Meet the curator of our exclusive collection

Angelo Almasio: The Guardian of Precious Stones and the Wonders of High Jewelry

Born in Northern Italy, in a historic town on the outskirts of Milan. Both his academic training and the beginning of his professional life were in that city, in the economic-financial area, which has little to do with his passion for Brazilian precious stones. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean in search of what Europe could not offer me.

After visiting other countries in South America, he chose to spend a vacation in Brazil. It was the end of the 80s, a time of hyperinflation. In this scenario, he immediately saw the possibility of promising business in the local financial market: he abandoned his business in Italy and decided to restart his life with Brazil as his home.

From a young age he was fascinated by haute horlogerie and jewelry. Fascination that extends to beauty and perfection. This passion led him to explore the intricacies of Art History and delve into the depths of the world of precious gems. He likes to appreciate not only the beauty of the stones, but also the laborious craftsmanship behind each cut and jewelry. In jewelry, I pay special attention to the elegance of Art Nouveaux and Art Deco styles. Ultimately, it can be said that his interest in beauty and refined aesthetics shaped his journey and inspired him to seek excellence in everything he did, leading to extreme perfectionism.

He began his experience as a gem collector/investor in the large gemological hub of Minas Gerais. Peculiarly fascinated by beryls, he began to learn about the qualities of emeralds. However, he recognized that the Pedra Azul do Brasil (Aquamarine from the pegmatite region around the municipality of Santa Maria de Itabira-Minas Gerais, Brazil) and the Imperial Topaz were the most representative and important stones in the context of Brazilian gems.

He saw the boom in the Paraíba tourmaline market emerge. Tourmalines, multicolored stones found in abundance in various regions of the world and in Brazil, despite their commercial appeal, never aroused enthusiasm: I continued the search, respecting only my intuition. The Blue Stone of Brazil – the aquamarine – was an unusually passionate encounter.

The collector

According to the common meaning, “collecting is the practice that people have of storing, organizing, selecting, exchanging and displaying different items by category, depending on their personal interests.”

For Angelo, who disagrees with this argument, he believes that collecting is never and will never be that. Collecting, from his point of view, aims to try to have “that which is rare”. In other words, something that is not easy to obtain. In your case, precious objects and gems with history.

The pieces presented in this collection express your passion and dedication to beauty and excellence. Each stone was chosen with care and affection, each gem is cut with precision and devotion. It was a work of constant and intense dedication, making him feel as if he were a relic hunter, an obstinate specialist who discovers gems or rough stones that tell stories: each of these stones is a chapter in the narrative of its origin, of the farmer. who found it, the family that owned it, the natural history and the energy intrinsic to it.

He entered Brazil in search of the most beautiful gems, exploring mines and remote markets. What would be the next rare jewel that would enchant the hearts of enthusiasts in this market? He found what he was looking for.

Following the process, he entrusted the cutting to an exemplary professional. His art is specialized in innovative recutting or cutting in order to enhance the perfection and exclusivity of gemological specimens. Focusing on its specificities, without copying or looking at others, the stonecutter's aim was to extract the best of their color and crystal from the gems. At the end of this phase, it was possible to witness the synergy between human and natural work. The rough stones, beautiful works of nature, formed by physical-chemical reactions in the heated and unknown subsoils of our planet, were transformed into even more sublime objects.

And the result is more than just a stone; it is a work of art that transcends time and space, a tangible manifestation of the eternal beauty that dwells deep within the Earth. He got absolutely unique gems and jewelry.

The collection

My hunt for jewelry pieces included a collection of Art Deco jewelry in platinum with diamonds, made by the Brazilian branch of the famous Londrina brand Mappim & Bell. This was the same brand in charge of producing jewelry with the best aquamarines from Santa Maria, for the then ambassador Assis Chateaubriand to present on behalf of the Brazilian people, on the occasion of her coronation, to the new Princess Elizabeth II. Objects acquired many years ago from the heirs of an aristocratic English family that lived in Brazil. It features a pendant brooch with an aquamarine from the practically extinct Jatobá mine, with around 70 carats of an intense pastel blue color, called “Martha Rocha” in Brazil.

The exceptional rough stone that originated this collection was extracted 60 years ago from the extinct Mimoso do Sul mine. It was acquired directly from the family that owned the Mimoso farm. This piece, unknown to the market, kept as a family secret, generated gems with the most differentiated pleochroisms, where the deep, unique and incomparable indica blue color of the 73.40 carat “emerald cut” stone stands out – which we call “The princess of Brazil”.

Among the stones in the collection, there is the impressive “The Heart of Brasil”: an aquamarine with the wonderful color of Espírito Santo, whose cut is a “fancy Dropp” – reminiscent of a heart. It is absolutely pure, weighing an incredible 389.13 carats.

In our exclusive gemstone selections, you will find not only stunning gems, but also the precious soul and perfectionism of Angelo Almasio - a soul that finds joy and fulfillment in the search for priceless relics of humanity, presented for the first time.