Hello from São Paulo! I’m in Brazil this week reporting live from the Feninjer jewelry fair, Aug. 12–15, organized by the Instituto Brasileiro de Gemas e Metais Preciosos or IBGM. While this fair is small (107 exhibitors) by American standards and is largely for the benefit of the South American buying community, it’s a great opportunity for me to spend more time with designers. I can get a good look at all of their newest pieces—tray after tray of them—here on their home turf, with fewer time constraints, and offer American buyers a snapshot of styles that may be of interest to stateside shoppers. Looking for a particular Brazilian style or stone? Let me know because I’ll be here through Saturday and can do a little digging for you at the show.
While Brumani was one of my first stops on the opening day yesterday, the booth was so packed with buyers that I didn’t get to see any jewelry until the day’s end. (And that time is 8 p.m., not 6 p.m. like American shows, just in time for a late South American supper complete with caipirinhas.)
But Eduardo Brumani, the brand’s well-known face and beloved personality, was still busy chatting with clients so sales associates Bruna and Marina were kind enough to answer questions I had about the brand’s Corcovado collection.
Corcovado debuted in 2015 and is Brumani’s first entry-level collection. Made in 18k gold, suggested retail prices start at $660, which—if you’re familiar with the Brazilian firm’s drool-inspiring cabs and special cuts of quartz, tourmaline, and more—is quite the value. Some 38 SKUs exist with stones such as blue topaz, citrine, rhodolite garnet, and amethyst, while a few top-end styles made with ruby, emerald, and diamond exceed typical entrée prices.
The inspiration for the designs is Corcovado Mountain in Rio de Janeiro. Corcovado is Portuguese for hunchback, and atop its granite peak sits the 100-foot-tall Christ the Redeemer statue with arms outstretched. Each piece in Corcovado nods to the shape of the mountain with a pebbly silhouette. Not surprisingly, each look in the Brumani line gestures to the beauty of the country via ocean waves, women’s curves, or Oscar Niemeyer architecture, so it seemed only fitting to continue that tradition with entry-level SKUs. Buy-in is 25 pieces, and Corcovado is already in stores in Brazil and the United States.
Asked why Brumani is debuting petite styles now, Bruna explained that clients had been asking for it for some time. “People have said to us, ‘Brumani is amazingly beautiful, but it’s too much for some buyers,’ ” she recollects. “Corcovado fills this gap.”
To see more of the jewelry that I’m seeing at the show, follow me on Instagram @jenniferheebner, as I’m uploading highlights to that feed.
Ring in 18k gold with 1.25 cts. t.w. rhodolite garnet $1,179
Pendant necklace in 18k gold with 5.71 ct. amethyst and 0.74 ct. citrine, $1,503
Bracelet in 18k gold with 6.24 cts. t.w. amethyst and 0.21 ct. citrine, $1,643
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