A one-of-a-kind pink sapphire and titanium brooch, positioned prominently in a display window of RCM Gioielli last week at the VicenzaOro Winter fair, caught the eye of many a buyer. Featuring 132.62 cts. t.w. pink sapphires and 25.43 cts. t.w. diamonds, the piece took between 6 and 8 months to make because “titanium is very light but also very strong, and setting in it is very difficult,” says Mirella Francia, managing director. “It generated a lot of interest from important retailers, and those who could also never be buyers but because they understood the beauty of it,” she says. [Some American buyers may even recognize the brooch from a brief appearance at JCK Las Vegas 2011, where the company showed it during a few private appointments.]

The rich purple color—a hue so desirable that the firm will likely try to recreate in the future—comes from applying heat for just the right duration. The petals are actually screwed together (with screws concealed on the underside with a decorative disc) after the petals are set with gemstones because “you can’t really solder elements in titanium,” says Francia. 

And despite all the interest stateside and abroad—including use of the photo by a Middle Eastern client in promotional literature—the flower is still for sale. “It’s quite precious for a store to buy for stock,” says Francia. “It’s an investment.” Still, she expects a buyer to surface either in the U.S., the Middle East, or in the Far East. “We are still looking for the right customer,” she says.

The price is upon request.

Brooch in purple titanium with 132.62 cts. t.w. pink sapphires and 25.43 cts. t.w. diamonds; price upon request. RCM Gioielli

JCK