Some things are simply too beautiful to belong to one generation. For Italian jewellery Maison Buccellati, more than a century of craftsmanship, family heritage and artistic expression has created a design language that remains as relevant today as it was decades ago. From intricately engraved gold to sculptural silverware, its creations tell stories that extend far beyond their precious materials.
This November, Buccellati returns to Downtown Design Dubai for the second time, presenting Aquae Mirabiles, an immersive installation celebrating its iconic Caviar silverware collection. First unveiled during Milan Design Week 2026, the installation transforms the Maison’s world into an imagined underwater setting, where silver sturgeon sculptures, intricate tableware and illustrations by British artist Luke Edward Hall come together in a celebration of art, nature and Italian heritage.
But behind the beauty of the collections lies something even more personal: a family story that continues to shape the Maison’s identity.
Speaking exclusively to YUNG, MariaCristina Buccellati reflects on her earliest memories of the family business, recalling visits to her grandfather’s shop when she was just four years old. Fascinated by the little silver animals on display, she would slip them into her pockets, only to be playfully confronted by her grandfather, who asked how she intended to pay for her purchases.
Other memories take her back to afternoons spent in her father Gianmaria Buccellati’s office, watching him draw while precious stones lay scattered across his desk. She remembers playing with them as he reminded her to be careful with the diamonds and other gemstones. What might have seemed like an extraordinary childhood was, for MariaCristina, simply part of everyday family life.
That sense of belonging remains central to Buccellati today, with members of the third and fourth generations continuing to work within the company. In an industry constantly looking towards reinvention, the family has remained committed to preserving the distinctive techniques and aesthetic that have defined the Maison since its founding in 1919.
“I think that we are always very consistent with our style and the techniques,” MariaCristina explains. A piece created in the 1930s, she points out, can feel just as contemporary in 2026. She gestures towards earrings designed approximately 40 years ago that she still wears today, illustrating how little the passage of time has diminished their appeal.
“We don’t follow the fashion,” she says, explaining that Buccellati has never felt the need to abandon its identity in pursuit of passing trends. “We’re always us. We never betrayed that heritage. And I love that.”
Perhaps nowhere is the relationship between family and design more evident than in the Macri collection, one of Buccellati’s most recognisable creations. Named in MariaCristina’s honour by her father, the collection holds a particularly sentimental place in her heart.
She remembers falling in love with a piece as a teenager and asking her father if she could have it. He refused, insisting she was too young. Eventually, on her 18th birthday, she received the piece she had wanted for years. In the meantime, her father had given her name to the collection.
What began as a personal story became one of the Maison’s best-known jewellery lines, celebrated for its delicate rigato engraving and unmistakable texture. For MariaCristina, it remains a favourite, not simply because it bears her name, but because it captures the balance between emotional significance and enduring design.
That same balance is what she believes attracts younger jewellery lovers today. Rather than radically altering its approach to appeal to a new audience, Buccellati has discovered that its heritage is precisely what makes it relevant.
“You know, actually we don’t do anything. They just like it,” she says when asked how the Maison connects with younger generations.
To illustrate her point, she shares a story about her daughter, who fell in love with one of her rings featuring a pearl and an antique-inspired design. Worn with jeans and a white shirt, the piece suddenly takes on an entirely different personality. What once might have been considered traditional becomes effortlessly contemporary.
For MariaCristina, the beauty of jewellery lies in this freedom of interpretation. A creation does not need to be redesigned to belong to a new era. Sometimes, all it takes is a different person wearing it in a different way.
There is also a growing appreciation for authenticity, something she believes younger consumers increasingly recognise in handcrafted pieces. At Buccellati, traditional techniques remain fundamental, with every creation carrying the knowledge and expertise of generations of artisans.
For her, the true value of jewellery extends beyond its financial worth. It is an investment in something lasting, a piece that can be worn, treasured and eventually passed down.
This philosophy extends to the Maison’s silverware, which takes centre stage at Downtown Design Dubai. The Aquae Mirabiles installation presents the Caviar collection through an imaginative underwater narrative, featuring silver objects, a wave-shaped banquet table and illustrations exploring the history of Italian caviar. The presentation also includes jewellery from the Macri, Torsadé, Muse and Mosaico collections, revealing how the same artistic codes travel across different forms and materials.
The Middle East, MariaCristina believes, is a particularly meaningful market for Buccellati because of the region’s understanding of quality and appreciation for lasting craftsmanship. “I think in the Middle East, they love the real quality. They understand it,” she tells YUNG. While the Maison’s silverware is still becoming more familiar to regional audiences, she sees growing interest as people discover the artistry behind each creation.
For a Maison with more than 100 years of history, the future is not necessarily about becoming something new. It is about allowing each generation to rediscover what has always made Buccellati special.
And perhaps that is the ultimate expression of timeless luxury: jewellery that carries the memories of the past while finding an entirely new life in the present.
Because at Buccellati, heritage is not something kept behind glass. It is something to wear, live with and make your own.
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