually set diamonds.
There also is a trio of wooden bangles set with narrow strips of pave diamonds and stars.
Barro took an antique platinum broch encrusted with Victorian cut diamonds, deconstructed it and turned it into three Byzantine-inspired floral pins with sprays of tiny emeralds superimposed upon the diamond background.
A pair of ascots, one black and one white, woven from semiprecious beads are casually secured with domed diamond-encrusted buttons.
It is Barro's sense of color and texture that turns garlands of beads into versatile necklaces that may be worn draped or fastened into chokers.
Each piece underscores the versatility and elegance of natural materials. To view the collection visit:
Mary Mahoney
336 Worth Ave.
561-655-8288
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Cesare Barro brings latest jewelry collection to Mary Mahoney
