Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** This article highlights the evolution of Curnis from a family-run jewelry business into a distinct brand, marking a new chapter for the Bergamo-based jeweler as it prepares to showcase its collections at international fairs.
The Curnis brand is born: Bergamo-signed jewelry
26/05/2015 at 17:40
Something is changing in one of the most renowned jewelry stores in Bergamo and its province. Curnis will no longer be just the surname of a family of jewelers who have passed down the profession from father to son for four generations; it will become, in every respect, the name under which collections characterized by a recognizable style will be born. Until now, the two Curnis stores in Bergamo operated in a relationship of homogeneity and exchange. Many know this family of jewelers and are attached to their representatives: those who wanted to see Cesare went to via Zambonate, while those who preferred advice from the father stopped at via Monte Grappa. Now the situation is changing, and, partly due to the recent theft suffered by one of the two stores, what were once tests and development hypotheses are becoming reality.
The new generation has taken the reins of the family business, deciding to bet everything (or almost) on the Curnis brand. Carlo, Cesare, and Cielo are creating two co-owned stores, but with clearly divided roles. By the end of June (the date is not yet certain), the “Boutique Curnis” will open on via Monte Grappa—a jewelry boutique that will rival similar establishments in Milan or Geneva. The store will have two focuses: on one hand, the exclusive and complete offering of the Rolex brand, which has always been linked to the Bergamo family; on the other, the exclusive lines of Curnis collections, designed, drawn, and created to tell the family’s story.
The store on via Zambonate, which will remain Cesare’s domain, will continue to be the traditional reference point with some changes: the sole representative for the Cartier brand and all traditional jewelry and silverware offerings, as well as a privileged place for tailor-made pieces.
Creating two collections a year that are identifiable in style and quality is the new challenge. Each piece of jewelry will therefore be designed and planned while maintaining the feminine tradition in design that has been passed down from the mother to Cielo and, over time, has also relied on skilled goldsmiths. The selection of materials and stones will be a task reserved for Cesare, a gemologist graduated from the Gemmological Institute of America (G.I.A.). In reality, the challenge is not entirely new. For years, this jewelry store has created a distribution network for its products, but until now it had chosen to offer them under other names, thinking that the family surname did not yet have the necessary appeal to conquer the international market. The new course of events, however, has convinced everyone that this is a viable path to success, and in this light, the Curnis surname enters the market also leveraging the tourist expansion that Bergamo has experienced in recent years.
Recently, the Curnis 1920 collection was presented in the capital of the Principality, at the fair in Monte Carlo that gathers luxury excellence. The Bergamo brand passed this first important test by showcasing specimens of rare craftsmanship and beauty—jewelry that has gained value and prestige over the years. An opportunity to exalt design and technology and reflect on the art of jewelry, as Cielo Curnis tells it:
After the event at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, the Made in Italy signed by Curnis now has the fairs in Las Vegas and New York on its agenda.
The branding project for the Curnis brand also includes special attention to the style of the new boutique being created on Via Monte Grappa. This new space, designed by architect Iriam Bettera, could be the first of a series of boutiques that will open over time in strategic locations in Italy and abroad. While Bergamo remains the traditional and privileged hub for the development strategy of the new brand, the intention is for Curnis to become one of the best Italian luxury brands.
The Curnis family is thus preparing to celebrate its centenary from that 1920 when Gustavo opened the first store in Bergamo. Since then, four generations of family members and just as many clients have been involved and passionate about the world of jewelry. It was Giacomo, in 1950, who opened the jewelry store on Via Monte Grappa (the one raided by thieves on the night of April 15-16 last). The new commercial point served to grow the passion and professionalism of his son Claudio, who gradually imposed his style. Over time, the Curnis family not only acquired exclusivity for luxury excellence brands but also developed a recovery of craftsmanship and design. Now the challenge expands to the world.
