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BBspirit is the first luxury community for interior designer, a new way of interpreting the luxury and lifestyle, to enjoy the beauty and deal with a special spirit. Come to see and join the community contributing to create a unique and refined conversational space about luxury design.
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BB
The ITalIanaRT OF lIVInG PALAZZO PITTIA Royal Palace with an Italian-Style Garden
TradiTional FlorenTine CraFTsmanship From semi-precious stones to the world’s most precious silks
Fashion and aCCessories Exclusive brands for exclusive people:Damiani, Panerai, Kiton
speCial projeCT90
85-metres on WaterThe Tallest Clock Tower in the World
BBspirit Ma
de
in F
lor
enc
e
Henri Fantin-LatourGalleria degli Uffizi, Florence
Self-portrait1883
Stef
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Hen
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© G
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Henri Fantin-LatourGalleria degli Uffizi, Florence
Self-portrait1883
Stef
ano
Ric
ci re
inte
rpre
tatio
n of
Hen
ri Fa
ntin
-Lat
our,
Self
Port
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© G
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The passion that gave rise to the first edition of BB Spirit has gained momentum.
This issue continues to explore beauty in its various forms, highlighting the
many examples of excellence across Italy, particularly those of Tuscany and our
hometown, Florence.
This magazine reveals ours vision of the “Italian art of living”, starting with the
quintessential Italian palace: the former king’s abode in Florence, Palazzo Pitti.
In its Galleria Palatina, among other paintings and statues, it is still possible
to admire La Vittoria, by our ancestor, Vincenzo Consani, and two incredible
paintings whose restoration we have recently sponsored: the first by
Renaissance artist Giorgio Vasari, and the other by famous sixteenth-century
portraitist, Jacopo da Pontormo.
For us, it is a natural instinct to seek art both inside and outside the museum
settings, since the search for beauty is an intrinsic part of our lifestyle. Thus,
in this issue, we focus on more examples of ancient yet contemporary forms
of art and beauty, among them the art of silkmaking at the Antico Setificio
Fiorentino; the Florence-born luxury watch brand, Officine Panerai; the
genuine experience of Tuscan hospitality at Il Borro, owned by the Ferragamos;
the Florentine-designed German mega yacht “Keiser85”; the extraordinary
creativity of the Italian jeweller Damiani; and the bespoke fashion house, Kiton.
And it is with great pride that I present the latest news and developments at
Baldi, such as the launch of BB Fragrances, in collaboration with a top maitre
perfumer, the latest flagship boutique in Saudi Arabia; and the undertaking of
the most amazing challenge ever faced by our team: the creation of decorative
clock designs capable of capturing the essence of the Abraj al Bait clock tower
of Makkah.
This issue has taken us through a journey in which different experiences
become a trait d’union, a common passion for beauty and exclusivity – two
inexhaustible pleasures for those who share the Baldi Spirit.
The same spirit that will inspire our next issue.
Luca Baldi
april2013
True BBSPIRIT. EDit
Or
iAL
BB
The ITalIanaRT OF lIVInG PALAZZO PITTIA Royal Palace with an Italian-Style Garden
TradiTional FlorenTine CraFTsmanship From semi-precious stones to the world’s most precious silks
Fashion and aCCessories Exclusive brands for exclusive people:Damiani, Panerai, Kiton
speCial projeCT85-metres on WaterThe Tallest Clock Tower in the World
Tuscan HospiTaliTy The Unique Experience of Il Borro
BBspirit Ma
de
in F
lor
enc
e
7
Table of contentsBBaRT - Palazzo Pitti 10 - The Grotto of Wonders 12 - The Royal Palace Revealed 14 - Masterworks Restored 18 - All about Art: Another La Vittoria 20 - Vincenzo Consani: A master from Lucca 26 - Ferdinando Baldi, known to the art world as “Etrusco” 28
BBFOCUS - Emotion in colour 30 - Excellence for the Future: meet the Red Lab Design 38 - Florence’s Opificio delle Pietre Dure 40
SemIPReCIOUS STOneS 43
BBORIGInal - The Tallest Clock Tower in the world 58 - Luca Bojola Design 62
BBeXPeRIenCe - A Day at the Races 74
BBSCene - A Sea of Dreams 80 - Luca Dini Design Studio 88 - The New Baldi Perfumes 92
BBInSPIRaTIOnS - Kiton 98 - Officine Panerai 106 - Antico Setificio Fiorentino 112 - Modern Elegance, inspired by the past 118 - Damiani 128
In The SPOTlIGhT Bathing in Style 134
BBlanDSCaPe - History Reborn: Il Borro 144
BBBOUTIQUeS Jeddha 150
BBneWS 159
BBspirit Ma
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in F
lor
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9
Palazzo Pitti.Located on the south side of the river, just steps from the Ponte
Vecchio, Florence’s Pitti Palace sets itself apart from other residences
in the city: its opulent interior and adjoining Boboli gardens, the
prime example of an Italian style garden, have left visitors in awe
for centuries. Based on a design by Filippo Brunelleschi and built by
the wealthy Florentine banker, Luca Pitti, the palace was enlarged
extensively by the Medici family after they bought it in the mid-
1500s. Together with the Boboli Gardens, the palazzo can be
considered a work of art—a treasure chest in which its past owners
embellished its interiors and amassed paintings and sculpture,
porcelain and jewellery and other luxurious possessions. The Pitti
Palace was so extravagant in its days of glory that it is believed to
be the stylistic precursor to the Palace of Versailles in France.10
BB
Art
© 2013 FOTO SCALA, FIRENZE
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Behind Palazzo Pitti are the Boboli gardens, one of the finest examples today of a
sixteenth-century Italian style garden. Extending across a hillside to the south of
Florence, this enchanting green space features a wealth of statues, fountains, an artificial
lake, an amphitheatre, grottoes, and more, the Boboli gardens are a great place to take
an afternoon walk while enjoying breathtaking views of the city of Florence.
This extensive green space was created under the supervision of Eleonora de Toledo,
the Spanish wife of Cosimo I de’ Medici. It is interesting to note that the Boboli gardens
were not used exclusively for private leisurely walks but also provided a beautiful natural
setting for many of the Medici’s grand parties and theatrical performances. The largest
of three grottoes in Boboli is the so-called Large Grotto or Grotto of Buontalenti, situated
in the grandiose garden, which is considered by many a park due to its sheer size.
a Grotto of Wonders.
BuONTALENTI GROTTO (CIRCA 1583–1593), BOBOLI GARDEN FLORENCE.
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A fine example of Mannerist architecture, the grotto is an artificial cavern that mixes sculpture, architecture and painting. Designed by
famous architect Bernardo Buontalenti upon a commission by Francesco I de’ Medici, it was made between 1583 and 1593.
Meant to be an allegory of transformation from chaos to order, this magical place continues to enchant even today. Inside visitors are
greeted by statues of shepards and sheep who sit amid thousands of fake stalactites and stalagmites, descending from the ceiling and
adorning the walls. The seemingly calcareous formations are meant to make the cavern look like a natural grotto, even though the
mosaics and paintings, sculptures and other wonders contained in the grotto’s three rooms make it seem more like the place of fairytales.
This ‘grotto of wonders’ is still the original home of Giambologna’s Venus and copies of Michelangelo’s four Slaves.
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The Pitti Palace has been home to an array of rulers through the
centuries, starting with the Medici—as Grand Dukes of Tuscany.
The Medici family bought the palace as their noble residence in
1549 and, under their ownership, it soon became the pre-eminent
palatial residence in Italy.
The wealthy banking family remained in the palace for two
centuries until 1743, when the last Medici heir, Anna Maria Luisa
de’ Medici, died. The residence then passed to the heirs of the
Austrian House of Lorraine and, for a short time. It became home
to the Savoy dynasty and the King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II,
from 1865–1871 when Florence was the capital of Italy, and only
after the unification of Italy was it opened to the public, in 1919,
The Royal Palace Revealed.
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The lavish interiors of the palace offer visitors a magnificently
decorated historical setting, starting with the Royal Apartments,
which occupy 14 rooms of the right wing on the main floor.
The splendour and glory of the Medici family and the palace’s
successive rulers can easily be discerned in these private living
quarters. The rooms harmoniously document the differing
styles of the palace’s owners from three different historical eras.
In the Medici era, the magnificent rooms of the front side were
dedicated to the Prince, Cosimo I de’ Medici, while the lateral
rooms were occupied by his wife. The Lorraines, renovated the
rooms to reflect contemporary tastes in the mid-eighteenth
century, introducing significant changes to the furnishings and
décor. It was in this period that the magnificent oval hall, the so-
called ‘queen’s studio,’ was built, featuring hand-embroidered
silk wallpaper and a ceiling decorated in the Rococo style.
When the Pitti Palace became the home of the King of Italy,
Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy in the nineteenth century, a few
rooms were completely redecorated, including the room of the
King’s red damask throne and the Queen’s rooms.
The Royal Apartments.
becoming Florence’s largest museum complex. Including the
expansive Boboli gardens, today the complex houses several
different museums and holds temporary exhibits.
On the first floor of the palace is the Palatine Gallery, containing
an extensive collection of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century
paintings, and the Royal Apartments, which stand out for the
historic furniture and décor elements. On the ground floor and
mezzanine visitors will find the Silver Museum, which displays
the Medici’s vast collection of household treasures, among them
a magnificent collection of vases and semi-precious stones. The
Gallery of Modern Art is on the top floor, holding a collection
of mostly Tuscan nineteenth- and twentieth-century paintings.
Higher up, in the Boboli Gardens, is the Porcelain Museum,
located in a separate edifice, the Palazzina del Cavaliere; while
the Palazzina of the Meridiana is the home of the Costume
Gallery, which displays period costumes from the past 300 years.
THE QuEEN’S STuDIO .
THE QuEEN’S BEDROOM.15
VENuS ROOM
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Located on the same floor of the Royal Apartments is the Palatine Gallery, exhibiting one of the most important art collections in the city
of Florence. It comprises works by Raffaello, Tiziano, Correggio, Rubens, Pietro da Cortona and other Italian and European masters of the
Renaissance and Baroque periods. In keeping with the original character of the collection, the museum does not have a chronological
or thematic order, but instead the works are arranged in accordance with the aesthetic criteria typical of seventeenth-century picture
galleries, which were based on the personal taste of collectors.
The lavish picture frames also exemplify the element of personal taste: at the time of the Medici, works were commissioned with a specific
frame and frames were made in accordance to a specific artwork. The frames are thus to be considered an inherent part of the paintings
themselves. The expansive rooms of the museum are also elaborately decorated, including the rich ornamental motifs, frescoed ceilings
and colourful wall coverings.
Initially created as the private picture gallery of the Medici family, the museum also displays several examples of noteworthy statuary and
original pieces of furniture, such as the mosaic table below located in the Jupiter Room.
The Picture Gallery..
TABLETOP FEATuRING “COMMESSO”IN SEMIPRECIOuS STONES.
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In a city like Florence, where artistic masterworks are located at almost every corner, facilitating the conservation and restoration of the
great paintings of the past is of utmost importance. Generations of Baldi have lived and helped shape the artistic genius of the city, and
members of the family today have also done their part to ensure that Florence’s art survives many generations to come. In 2012, the Baldi
family sponsored the restoration of two paintings in the Palatine Gallery collection: Giorgio Vasari’s The Temptations of Saint Jerome (1541)
and a portrait of Cosimo I de’ Medici, which has now been attributed to Pontormo (1537).
Made in the late Renaissance, these two masterworks were in a dilapidated state and desperately needed restoration. By sponsoring
these restoration projects, Baldi played a vital role in a re-evaluation of their importance in the eyes of art critics. Thanks to the expertise of
restorer Stefano Garosi, the colours of the Vasari painting are now brighter, giving the painting a more luminous presence in the gallery,
while art critics were finally able to prove beyond a shred of doubt that Pontormo was the artist of the portrait of Cosimo I de’ Medici.
masterworks Restored.Baldi, patrons of the arts.
A painting commissioned by Ottaviano de’ Medici, Giorgio Vasari’s
The Temptations of St. Jerome is displayed in the Palatine Gallery
in Florence, in the ulysses Room. Made in 1541, the monumental
painting is an allegory of the sexual temptations that tormented
St. Jerome. Hidden under a thick layer of old paint, which gave
the work a dull, yellowish hue, the restoration of the painting
gave grace back to Vasari’s elegant forms and warm colours.
Restorer Stefano Garosi was able to reveal a whole new chromatic
significance and return a sense of depth to the work.
Vasari’s St. Jerome.
G. VASARI, TENTAZIONI DI S. GIROLAMO (BEFORE, DuRING AND AFTER THE RESTORATION).
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Jacopo Carucci, also known as Jacopo da Pontormo, Jacopo Pontormo or simply Pontormo, was a Mannerist painter and portraitist from
the Florentine School. Born in a town near Florence, as a young man, Pontormo apprenticed to several painters, including Leonardo
da Vinci and Piero di Cosimo, and at 18 he became assistant to Andrea del Sarto. He went on to become one of the most sought after
portraitists of the sixteenth century. Called on to immortalize nobles, rulers and popes, art critics recently attributed to him the first ever
portrait of Cosimo I de’ Medici as the new ruler of Florence.
The small-scale painting on wood is the first portrait made of the young Cosimo I in 1537, just months after he was invested as the first
Grand Duke of Tuscany, at 18 years old. Previously attributed to an unknown artist from the workshop of Pontormo, it was thanks to the
restoration sponsored by the Baldi family that critics were able to finally prove that this small yet important masterwork was made by
the Maestro himself. After spending years in deposits, the portrait will now be displayed in the Prometheus Room of the Palatine Gallery.
Pontormo’s portrait of Cosimo I.
JACOPO CARuCCI “PONTORMO”, PORTRAIT OF COSIMO I DE’ MEDICI (BEFORE, DuRING AND AFTER THE RESTORATION).
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all about art: another ‘la Vittoria’.La Vittoria, the preeminent sculpture of Lucca-born nineteenth-
century artist Vincenzo Consani was presented to the public in
September 1867. This Canova-like marble sculpture took Consani
four years to complete. Inspired by Neoclassic ideals, it is said to
symbolize the liberation of Lombardy from Austrian domination
in the mid-1800s. It represents a Greek woman sitting on rocks, as
she intently writes the dates of the Lombard battle on her marble
shield. After its presentation, the artwork was presented as a gift to
Savoy King Vittorio Emanuele II.
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BB
Art
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An artist’s vocation is to express the perception of his time. An artist’s descendants are called upon to protect, promote and preserve this
work for time immemorial. Celebrated for upholding Canova’s neoclassical tastes, artisan and sculptor Vincenzo Consani executed his
metalwork and marble masterpieces with a brand of expertise that is common only to Tuscany. His descendants, the Baldi family, continue
their efforts to uphold his legacy, whilst producing significant works of their own. In 2012, Consani’s classic marble sculpture La Vittoria
became the centre of a far-reaching technological project, sponsored by the family itself. Leonardo Boni Baldi tells us more.
“About 10 years ago, my grandfather Paolo Baldi, expressed the desire to create a relief of La Vittoria, the famous statue sculpted by
his ancestor, Vincenzo Consani. At the time, experts were still creating reproductions using traditional methods”, Leonardo explains.
“To overcome this challenge, my grandfather turned to the university of Pisa, one of the world’s most avant-garde centre for research,
in hopes of gaining technological support. unfortunately, even the laser scanning methods they used at the time, didn’t prove the best
option in this case. The techniques were considered too invasive”.
Happily, technology has developed significantly since. Baldi adopts traditional manufacturing methods, while also making use of the most
modern forms of technology. This skilled combination of time-tested craftsmanship and state-of-the-art tools, strengthen the company’s
age-old roots while setting its sights onto the future.
magic in Sculpture.
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Baldi acquired a 3-D structured light scanning system with the
intention of recuperating all of its collection’s models. Leonardo
recalls his grandfather’s wish, ‘It’s what we wanted. We’re talking
about a non-invasive process that can be carried out simply and
quickly. The scanning device is similar to a camera equipped with
a tripod. Scanning occurs thanks to the software’s re-elaboration
of multiple photos taken of the object. Once the software has
acquired these photographic images, it reproduces a new three-
dimensional image that is in essence, identical to the original
object.’
Thanks to this state-of-the-art method, only a photography
shoot proved necessary. There was no need to block off a certain
area of the museum venue or to work with a numerous team of
collaborators. The project was carried out on site, at Florence’s
Pitti Palace, which has been the statue’s home since King Vittorio
Emanuele II had the statue placed in his official residence in
1867. La Vittoria is just one of Consani’s multiple works in the
Tuscan capital, for the sculptor cultivated a deep-rooted artistic
relationship with the city, where he was a professor at Florence’s
Accademia di Belle Arti.
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la Vittoria, a masterwork by an ancestorof the Baldi family in the Pitti Palace.Artistry and craftsmanship is an essential industry for Tuscany. For time immemorial, the territory and its landscape has been a powerhouse
for artistic expression and hand-crafted excellence. Yet, for the Baldi family, whose ancestors have been producing art and craftsmanship for
generations, creativity is an authentic genetic inheritance. Currently dedicated to producing luxury hand-crafted objects using traditional
Tuscan methods, the Baldi family finds inspiration in its clan’s most creative members, whether those from centuries past or those working
today. La Vittoria, a masterwork by Vincenzo Consani, one of the family’s most famed forefathers, exemplifies traditional canons of beauty
and harmony, two ethical and esthetic principles that continue to be at the forefront of the family’s modern-day craftsmanship and
production. The statue’s magnificente and triumphant but reflective temperament has provided a model for the family’s up-and-coming
craftsmen, as they work to successfully uphold the excellence that has characterized their unique work through the generations.
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Sculptor Vincenzo Consani, one of the Baldi family’s most eminent forefathers, was
born in 1818. Having lost his father in early childhood, the boy was encouraged by his
maternal grandfather, the painter Giovanni Farina, to train in the goldsmith workshop
of artisan Benvenuti. In the early nineteenth century, Lucca proved a bustling centre
for the applied arts, and Consani’s notable talent was soon recognized by renowned
local silversmith Pier Antonio Martini, with whom Consani studied modeling and
drawing and created myriad decorations for local churches. Consani later became a
student of Luigi Pampaloni and achieved remarkable success during his time. His life
experiences and artistic legacy bear witness to the family’s continued commitment
to artistic excellence.
Vincenzo Consani:A master from Lucca.
News of Consani’s first marble bust depicting Capuchin Friar Francesco Maria Finucci caught the attention of Bourbon Princess Luisa
Carlotta, widow of Maximilian of Saxony and the then duke’s sister. She quickly became the first in a long list of clients who coveted a
gesso copy of the bust, paying the young artist eight scudi for what became his earliest widely recognized work. upon the duke’s return
from London, he too sent for the promising sculptor, wishing to have him trained in either Rome or Florence. Consani opted to gain
professional experience in the Tuscan capital, which continues to host many noteworthy examples of his work, including La Vittoria at the
Pitti Palace. The uffizi loggia hosts his large-scale statue of Florentine botanist Pier Antonio Micheli, credited as the founder of scientific
mycology. Additional Florentine works include Consani’s portraits of Santarelli and antiquarian Arcangelo Migliorini, now part of the uffizi
Gallery’s collection. Before commencing his Florentine sojourn, Consani was held to producing various commissions for Lucca’s ruling
dynasty, including marble busts of the Duke and his wife Maria Teresa of Saxony and a sculpted portrait of the hereditary prince. During
Consani’s early period in Lucca, the sculptor was also commissioned a portrait of Countess Matilde, who spent a significant portion of her
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life in the Tuscan city.
As Consani’s fame grew, other royal and noble commissioners
sought his talent. The Savoy king Vittorio Emanuele purchased
his Wounded Amazon, now on show at Rome’s Quirinale. Similarly,
Consani successfully captured the attention of international
nobles and intellectuals. Lord Salidsbury, England’s prime minister
purchased his First Pain, a unique statue depicting a young boy
contemplating death as he holds a dead bird in his hands. In
Florence, Consani was invited to sculpt four large-scale statues
destined to grace the façade of Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral. Of
these, the most noteworthy is a marble rendition of Pope Eugenius
VI, who consecrated the basilica on March 25, 1437. Throughout
the course of his life, Consani produced a total of 24 statues, 69
busts, 23 medallions and 12 bas reliefs.
ancient and contemporary inspiration.The third of five siblings, sculptor Vincenzo Consani showed
considerable manual talent from an early age. Throughout his
career, he gained inspiration from Greek mythology and often
represented historical and contemporary figures in his works.
Florence’s Gallery of Modern Art hosts his Head of Saint John the
Baptist in a Washbasin, Head of Michelangelo and a medal bearing
the Princess of Saxony’s profile. The sculptor also created an
honourary statue of Paolo Savi, designed for Pisa’s Camposanto,
which depicts the lecturing scientist as he dons his professor’s toga.
On the tenth anniversary of his death, urbano Lucchesi created a
commemorative statue of the artist, now under Palazzo Pretorio’s
open arcade.
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Ferdinando Baldi,known to the art world as ‘etrusco’
Ferdinando Baldi, better known on the international
art scene as ‘Etrusco,’ is one of the Baldi family’s
noteworthy artistic heirs. His encausto works are
inspired by the methods used by the Etruscans,
whose own encausto art remains perfectly intact
after some twenty-five centuries.
After earning his high school diploma at a
Florentine secondary school specialized in the
fine arts, Etrusco continued his education at the
Accademia di Belle Arti and frequented the Faculty
of Architecture. Etrusco also trained under Florentine
painter Ottone Rosai, one of Italy’s most renowned
twentieth-century artists.
In the late 40s and early 50s, the artist won four top
national prizes for his portraits at the Florentine Fair
for Craftsmanship. Ceramics was one of his choice
mediums at the time. Since the early stages of his
career, Etrusco’s paintings and portraits have gained
acclaim with critics and art lovers, thanks to their
modern feel and dynamic colourful flamboyance.
In 1964, Etrusco gained acclaim when he was
awarded the Silver Cup during Santa Margherita
Ligure’s ‘National Competition for Figurative Painting’.
That same year, Etrusco’s international experiences
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multiplied as he began exhibiting internationally.
Over the last several decades, he has shown his works
in Australia, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland
and Luxemburg, Lebanon and the united States.
Etrusco exhibits nationally at least three to four times
a year, in cities such as Parma, Florence, Modena
and Verona. Without a doubt, his unique artistic flair
and commitment to beauty was inherited from the
Baldi family, whose ancestors have proved beacons
of creativity throughout multiple generations.
As a living artist who continues to live and work
in the land of the great painting masters from
the Renaissance onwards, Etrusco represents the
region’s centuries-old artistic culture, capturing
the landscape’s inherent colour with unmatchable
skill. In the later stages of his career, the dynamic
artist has developed a brand of expressiveness that
exudes contemporary features, particularly in terms
of colour schemes. The shapes the artist prefers
capture the essence of his multi-faceted artistic
personality. Several works from his later years are
currently exhibited at the Baldi headquarters in
Florence.
Etrusco still works as an artist, sharing a studio with his son, the painter Andrea Baldi, who carries on his father’s artistic legacy.
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emotion in Colour.It is difficult to capture the essence of joy: you cannot hold it in the
palm of your hand; you cannot drink it or breath it in; you cannot
place it on your mantelpiece. But objects which bring joy can be
placed there, and can be looked at day after day, brightening the
room and our souls. The twinkle of light reflected off perfectly
faceted crystal, the harmony of luminous colours, the soft glow
of light warmed by deep blues, ambers and greens, the smooth
elegance of crystal shaped to perfection: these joys delight not
only our eyes and our fingertips, but also enter our hearts and lift
our spirits.
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BB
FOC
Us
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The skill of the best craftsmen lies in creating luxury while maintaining simplicity, manmade beauty while retaining the natural purity of
the raw materials. The joy of a maker who knows he has created a unique and precious masterpiece is reflected in the joy of the person
who receives it, who knows that they hold in their hand an object as perfect as it is rare.
Joy is contagious, like a smile from a stranger on the street. Like an unexpected word of praise from someone you esteem. Just as light
from a lamppost invites passers by towards its warmth, so joy attracts company, and a beautiful object calls for you to come close and
draw on its brilliance. Creations of the highest quality inspire feelings of joy in us because of the depth of their beauty and character.
These three collections explore this concept in different ways, embodying emotions and heightening our senses; their varied personalities
inspire in us a range of feelings, talk to us in different tones and fill us with wonder and joy.
Joy“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” John Keats
The very word ‘crystal’ conjures up
images of opulence, elegance and
splendour. Crystals are magical and
mysterious; they put on a sparkling
and constantly changing display
of light and colour. Only the best
craftsmen can bring out the full
capacity of crystal, its playfulness and
allure, grace and purity. Combining
traditional knowledge with modern
techniques and innovation, every
crystal is individually blown and
hand carved. This collection
presents crystal at its very best.
Crystal.
JoyE M O T I O NI N C O L O R S
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The joy of Charm is the delight of classic
lines and traditional colours. Just as we are
unconsciously drawn to charming people,
so we are attracted by the beauty of time-
honoured styles. Equally important is
innovation: these colourful collections are
sparklingly contemporary yet, underlined
by decades of traditional knowledge
and heritage. Euphoria epitomises this
freshness, bursting with energy and
invigorating those who are lucky enough
to be touched by its vitality. Joy is felt deep
within our souls; it is all-encompassing,
diffused through our bodies and even
touching levels of our unconscious. Love
and Romance encourage us to explore
emotions which are the most intimate, the
most personal, transporting us to ethereal
dimensions.
The sublime and sparkling colour
combinations kindle different emotions
in the viewer, from peace and tranquillity
to harmony, elation and verve. Just as the
most profound feelings of joy encompass a
variety of emotions, which weave together
to form a multi-faceted coalescence, so
the symphony of beautiful colours creates
greater softness, freshness or intensity than
a single pigment would achieve. Poignant
blues meet warm ambers; extravagant
purples melt into soft pinks; vivacious
greens juxtapose fresh yellows.
Joy is Colour. Simplicity. Perfection.
EupHoRia
cHaRME
RoMancE
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This innovative collaboration between the Design Campus of the university of Florence and Baldi will explore new methods of combining
traditional knowledge and contemporary technologies in craftsmanship and the artisan sector. The project aims to protect traditional
artisan techniques and to develop new objects using modern creativity. A three-dimensional scanner provided by Baldi will enable the
process to be reversed in order to be conserved: the scanner will analyse finished products, reconstructing the artisans’ process of work
and creating a database of patterns and materials.
excellence for the Future: meet the Red Design lab.
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Students from the Design Campus have had the special opportunity of being involved in the development of Baldi’s new collection. In
a variation on the Joy collection, one student designed an innovative electrically powered tray for the Joy items. The items are charged
when placed on the tray, and when removed, shine with a resplendent glow, bringing out the full glory and beauty of the vibrant purples,
warm ambers and powerful greens. Other objects designed by the students include magnificent chairs, cuffs with miniature clocks and
fountain pens. This laboratory, the Red Design Lab, presents a unique opportunity for these students to collaborate with such a prestigious
company as Baldi, and to make a contribution to Baldi’s high-quality creative output.
Università degli Studi di Firenze
ELISABETTA CIANFANELLI
GABRIELE GORETTI
ROBERTA BACCOLINI
MARIKA TARDIO
CARMINE FEDERICO
DANILO DE ROBERTO
DAVIDE SIMPATIA
MATTIA ANDREOZZI
EMANuELE BITOSSI
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In a Florence increasingly besieged by tourism, those who desire
something unique can come to the Opificio delle Pietre Dure and its
museum, invaluable for its collection and its roots in antiquity.
The current Opificio, an internationally renowned centre specializing
in the restoration of works of art, is the direct heir of the workshop
founded in 1588 by Grand Duke Ferdinand I de’ Medici. It was at this time
that the passion for semi-precious stones gained great enthusiasm: the
Renaissance considered these materials particularly suited to the refined
splendor of the princely courts; delight was taken in cameos, inlays, and
urns that the Hellenistic and Roman world knew how to create from semi-
precious stones.
Florence’s Opificiodelle Pietre Dure:A great artistic traditionthat is still flourishing.
Florence wasn’t the only centre in
Europe where antique works in semi-
precious stone were created, however it
was the first to specifically manufacture
this difficult and costly art. The first
Florentine creations were vases made
of semi-precious stone carved in
fanciful shapes, but Florence was to
gain unequalled fame in the art of inlay,
wherein the finished piece is born from
placing numerous sections of stones of
different contours chosen according to
their natural shading.
uRN OF LAPIS LAZuLI, GOLD AND ENAMEL, DESIGNED BY B. BuONTALENTI,GRANDuCAL MANuFACTuRE AND JACQuES BILIVERT,
1581-1584 FLORENCE, SILVER MuSEuM
TABLE TOP WITH GARLANDS OF FLOWERS, FRuIT AND BIRDS, SEMI-PRECIOuS STONE MOSAIC GALLERIA DEI LAVORI, 1710 -1720 – PRIVATE COLLECTION
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“Paintings in stone” was the name Grand Duke Ferdinand gave to these
perfect puzzles, meaning they were capable of competing with paintings
for their variety and colour, traits of the infinite natural palette of stones,
which also have the advantage of remaining unaltered over time.
Table tops, cabinets, chests, clocks, wall-paintings, sculptures and the
most varied furnishings created for three centuries by this uniquely
Florentine manufacturer are today found in many European museums.
Only at the Opificio is it possible to retrace the entire temporal arc of
this special activity and understand how these complex creations were
born by way of the materials, tools and technical procedures jealously
handed down for centuries.
Its antique heart still beats in the modern Opificio, where extraordinarily
capable specialists restore the marvels of the past and recreate them with
the same simple tools of long ago, guided by hands and eyes that regard
the magic colours of stones with the painterly sensibility of true artists.
Annamaria GiustiOpificio delle Pietre Dure
SALON PANEL OF THE GREAT GARDENER, MOSAIC OF SEMI-PRECIOuS STONES, FROM A MODEL BY EDOARDO MARCHIONNI, OPIFICIO, 1883. FLORENCE, MuSEuM OF THE OPIFICIO DELLE PIETRE DuRE
TABLE TOP WITH VIEW OF LIVORNO PORT, MOSAIC OF SEMI-PRECIOuS STONES,
DESIGNED BY JACOPO LIGOZZI.GRANDuCAL MANuFACTuRE,
1601-1604 FLORENCE, uFFIZI GALLERY
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Baldi spans the full range of artistic excellence. The company’s profound history, knowledge and experience with traditional techniques
and craftsmanship meet a contemporary and innovative creative vision and groundbreaking manufacturing processes.
The use of colourful semi-precious stones in the creation of decorative objects has been practised since the Renaissance, a period in
which the use of semi-precious stones in art flourished in the city of Florence, especially under the rule of the Medici family.
Toward the middle of the eighteenth century, when the construction of St. Petersburg began, under the rule of Peter the Great, Italian
stone masters and architects took part alongside Russian artisans and artists, in the Russian city’s enlargement learning the ancient
technique of Russian mosaics from them.
Always using the most ancient craft techniques—from stone cutting, chisel and shaping to the lost wax technique and gilding, artisans
working for Baldi are absolute experts in their craft. They have years of experience working with different kinds of materials, designs and
shapes.
Baldi,artistic craftsmanship in the 21st century.
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sEM
ipr
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Us
stO
NEs
THE EfEs uRn is MadE in MalacHiTE and fEaTuREs dEcoRaTivE ElEMEnTs in gildEd bRonzE.
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gildEd bRonzE décoR ElEMEnTs fuRTHER EMbEllisHTHis onE-of-a-kind c. bEcHsTEin gRan piano,
MadE in MalacHiTE. iT is bEauTiful boTH To THE EyE and EaR.
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240x290_MEDUSA+ICON_21_03.indd 1 22/03/13 10.03
THE sMall, Round TablE in MalacHiTE fEaTuREs a Russian Mosaic dEsign and lEgs dEpicTing fouR wingEd lions in gildEd bRonzE.
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MadE in TigER EyE, THis paiR of lEonaRdo obElisksHavE oRnaTE bRonzE MoTifs.
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a bEauTiful gRandfaTHER clock in lapis lazuli and dEcoRaTEd in gildEd bRonzE.
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THE EigHT-candlEsTick candElabRawiTH lions siTTing on THE HERaclE coluMn
aRE boTH MadE of Rock cRysTalwiTH dEcoRaTivE MoTifs in gildEd bRonzE.
a paiR of gildEd bRonzE ElEpHanTs wiTH basE suppoRTing Two Rock cRysTal obElisks.
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THE vicToRia consolE in lapis lazuli, fEaTuRing a Russian Mosaic dEsign and suppoRTEd by fouR gold-plaTEd bRonzE lEgs dEpicTing lions, sTands undER THE aRETusa HoRizonTal wall MiRRoR, also in lapis lazuli.
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THE galilEo globE Mosaic in lapis lazuli and TigER EyE, wiTH MoTifs in gildEd bRonzE. THE piEcE Holds Two bakHooR in TigER EyE and pERfuME boTTlEs.
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THE pEaR vasE in aMETHysT fEaTuREs floRal MoTifs
in gildEd bRonzE.54
an aMETHysT TablE fEaTuRing a Russian Mosaic TablE Topand silvER-plaTEd bRonzE floRal and vEgETal MoTifs aT THE basE.
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The Tallest Clock in the World.Time is of the utmost importance in Islam; it is one of the greatest
blessings given by Allah and is connected to four of the five pillars
of Islam. It is not surprising, then, that the new symbol of Islam is
the monumental Abraj al Bait clock tower of the King Abdulaziz
Endowment Centre, which overlooks Masjid al-Haram, the most
sacred mosque in Islam.
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Millions of pilgrims visit Makkah al-Mukkaramah every year, fulfilling the Hajj, one of the Five
Pillars of Islam. As they circle the sacred Kaaba, looking down on them is the magnificent
Abraj al Bait clock tower, which, at 600 metres, is the tallest clock tower in the world. The
magnificent clock at the top of the tower stands 251 metres tall and weighs 36 tonnes;
its 17-metre long hour hands and 22-metre minute hands can be seen from over eight
kilometres away and its call to prayer can be heard from a distance of seven kilometres.
A truly awe-inspiring and mighty symbol of this great religion, it proclaims the message
and values of Islam, with a giant Hilal displayed on the top, and the messages ‘Allah is great’
and ‘There is no God but Allah and Mohammad is His Messenger’ shining out in beautiful
calligraphy. Its grandeur is continued even on the most intricate and detailed level, with
24-carat gold in many of its 98 million glass mosaic tiles. During the call to prayer 21,000
sparkling lamps shine out from the top of the tower, creating a brilliant light display which
can be seen as far as 30 kilometres away, alerting even the deaf and those in nearby cities
The makkah Clock.
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of the all-important prayer times.
The intricate mechanics behind the clock-faces
ensure that they run with minute precision. The
four atomic clocks are linked to the Coordinated
universal Time system, and set to Arabia Standard
Time, to regulate with extreme accuracy the time
of Makkah and the people living or visiting there.
The importance of the clock can be seen in the
many records it has broken, including that of
being the tallest clock tower in the world and
having the world’s largest clock face. It was built
to last the centuries: its call to prayer will be heard
and its powerful light will be seen throughout the
ages, proclaiming to the world the greatness and
wonder of Islam.
“Time is not isolated from us like a tree, a book or an
inkwell … Rather it is something that encloses us” —
Dr. Mustafa Mahmud
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luca Bojola.DESIGNER AND ART DIRECTOR, BALDI
Luca Bojola was born in Florence and continues to be influenced
by the traditions and art of this historic city. With almost thirty
years of experience collaborating with elite craftsmen, Studio Luca
Bojola follows an unconventional and free creative path, designing
timelessly beautiful yet refreshingly innovative objects and one-of-
a-kind pieces using fabulous precious and semi-precious stones.
Working both in classic and contemporary design, Bojola finds
the perfect union of the two, incorporating traditional styles into
fresh, new creations. His studio works with a range of materials—
from ceramic, glass and metal to marble and gemstones—and has
designed creations that adorn villas, restaurants, public spaces and
exhibition areas around the world, including Europe, Asia and the
Middle East.
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Inspired by the majestic Abraj al Bait
clock tower, one of the challenges Bojola
faced while designing these clocks for
Baldi was to preserve the same sense
of grandeur and to fluidly combine a
clock face with a table or supporting
structure. He achieved both of these
goals by creating designs which are at
once both flowing and powerful, using
materials of the highest quality. For this
unique project, Luca Bojola has created
3-metre tall, four-faced clocks that are
individually dynamic and compelling.
Also in the works is the creation of a
series of miniatures of the collection,
measuring 30 centimetres in height.
The sketches and designs of the various
clocks by Luca Bojola can be viewed on
this page and in the pages that follow.
Design Luca Bojola
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Design Luca Bojola
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Design Luca Bojola
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Design Luca Bojola
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The artisan Traditionas an expression of Innovation.Luca Bojola’s striking and original designs were transformed into such a resplendent result through the superb work of expert artisans,
talented professionals who succeeded in realising Bojola’s complex and demanding drafts. The result is the creation of perfectly detailed
timepieces, respecting time-honoured handicraft techniques while utilising the latest in technology and science.
These Baldi clocks had to be of highest quality and beauty, with perfection shown in every intricate detail. The exteriors of the clocks are
embellished with numerous semi-precious stones: the deep purple of amethysts conveys devotion, energy and intensity which creates a
pleasing harmony with the luxurious and powerful tones of bronze. The alluring green swirls of malachite fascinate us with their splendour
while the deep blues of lapis lazuli reflect the majesty of the oceans and the sky.
On the interior of the clocks, the attention to detail and quality continues: Baldi co-operated with the world’s greatest clock technicians
in Germany to construct the intricate, elaborate and absolutely precise mechanical system. And the challenge does not stop here: Bojola
and Baldi already have a more elaborate clock in the works, one with four faces, which will soon be the latest addition to this unique series.
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The Baldi Clock MK5 combines traditional values with modern
technology and design. Baldi is renowned for fusing tradition
and innovation, centuries of knowledge with the best of modern
technology.
Luca Bojola was keen to create a timepiece that could perfectly
encapsulate the meaning and majesty of the Abraj al Bait tower in
smaller clocks intended for the inside of palaces. Standing around
three-metres tall, these clocks are symbols of elegance and refined
opulence.
In the photos on the right and left are the first clocks made by Baldi.
They are two splendid examples of fine craftsmanship—one in
malachite and bronze and the other in amethyst and bronze. In line
with the company spirit, there is already a project to create a series of
30 centimetre-high clocks in miniature. It will be a series of collectibles
to love and admire on a mantlepiece or tabletop inside the home.
Making a client’s dream come true is always fulfilling and a great
pleasure, especially when doing so involves creating unique
masterpieces such as these—both big and small. Each clock is one-of-
a-kind, destined to live on as an example of splendour, opulence and
excellence in craftsmanship for centuries to come.
Baldi’s greatest challenge.
Design Luca Bojola
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a day at the races.Baldi has long been synonymous with luxury and high class living.
A recent venture has seen the company bring its exquisite Made
in Italy workmanship to the exclusive world of motor racing, by
sponsoring the Saudi Falcons Porsche team. In early February,
both the company’s managing director, Luca Baldi, and the
head of production and R&D, Leonardo Boni, were invited to
experience first hand the thrills and excitement of the Porsche GT3
Cup Challenge at the Reem Circuit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The
important 7th and 8th rounds of the contest saw two of the Saudi
Falcons team members take to the podium. Baldi was also proud
to create a series of unique and striking trophies to be presented
to the race winners.
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Two Saudi Falcons drivers participating in the Porsche GT3 Cup
Challenge, Fasial Binladin and ATF, were only too pleased to meet
with their Italian sponsors. In turn, Luca Baldi and Leonardo Boni
were fascinated to get behind the scenes at the Reem Circuit in
Riyadh to really get to know the team they’ve been sponsoring
since the start of the season. This race track in Saudi Arabia is
famous for its tight bends and narrow straights, not to mention
the highly dusty conditions when it’s windy – which it often
is. However, the drivers were on their home turf and so had the
support of the crowd and between them have clocked up a fair
amount of time on the track itself. The impressive sparkling Baldi
trophies were there to spur them on and, despite setbacks which
included a potentially fatal accident for ATF during the 8th round,
both took to the podium at the end of the day.
At the start of the day, ATF and Binladin had both the Drivers’
Championship (where ATF was in the lead) and the Teams’
Championship (where the Saudi Falcons held second place
behind the Al Nabooda Racing Team) on their minds. As the
more experienced driver of the two, ATF was one of the race
favourites, despite a small incident during the unofficial practice
The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge.
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sessions which meant making last minute repairs to his front
right suspension, as well as problems getting his tyres to the right
temperature. However, the up-coming Binladin did very well in
qualifying, earning himself second place on the starting grid – a
crucial advantage on a track where the tight bends and narrow
straights make over-taking extremely difficult. ATF started in fourth
position, although he held his nerve and quickly made up for
lost time by moving up to third place. He then fought it out with
team mate Binladin and another driver, Algosaibi, and eventually
finished in second place, behind Clemen Schmid from Al Nabooda
Racing. Binladin was over the moon to finish third and gain his first
podium of the season – and get his hands on one of the unique,
finely crafted Baldi trophies.
The 8th round didn’t go so well for the Baldi sponsored Saudi
Falcons. Thanks to further problems with his tyres, ATF’s qualifying
times put him in fourth place on the grid, directly behind team
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mate Binladin. ATF pushed hard and was keen to maintain his top place in the Drivers’ Championship, although a mistake during an
attempt at overtaking in lap 10 put him from fourth to sixth position. He might have been able to come back from this however, had
it not been for a dramatic accident during lap 14 (out of 17), when his car was hit from the left side by Zaid Ashkanini. The car was
pushed off the track and rolled twice before coming to a halt. Thankfully, ATF walked away from the accident unscathed, although his
position in the Drivers’ Championship subsequently dropped to second place. On a brighter note, while this nail-biting accident was
taking place, Binladin cruised to second place, gaining his second podium finish of the day and gaining crucial points for the Saudi
Falcons in the Teams’ Championship.
Sponsored by Baldi.
The relationship between Baldi and the Saudi Falcons began when Luca Baldi became friends with the Binladin family, which heads one
of the most important corporations in Saudi Arabia, some three years ago. When the family spoke of the motor racing team it owned,
Baldi – who is passionate about cars - was immediately interested in becoming more involved. They quickly struck up a deal to sponsor the
team this season. As a company, Baldi already has close links with the region, through the Baldi boutique in Jeddah. Clients to the store,
which was designed by Luca Bojola, are immediately enveloped by the shamelessly opulent and exclusive Florentine style that Baldi has
come to represent. That very same style and level of detailed craftsmanship was also brought to the design and production of the trophies
made for the GT3 Cup Challenge. The trophies were, in reality, a last minute addition. What started as a friendship developed naturally
into a public relations opportunity for the company and went on to provide a chance for Baldi to showcase their unique and enchanting
work with these stunning trophies. Baldi are proud of their involvement with the Saudi Falcons and are thrilled to have been invited to
take part in the GT3 Cup Challenge.
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a Sea of Dreams.In the yachting world, the name KaiserWerft has come to symbolize unparalleled excellence.
For more than 25 years, the company has been building luxury motor yachts and commercial
and military defense vessels for a demanding and discerning worldwide clientele. The
KaiserWerft philosophy is that of uncompromising quality, passionate craftsmanship, and
the absolute latest technology married to the long tradition of German engineering and
manufacturing. The result is a company with deep roots and traditions in the world of luxury
vessels, a company eminently capable of realizing the dreams of its clients and satisfying
their every demand and exigency. It creates dreams and sets them afloat.
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KaiserWerft’s quarter century of shipbuilding history speaks for itself within the nautical world. With shipyards in Germany, Turkey and
Italy, the dynamic KaiserWerft GmbH group combines engineering skill and successful collective experience in all matters relating to the
construction and refitting of mega yachts.
Following the company’s reorganization in 2009 by German and Arabic shareholders, the newest production facilities have been relocated
to Rostock, Germany and Antalya, Turkey, and the service and refitting centre are in Viareggio and Dubai. Thus, KaiserWerft team has
successfully designed, built, and delivered over 100 yachts of up to 70 metres in length, offering its clients more than 70 years of shared
experience in the shipbuilding industry.
Equally important is the company’s focus on the latest technologies and innovations. The result of this tradition of excellence, craftsmanship
and quality is embodied in the Kaiser 85 mega yacht. With this yacht, two German paragons, KaiserWerft and Voith, join together to
create an unmatched experience, all the while offering superlative performance an elegant, refined, and tasteful design.
Quality and technologycome together for an unrivalled experience.
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The Kaiser 85 is driven by four diesel electric engines and
features a state-of-the-art Voith Schneider propulsion
system, made by another internationally renowned
German company, Voith. The innovative Voith diesel
electric propulsion system reduces vibrations and noise
levels, thanks to is electromagnetic propellers and a
drastic reduction in fuel consumption. This also makes
the system more ecological: it emits relatively low levels
of carbon dioxide due to the innovative design of the
hulls, which create less drag compared to conventional
displacement hulls.
Recently appointed Chief Executive Officer at
KaiserWerft GmbH is Maurizio Magri, a well
recognized professional in the luxury nautical
world, with more than 25 years of experience. He
attended the Naval Academy of Livorno, Italy, and
the Texas A&M university of Galveston in Maritime
Administration. After his studies, Magri played a
key role in the further development of a range of
Italian shipyards, among them CBI Navi, Admiral
Yachts, Tecnomar SpA and Rodriquez Cantieri
Navali SpA.
KAISERWERFT 56-METRE PROJECT.
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radiomir tourbillon gmt titanio - 48mm
Available exclusively at Panerai boutiques and select authorized watch specialists.
designandtechnology.
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The beautiful, sleek, and striking Kaiser 85 sets the standard
for innovation in technology and engineering. It is also a
fine example of luxury and design in the yachting world.
Designed by the Luca Dini Design Studio, the yacht’s
rigorously modern and elegant interiors are richly and
luxuriously appointed with the finest quality fittings and
furnishings. One can note the hand of Luca Dini, a noted
Florentine designer with over 26 years of experience,
because his artful eye has also governed the design of the
exterior spaces of a range of KaiserWerft yachts.
Luca Dini’s interiors embody the epitome of contemporary
style: featuring gorgeous lines, gleaming surfaces, elegant
restraint and exuberant modernity. They are replete with
prestigious materials and furnishings of the utmost quality,
and are enhanced by richly refined details and luxurious
fittings, without ever lapsing into the realm of ostentation,
Inimitable style, modern elegance.
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in keeping with modern
sensibilities and the latest
trends in interior design.
These shipboard spaces—
expertly and artfully furnished
with pieces from the Baldi
Home Jewels collections—
are wonderfully soft and
inviting while at the same
time being exemplars of taste
and refinement. The Kaiser 85
is a dream yacht from which
to truly enjoy one’s voyage
in incomparable style and
comfort.
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Luca Dini is a Florentine designer who has worked in nautical design for 27 years. Specializing in
super yachts, his career that began in 1987, culminating in 1996 when he opened the Luca Dini
Design Studio in Florence. Dini works in various sectors, such as residential, automobile (including
a collaboration with Lancia for the Delta Yacht Design Concept) and aeromotive, in which he has
designed interiors for private jets. His studio is behind the design of numerous yachts built in the
world’s most important shipyards, among them Cantieri Navali Lavagna–Admiral, Cantiere Mariotti
and Cantiere Mondomarine, as well as KaiserWerft, a name that in the past 25 years has come to
symbolize unparalleled excellence.
Dini frequently travels around the world from his home base in Florence. However, over the
years and the evolution of design concepts, his attitude has never changed—he has remained
enthusiastic, authentic, levelheaded and extremely professional when facing each new challenge.
“At the beginning of my career, I designed completely different things, like the dashboard of the
Lamborghini Diablo, chairs, houses, clocks … But, the nautical world has always been my greatest
love: the sea is my passion, not just sailboats but motors, nautical technology.”
luca Dini Design Studio.
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MONCHATNOIR
MADE IN ITALY
MONCHATNOIR
a world of enchantment:enzo Galardi and the new perfumes for Baldi. Sophisticated, alluring, incomparably unique and a deep sensory
pleasure for the discriminating connoisseur of the finer things in
life: this is what Baldi and Enzo Galardi are proudly presenting to
lovers of exclusive Made in Italy craftsmanship, in the form of four
utterly exquisite and elegant fragrances.
Only the very best will do, which is why Master Galardi achieves
a perfect symphony of scent using only the finest essences that
Nature has to offer: vanilla from Madagascar, Indonesian patchouli,
bergamot from Calabria, Andalusian saffron. These exotic essences
are expertly complemented by flowers that have beguiled
mankind since time immemorial.
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Master perfumer Enzo Galardi is a visionary with over 30 years of
experience in creating captivating, beguiling scents. His artistry is
legendary and unparalleled in the world of fine fragrances. Along
with the house of Baldi’s long and venerable tradition of Made in
Italy luxury and unmatched quality craftsmanship, Master Galardi
has found the perfect inspiration. The four unique, premium
perfumes of this new collection have been crafted with passion
and a deep knowledge of the alluring power of fine essences, and
each artisan-crafted bottle expresses the incomparable beauty of
everything that the very best of Italy embodies.
Enzo Galardi is an artist whose ability to blend the finest essences
culled from the exotic and far-flung corners of the world has earned
him justifiable fame. And yet his passion for continuing to create,
innovate and express the mastery that has so long characterized
the finest that Italy has to offer has not diminished; rather, as he
has discovered in his partnership with Baldi that his inspiration
for crafting exclusive and precious fragrances has soared to new
heights, enabling him to achieve—in these four utterly glamorous
and charismatic perfumes—a level of artistry that is guaranteed to
enchant all lovers of luxury.
enzo Galardi.
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Ametista, Malachite, Occhio di Tigre and Lapislazzuli: four luxurious perfumes created to enrapture the senses. Thick, etched glass, smooth
wengé wood and cool precious stone inlay are both elegant to the touch and beautiful objects for the eye to behold; the fragrances
themselves charm all those who come under their spell, exquisitely exuding only the finest exotic and precious essences culled from
around the world.
Evocations of Italy, of Africa, and of the Far East are embodied in scents that utterly delight, ranging from refreshing citrus to velvety musk
and seductive, exotic spice. Voluptuous, beguiling floral notes and hypnotic blends of mysterious, oriental essences such as myrrh, amber,
clove and sandalwood wrap one in a cloak of sensual charm.
Four fragrances for igniting the soul – eau de Parfum 100 ml.
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message in a Bottle:the Passion of artistic expression eau de Parfum 100 ml. One hundred and fifty stunning limited edition bottles were created by the unparalleled artistry of renowned
Florentine sculptor Giorgio Butini.
Each fluid, expressive piece is cast using the ancient lost-wax method and is finished expertly by the hands
of the artist himself, thus rendering each individual bottle a unique example of fine craftsmanship. Moreover,
each bottle is numbered, rendering it a certified original work of art.
The Muse has long guided Butini in his pursuit of artistic perfection in a variety of mediums. In his capable
hands, these static, raw materials are transformed into that which conjures the eternal. Thus, through the
exquisite alchemy of fine fragrance, artistic passion and Baldi luxury, a true Made in Italy work of art is born.
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Sartorial splendor.In the world of high fashion, the name Kiton has come to
symbolize a triumvirate of excellence: rigorously handmade in
Italy, expert artisan tailoring and innovation in style and materials.
Classic, elegant, and sophisticated, Kiton garments are worn
by discriminating metropolitan men and women of eclectic
taste. uncompromising quality, supreme wearability, with every
detail artfully curated: these are the brand’s hallmarks. The finest
cashmere, linen, wool and cotton—in rich, sober, classic colour or
in the exuberant sorbet and jewel tones of the Mediterranean—are
transformed by a unique sartorial magic into something timeless.
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The story of the unique Italian mastery over the fine art of bespoke tailoring is one with deep roots in tradition; in a word, it is part of the
very fabric of Italian history. Italian fashion has long been renowned for its expert tailoring, creating garments that are incomparable in
terms of fluidity, dynamism, harmony and distinctive style.
For centuries, Naples in particular has been the locus of the highest expression of the tailoring craft, achieving near cult status in the world
for the quality and execution of its handmade creations. Members of the Aragon and Bourbon courts enjoyed the distinctive garments of
these Neapolitan artisans, as do today’s connoisseurs of timelessly beautiful clothing. The hallmarks of the Made in Italy sartorial tradition
have always been that of paying rigorous attention to every detail and the use of highly skilled artisans who work each garment entirely
by hand. Cutting, stitching, button selection and placement—nothing is left to chance and nothing is left to machines. The result is
something unsurpassed in today’s ready-made world: the luxury of the personal fit.
Tradition and innovation.
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Without doubt, Italy possesses unique style: whether in architecture,
art, gastronomy or fashion, Italy charms. The Italian approach to
life is one of casual elegance, a deep appreciation of quality and
genuineness, and the slowing down to savor one’s relationships,
surroundings and the finer things in life.
This inimitable Italian way of living, by virtue of its allure and the
enthusiasm of countless visitors, has transcended its own borders
and gone forth into the world as a kind of ambassador of style.
Italy—and Made in Italy in particular—has become synonymous
with a kind of matchless quality, a paragon of design, traditional
craftsmanship and a certain timeless essence not often found in
today’s world. To live the Italian way is to always cut a bella figura—
to make the best impression—bringing something of beauty and
artfulness to one’s every day existence.
La Dolce Style.
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From Naples, with love.Born in the 1960s, Kiton grew out of the desire of its founder, Ciro
Paone, to introduce the quality of traditional Neapolitan bespoke
tailoring to a discriminating worldwide clientele. With its historic
headquarters in Naples and a team of over 400 master tailors,
the company has successfully grown over the years. Today Kiton
exports across the world and boasts more than 40 monographic
boutiques in major international cities, including a flagship store
in New York.
Kiton:Timeless Elegance.The Ciro Paone S.p.A. Group continues to record a steady and significant growth in sales volume. We asked CEO, Dr. Antonio De Matteis, for the reason why, from 2009 to 2012 in particular, in the context of an international economic crisis that has struck even the luxury market, Kiton seems impermeable to these upsets.
“In the context of an undoubted decrease in consumption, even at the higher level, eventual clients have decided to spend less but to spend better. I think this has rewarded our strategy of always pursuing quality and not the more ephemeral trends that often guide the fashion world. Our philosophy has always been that repeated by our founder, Mr. Ciro Paone: ‘A Kiton garment must always be the best of the best, plus 1’. We do not define ourselves as a luxury company but rather as a quality company.
To this end, we have acquired the woolen mill of Carlo Barbera, founded the Scuola di Alta Sartoria Kiton (Kiton Tailoring School), and we continue to give importance to everything, from the moment a garment is created to the smallest detail … This makes each of our garments truly exclusive.”
The Kiton elegance is often defined as “a timeless elegance”. How does one combine this perception with a world that is ever more quickly changing?
Timeless elegance is an expression born out of a Kiton garment’s ability to last even ten years or more and not only due to its intrinsic value, but also for its ability to listen, feel and interpret the evolution of the world’s customs and lifestyles. Our clients and admirers appreciate precisely due to the distinguishing factor of timeless elegance.”
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The Call of the Sea.In the 1930s, the Italian Navy wanted a watch to place on the
wrist of their divers. Many well-established producers held a
competition for who could create the perfect watch: the most
waterproof, the most robust, and the most luminescent as
possible. The sea trials ultimately demonstrated that the best of
them all was that of Panerai. It was also the most beautiful, as is
fitting for a Maison born in Florence, only a stone’s throw from the
famous Ponte Vecchio. In the city of Michelangelo, Leonardo, and
Benvenuto Cellini, where the taste and talent of a globally unique
handicraft manufacturing tradition has been passed down for
centuries. Steel, gold, bronze… one can change the type of metal
forming the case that today encloses the perfected mechanisms
produced by the Panerai Manufacturing Centre in Neuchâtel: but
Panerai’s style and passion remain unique and inimitable.
RADIOMIR 1940 ORO ROSSO 42 MM
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When one speaks of the great watchmaking brands of the world,
one’s thoughts immediately turn to the Swiss. But there’s an
exception to every rule, and this one is extraordinary: we are talking
about Officine Panerai, whose manufacturing centre is today found
in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, but whose tradition surprisingly speaks
Italian.
The story begins in 1860 in Florence, where Giovanni Panerai
opened his first watchmaking atelier: shop, workshop, and even
a school for watchmakers. The first headquarters was in one of the
little characteristic houses that sprung up on Ponte alle Grazie, the
bridge located next to the famous Ponte Vecchio; but soon after,
OfficinePanerai.
PONTE ALLE GRAZIE IN FLORENCE, THE FIRST HEADQuARTERS OF THE PANERAI WORKSHOP, IN A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN BEFORE ITS RECONSTRuCTION.
THE WINDOW OF THE PANERAI BOuTIQuE IN PIAZZA DEL DuOMO OF FLORENCE, IN AN IMAGE FROM THE PERIOD.
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the workshop, which was known as Orologeria Svizzera at the time,
moved to a very prestigious location in Piazza del Duomo, where
the Officine Panerai boutique is still found today.
As a result of its unparalleled expertise, the company became the
supplier for the Italian Navy. And it was for the Italian Navy that, in
1916, the founder’s son, Guido, invented a system for illuminating
the quadrants of compasses and other instruments used by the
military. This same system was applied to watches 20 years later.
Baptized as the Radiomir, the watch was exclusively created for
the heroic Navy divers, or “frogmen,” a group of men who were the
protagonists of legendary missions in the Second World War.
Continuously undergoing enhancements, this watch, which
already possessed many characteristics synonymous with the
Panerai name, is considered by many to be the first underwater
model in history for its ability to keep ticking in depths of up to
200 metres. Its fame was such that the Egyptian Navy also later
equipped its specialists with a watch from this series, known to
collectors as the Egyptian Radiomir. Meanwhile, in 1949, Panerai
patented a new luminescent material, which had the enormous
advantage of not being radioactive. And it was the Luminor—the
name given to an infinitely successful series of watches—that
became the true icon of the brand; these watches are equipped
LuMINORSuBMERSIBLE 1950
3 DAYS POWER RESERVE AuTOMATIC BRONZE.
47 MM CASE,P.9002 AuTOMATIC MOVEMENT.
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Officine Panerai Manufacturing Centre was inaugurated in 2002
in Neuchâtel, Switzerland and, in 2005, the P.2002, inspired by the
Angelus mechanisms of the 1940s, celebrated the birth of the first
Officine Panerai movement; and this was only the first in a long
series.
International jet setters also caught “Panerai fever,” and there are
many VIPs who would think twice before turning down a Luminor,
the emblem of Panerai that is known across the world.
Among the new products presented at this year’s Geneva Salon,
the Radiomir 1940 drew particular admiration; it is a watch that
recalls the form of the period model, presenting itself, however,
as being much softer and more wearable—thanks to a certain
reshaping of the case—and allows for a glimpse of the prestigious
hand-cranked movement in crystal on the back side. The Radiomir
also boasts a surprisingly Italian history, expressing the identity of
a respected and valued label, giving life to watches that are the
perfect union between the Italian style and the perfection of Swiss
manufacturing.
with a characteristic mechanism that seals the crown, making
them watertight.
After the considerable success resulting from the development
and creation of these military models, in 1993 Officine Panerai
launched a collection geared toward the general public. Made as
limited editions, the watches—baptized as the Luminor Marina
and the Mare Nostrum—immediately reveal the inspiration of
the military models that made history. Collected enthusiastically
by watch-lovers, they reinstated the historic fascination of the
Florentine brand, unleashing a veritable “Panerai fever,” which,
among other things, made the prices of the period models soar to
the stars at the auctions.
The request for the new watches also soared, surpassing by far the
productive capacity of the small maison; an obstacle that would
be overcome four years later, when the Florentine company was
acquired by the Richemont Group, proprietor of Cartier, IWC,
Montblanc and other labels of stellar fame. Officine Panerai was
then able to transform itself into a true label, offering a wide
selection of products: finally distributed throughout the globe, the
THE OFFICINE PANERAI MANuFACTuRING CENTRE IN NEuCHâTEL, SWITZERLAND.
LuMINOR 1950REGATTA 3 DAYS
CHRONO FLYBACK TITANIuM.47 MM CASE,
P.9100/R CALIBRE,AuTOMATIC MOVEMENT.
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RADIOMIR 1940 WITH A 42 MM CASE,P.999/1 CALIBRE, HAND-WOuND MOVEMENT.
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Fabrics in art and Interior Design.Study the works of Masaccio, Masolino, Pontormo and Piero della
Francesca and lo and behold, you’ll find their protagonists dressed
in lively, light-reflecting fabrics much like those still produced
today at the Antico Setificio Fiorentino. Florence’s ancient silk mill
in the Oltrarno district, produces exclusive fabrics such as Ermisino
the Renaissance taffeta made in pure silk that often appears in
the city’s most famed frescos. Today, this magical fabric is used for
draperies in splendid historical homes and palaces throughout the
world. Aficionados will find other breath taking choices, including
Turkish satin, heavy silk and the typically Florentine saia fiorentina.
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Popular legend suggests that the art of producing silk became popular throughout the Italian peninsula when a princess from the Far
East was betrothed to a European nobleman. She imported magnificent fabrics as part of her dowry, which also included a significant
number of silk worms. Historical sources suggest that the silk industry developed around 1100 thanks to Catholic missionaries returning
from China. The silk trade flourished in Tuscany and in particularly Florence as early as the fourteenth century, reaching its apex during the
Medici dynasty when the Grand Duke Cosimo had the city streets carpeted in “precious tapestries and draperies….workshop failed to make
a spectacle of the craftsmanship each produced in sumptuous silk and gold”.
antico Setificio FiorentinoA traditional workshop where silk-making is an art form.
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The workshop has made its name abroad supplying fabrics for Denmark’s Royal Palace, Copenhagen’s Amailienborg Palace and the
Kremlin’s Grand Palais in Moscow. In the 1950s, marquis Emilio Pucci di Barsento became the company’s major partner which opened
new doors for the traditional workshop, as it began creating interior designs for the international jet-set and Italian nobility. In 2010, the
Antico Setificio Fiorentino was purchased by STEFANO RICCI S.p.A. This acquisition and the development of the STEFANO RICCI Royal Suite
Collection has increased the public’s growing interest for this expert workshop and its historical craft.
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Once past the wrought iron gate, you’ll reach
Via Bartolini 4 nestled in the historic Florentine
neighborhood of San Frediano. upon entering the
Antico Setificio Fiorentino, you’ll find an enchanted
world where master weavers preserve and uphold
the ancient Florentine art of silk-making, using the
workshop’s twelve looms. Six of the hand looms were
created in the 1700s, the most important of which
was built on a design by renaissance man Leonardo
da Vinci. The workshop’s other six mechanical looms
were created in the 1800s. A smaller loom from the
1600s is used to create made-to-measure fringes or
employed for restoration projects. The fabric designs
are jealously stored in the company’s private archives.
In addition to currently produced patterns, clients
can request personalized and bespoke creations.
leonardo’s loom.
For many years, the Antico Setificio Fiorentino has created costumes for
Siena’s contradas as well as banners for the city’s world-renowned Palio.
The banners are still fashioned with iridescent Renaissance silk taffeta
called ‘Ermisino’. The antique silk mill has also restored prestigious
costumes including the funeral attire worn by the wife of Cosimo I de’
Medici, Eleonora di Toledo, woven with golden thread. In the museum
world, the Antico Setificio Fiorentino has outfitted various keynote
exhibitions such as ‘Biedermeier’ in Vienna and ‘the Magnificence
of the Medici Court’ at Palazzo Pitti. Products manufactured by the
prestigious company have also appeared in cinema and theatre
including Lucchino Visconti’s famed film The Leopard and various plays
at Milan’s La Scala. Top designers Jeanne Lanvin and Roberto Capucci
are also known for purchasing these coveted fabrics to create their
unique fashion designs.
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Across the Arno River, in a historic area of Florence, there is an incredible world that unites past and present.
It is a world in which coloured crystals, gilded bronze elements and semi-precious stones meet the magic of silk. It is an
installation of the Baldi Home Jewels collection in the historic “showroom” of the Antico Setificio Fiorentino.
Here, among the Renaissance silk damasks, satins, pure silk gros, Turkish satins, and other hand-woven fabrics and silks, are
some of the most representative pieces of Baldi’s collection.
modern elegance,inspired by the past.
on a REd backgRound, THE ElEganT vanEssa sTaTuE suppoRTs an ElaboRaTE ligHT in fEaTuRing gildEd
bRonzE floRal MoTifs and cRysTal TEaRdRops.
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THE bRigHT glidEd bRonzE dEcoRaTivE ElEMEnTs fuRTHER inTEnsify THE incREdiblE luMinosiTy of THE aquaMaRinE cRysTal of THE gilda cup, coRnElia boTTlE and cupola vasE.
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sET in onE of THE HisToRic RooMs of THE anTico sETificio fioREnTino, aMongsT THE splEndid HandMadE silks, is a sElEcTion baldi HoME JEwEls in lapis lazuliand gildEd bRonzE MoTifs. an ElEganT puTToin bRonzE fEaTuRing floRal dEcoRaTions sTandsin THE backgRound, off To THE sidE.
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dRawing on THE sofT colouRs of THE pink and yEllow silk, THEsE THE baldi HoME JEwEls aRE in pERfEcT HaRMony wiTH THE
silks. THE uniquE HandMadE cuTs of THE cRysTal piEcEs also woRk To inTEnsify THE inTERplay bETwEEn ligHT and colouR.
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boasTing ModERn yET classic linEs, THis TablE laMp in REd cRysTal, wiTH a Rock cRysTal
basE, siTs nExT To a clEaR cRysTal laRgE Round cup wiTH gildEd bRonzE basE.
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a colouRful sElEcTion of cRysTal piEcEs fRoM baldi’s Joy RoMancE collEcTion.
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like Butterflies in Flight.Airiness, and the delicate flutter of wings, are the fonts of inspiration
for the Butterfly jewellery collection. Authentic masterpieces
in white gold, multi-coloured sapphires, and diamonds: these
precious butterflies can be worn as pendants, as brooches, or set
in a refined ring. The extraordinary mastery of Damiani has given
life to jewellery that can separate and be combined in many ways,
so as to be worn in a new and personal manner.
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The history of the Damiani maison began in 1924 in Valenza Po,
the small Italian city destined to become the capital of high-quality
international jewellery. It was here that Enrico Grassi Damiani, the
forefather of this jewellery dynasty, created his first masterpieces
in gold and diamonds, conquering the esteem and trust of the
most important local families, and laying the foundations for an
extraordinary endeavour.
Already by Enrico’s time, the jewellery of the maison had effectively
distinguished itself for its classic style and design. But it was only
afterwards that, thanks to the talent and business sense of his son,
Damiano, the family saw their name transformed into a renowned
brand. Despite this, Damiani would never betray its vocation as a
great jeweller: instead of designing a series of products unfaithful
to the family’s history, the company maintained its specialization of
stylistic excellence and craftsmanship to its clients. It is a skill and
vocation that has evolved naturally, bringing it closer to the idea
of watches as fine jewellery. This competence, from 1976 onward,
has been proven by the company’s reception of 18 Diamond
International Awards (an unequalled record).
In 1996, when the third generation took the helm–Guido, Giorgio,
and Silvia–Damiani was already a large company; approximately
200 people worked in the proprietary manufacturing centre and
among them were the world’s best in the inlaying of precious
The Prestigeof the Brand.
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stones. And, in the words of Guido Damiani, president and
administrator of the Damiani Group, it is easy to detect a note of
legitimate pride when he declares with conviction that jewellery
should be “a concentration of research, the highest quality
materials, and impeccable workmanship.”
These same values have accompanied the Maison in its
evolution from an Italian phenomenon to a worldwide brand, a
transformation that was strongly desired by its founder. This is a
true example of internationalization, which went hand-in-hand
with the opening of boutiques on the world’s most elegant streets.
As a result, Damiani can be purchased in the world’s best jewellery
stores, but also, and especially, at the company’s 83 monographic
stores and boutiques.
Approximately 65 of these store windows boast the exclusive
Damiani emblem, and, additionally, in 2012, they recorded a
more than 25 percent increase in sales. Therefore, one cannot be
too surprised to learn that two stores were recently opened in
Hong Kong, followed by others that have opened in Singapore;
Suzhou, in Shanghai; and in Moscow; and preparations are already
underway for new openings in Beijing and Tokyo.
The flagship stores permit one to admire a truly wide selection of
jewellery, including those collections dedicated to the younger
clients, while still offering splendid masterpieces—unique pieces
or created as part of a limited series—that attract its VIP clientele;
such masterpieces are also, at times, created or personalized by
the maison upon the special request of the client. Among the
most recent, we can find those belonging to the Eden collection, RING IN ROSE GOLD AND WHITE AGATE WITH DIAMONDS.RING IN WHITE GOLD WITH DIAMONDS AND ONYx. FROM THE D.LACE COLLECTION.
BuBBLES EARRINGS IN ROSE GOLD WITH AuSTRALIAN PEARLS, DIAMONDS, AND SMOKY QuARTZES.
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inspired by the famous bracelet for which Damiani was awarded
the Diamond International Award of 2000. Then, there is the
splendid Butterfly line—created in white gold, multi-coloured
sapphires, and diamonds—where the spotlight is on the precious
and versatile butterflies, each of which can be worn either as a
pendant or as a brooch, or can be mounted on a ring and “fly” on
your finger.
Thanks to the beauty of its collections, Damiani has found its way
into the hearts of such celebrities as Sophia Loren, Brad Pitt (who,
a few years ago, designed a collection together with Damiani),
Gwyneth Paltrow, Milla Jovovich, Jennifer Aniston, and many
others. Also among these is Sharon Stone, Damiani’s partner in an
important humanitarian initiative. Called Clean Water, the project
has already established 50 wells of water in Africa, and culminated
in the Hollywood actress’s trip to uganda, accompanied by Giorgio
Damiani, Vice President of the Group. Meanwhile, a similar initiative
was launched in 2011, “Damiani for Japan,” a project that seeked
to help women affected by the earthquake and that was made
possible by profits from the sale of select pieces of Damiani
jewellery.
One can truly say that the success of this Italian jeweller was born
out of a passion for the art of goldsmithing, one that was passed
down from father to son. Additionally, as Guido Damiani stresses,
although the Damiani Group is listed in the Milan Stock Exchange,
“the control of the company rests in the hands of the family.”
THE EDEN BRACELET, WINNER OF THE INTERNATIONAL DIAMOND AWARD OF 2000, CREATED WITH 900 DIAMONDS FOR A TOTAL OF 94.45 CARATS.
BuBBLES RING IN WHITE GOLDWITH A TAHITIAN PEARL, DIAMONDS,
SAPPHIRES, AND TOPAZES.
A FABuLOuS DAMIANI MASTERPIECE:THE BuTTERFLY RING, IN WHITE GOLD WITH DIAMONDS AND TOPAZES.
DAMIANI BOuTIQuE IN PLACE VENDôME IN PARIS.
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F i r e n z e 1 8 6 7
Bathing in style.
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We all love a warm bath; the soft
water lapping at our bodies and light
bubbles floating over the surface bring
a relaxation hard to find elsewhere.
Baldi and designer Luca Bojola have
created three magnificent bathtubs,
the likes of which have never been
seen before, which have transformed
the way we think about this bathroom
item. Soft violet light meets the smooth
crystal surfaces, and the gentle flow of
water creates a magical and delicate
tranquillity which seems to infiltrate not
just our bodies but our very minds and
souls.
a bath fitfor a prince.The third of Baldi’s magnificent rock
crystal bathtubs was displayed at Milan’s
Salone del Mobile in 2012, an exhibit
that showed off to great advantage
the beautiful light and colour of the
bath. The magnificent display was such
a success that the tub was bought by
one of Baldi’s most important admirers
in Qatar. The contrast between the
roughly hewn raw outer sides of the
bath and the almost impossibly smooth
and subtle inner bowl, the beauty of
the dancing lights and gentle colours,
and the aura of luxury that surrounds
the bath and basins enchanted visitors
to the show and ensured the ongoing
prestige of the Baldi style.
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Design Luca Bojola
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likE THE Rock cRysTal Tub, THE naTuRal RougH TExTuRE of THEsE Two wasH basins was lEfT unfinisHEd To cREaTE a suggEsTivE conTRasT bETwEEn THE cRysTal Rock,
THE basE in sEMi - pREcious sTonE and THE sHaRp cuT linEs of THE lEad cRysTal.
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Before being transported to its new owner’s palace, the bath was displayed in the Pearl Mall in Doha, hypnotising passers by and creating
a stir in the local population, which flocked to the mall to view the incredible work. The bathtub’s translucent light and calm magnificence,
the synthesis of greatness and subtlety, ancient rock and innovative design: these are the elements which made visitors draw breath and
gaze in astonished wonder at the tub’s tranquil grandeur and beauty.
astounding the public.
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history Reborn.The heart of Il Borro Resort, Spa & Winery in Tuscany has always been
its small and lovely medieval village, perched on the rocky outcrop
of the “borro,” or ravine formed from a meandering stream’s bed.
Restored by the Ferragamo family after its destruction during the
Second World War, this picturesque village dates from 1039 and,
like a proud phoenix risen from the ashes, continues to enchant
and charm all those who wander its stone paths.
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Nestled in the world-renowned, beautiful Tuscan countryside, a unique hospitality adventure awaits the discerning connoisseur.
Il Borro’s transformation into a luxury farm holiday destination has been carried out with all the style, elegance and attention to detail that
one might expect from one of Florence’s most famous families of fashion and good taste: the Ferragamos.
The Estate offers countless activities and wellness opportunities for guests willing to give themselves over to the finest things that Tuscany
has to offer: unparalleled gastronomy and wines, art, elegant landscaping and tasteful surroundings, and furnishings that bespeak the
long artisan tradition of the region.
Il Borro: a medieval villageoffering a unique hospitality experience.
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Il Borro is an estate in which guests can relax in complete comfort
and tranquility. undulating vineyards of ripening fruit, expanses of
flowers and blossoming trees, vistas that please the eye and feed
the soul—all of this awaits those who sojourn here.
The Ferragamo family continues to assure its guests of an
unforgettable experience. In addition to the extensive renovations
undertaken by Ferruccio Ferragamo, and in particular his son
Salvatore, the family has expertly produced fine wine over the
years, garnering considerable critical acclaim for the excellent
quality of the wines produced on the Il Borro Estate. In addition
to wine, the estate produces high-quality extra virgin olive oil, an
excellent grappa from the skins of the very best grapes, and a fine
Vin Santo, called “Occhio di Pernice.”
At Il Borro, choices abound: one may visit the artisan workshops of the medieval village, take courses in traditional Tuscan cuisine,
participate in wine tastings, indulge in myriad spa and wellness offerings, go on organized cultural tours and shopping excursions—in
addition to sports such as horseback riding, tennis, golf, mountain-biking and hiking, among others. All of this, among the enchanting
scenery and surroundings, makes for a dream holiday.
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luxury as a Style of life.
With the venerable imprimatur of Relais & Chateaux, Il Borro
assures the finest that hospitality has to offer. From luxury villas to
suites inside the medieval village, Il Borro offers something unique
for every exigency. These elegant accommodations, as well as
the general décor of the entire Estate, are superbly enhanced by
splendid, locally-crafted artisan furnishings. The stately grounds are
maintained as a jewel set into the lovely crown of the surrounding
Tuscan countryside. It is sublimely apparent that an eye for beauty
and design—long a hallmark of the Ferragamo family—shapes
every aspect of Il Borro.
The Wellness Centre is an oasis of tranquility, providing guests with
all they’ll need to rejuvenate body and soul: a fitness area where
design and the latest technology meet; a luxurious Turkish bath;
deeply relaxing hydromassage; and a lounge area for sipping
herbal tea or winding down over a bit of reading.
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The estate also boasts the Osteria del Borro
and the VinCafé Restaurant, ideal spots for
a bit of culinary indulgence or a welcome
aperitif after a lovely day, full of activities.
And naturally, the Cantina beckons with its
promise of excellent wines for the tasting.
Surrounded by beautiful greenery and
immersed in rich history, Il Borro della
Sala offers a slice of Tuscany in a way that
enchants all of the senses. It is a unique place
that hearkens up the venerable traditions of
Italy at its best; a place where history, art,
culture and the sensual pleasures marry
and live happily ever after—a place whose
resplendent grandeur and inimitable style
promises an equally unmatched holiday
experience for each and every guest.
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Baldi comes to Jeddah.The ancient city of Jeddah in western Saudi Arabia has a rich history
and a highly sophisticated population. It has all the colour of a port
city and is gateway to the holy cities of Makkah and Medina. Today,
its growing skyline is testimony to the fact that it has become one
of the richest cities in the world. Boasting a designer shopping
district, top-quality restaurants and breathtaking hotels, Jeddah is
an important city in the Middle East, serving as a gateway between
West and the Arab world. So, it was only a matter of time before
Baldi set up shop there. The impressive Jeddah flagship boutique
opened in January 2012, bringing the fine quality and Florentine
craftsmanship of the Baldi style to this corner of the Middle East.
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The Baldi boutique in Jeddah’s exclusive Talia Street extends over an impressive 400 square metres, making
it the company’s largest store in the world. A bustling district, Talia Street is home to the city’s most
fashionable shops and the boutique rubs shoulders with the best brands from Italy and the world, such as
Panerai, Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari.
The stunning Baldi boutique came into being thanks to the close friendship between Luca Baldi and local
businessman, Bader Binladin–a friendship strengthened by their shared passion for beauty and for not
being able to resist a challenge. Bader Binladin comes from one of the most important business families in
Saudi Arabia. With an annual turnover of 10 billion dollars, the Binladin group operates in various sectors of
Welcome to Jeddah, home to the largest Baldi boutique in the world.
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the economy, especially the construction sector, in
which they take on both large-scale public building
projects and small-scale private luxury residences.
They have built hospitals and airports, villas and
palaces, and have been appointed to head the
most important expansion projects in the cities of
Makkah and Medina, which will allow these cities to
welcome more than double the number of pilgrims
at any given time. The group was also contracted
to build the immense tower currently under
construction in Jeddah, which, when completed,
will be the tallest skyscraper in the world and will
put Jeddah–and the Binladin group–firmly on the
map.
The Baldi boutique in Jeddah was designed by
Luca Bojola, the same creative mind behind all
of Baldi’s boutiques. The vast scale of the Jeddah
boutique meant that Bojola was able to create a
stunning concept store that highlights the exquisite
craftsmanship and bold design for which the Baldi
name is famous. The ornate and rich pieces scattered
around the boutique are set in stark contrast to the
sleek and modern lines and style of the store itself.
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This boutique is more than a place to admire the Baldi Home Jewels
collections or test a luxurious sofa. Clients can also request custom-
made pieces to be designed and made using the artisan skills of Baldi
in Florence. Clients can request custom pieces, or entire interior design
solutions, and the company’s bold style and quality workmanship
can satisfy even the most exacting clients and requests. Indeed, the
boutique in Jeddah already works with several royal families. Thanks to
the partnership with Bader Binladin and the demand for luxury goods in
Saudi Arabia, there are plans for another boutique in Ryhad.
Bespoke Baldi: more than a luxury retail experience.
badER binladin and lEonaRdi boni in THE baldi REsidEncE in cHianTi.
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Design Luca Bojola
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It was an enormous privilege and a pleasure for Baldi to take part
in a charity auction at London’s Park Lane Intercontinental Hotel
earlier this February. The evening was to raise money for the St
Clare’s Foundation ‘Home of Hope’ orphanage in Kisumu, Kenya, a
cause that Baldi feels strongly about. The orphanage was opened
five years ago and is home to around 100 children. A crystal
caviar dish with bronze detailing was donated by the company
and it is hoped that enough money was raised by this and other
artefacts to build a new 100 bed dormitory for the orphanage. Also
participating at the auction were Samuel L. Jackson and Michelin
starred chef Theo Randall.
A Valentine’s ballfor charity
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CSIO di San Marino at the Arezzo Equestrian Centre. The CSIO di San Marino 2013 will be the most important international equestrian event in Italy this year. The Arezzo Equestrian Centre is
extremely proud to be hosting the event and the Baldi family, which has taken an active role at prestigious cultural events such as the GT3
Cup Challenge in Saudi Arabia, are thrilled to participate, both as sponsors and also by furnishing the lounge bar area in classic Baldi style.
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The CSIO will be held on the first weekend of September, from Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th. This glamorous event is sure to attract many
of the top names in horse riding from around the world, as well as hundreds of spectators waiting to be wowed by the races and take part
in the many fascinating fringe events. The Arezzo Equestrian Centre itself was opened in 1999 by horse riding enthusiast, Ita Marzotto,
and has since grown from a one-hectare riding centre into one of the largest and most important show grounds in the world. Thanks to
its second-to-none facilities, the centre already hosts many exclusive equestrian events. Baldi has long taken an interest in the world of
culture and will bring a touch of Baldi magic to the lounge bar area with the company’s luxurious and ornate Florentine furnishings.
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Living in style Medea
ANTICO SETIFICIO FIORENTINO
www.anticosetificiofiorentino.com
BENTLEY
www.bentleyeyewear.co.uk
BALdI
www.baldi.biz
COPPINI
www.fratellicoppini.com
dAMIANI
www.damiani.com
ELENA MIRò
www.forme.elenamirò.com
ENZO GALARdI
www.enzogalardi.it
ETRUSCO BALdI
www.etrusco-baldi.it
IL BORRO
www.ilborro.com
INdUSTRIAL dESIGN UNIFI
www.design.unifi.it
KAISERWERFT
www.kaiserwerft.com
KITON
www.kiton.it c
red
its
LUCA BOJOLA
www.bojola.com
LUCA dINI
www.lucadinidesign.com
MEdEA
www.medea.it
MONChATNOIR
www.monchatnoir.it
OPIFICIO dELLE PIETRE dURE
www.opificiodellepietredure.it
PANERAI
www.panerai.com
POLO MUSEALE FIORENTINO
www.polomuseale.firenze.it
RASCh
www.sl-rasch.de
REd dESIGN LAB
www.axxi.moonfruit.com
STEFANO RICCI
www.stefanoricci.it
WhITE , REd & GREEN
www.whiteredgreen.com
BBSPIRIT is a commercial publication, distributed for free by Baldi srl, via Cassia 65h, 50023 Tavarnuzze, Impruneta (Firenze) - ItalyBBSPIRIT - concept, planning and advertising by WHITE , RED & GREEN - Italy - [email protected]
We would like to thank all the advertisers appearing in this issue for their kind concession of the use of their brands, editorial content and photographic material, which is of their property.The photographs by Baldi were shot by Alessio Balleri and Luca Visentini.
Living in style Medea
F i r e n z e 1 8 6 7
HOME JEWELS
A few drops of Italian charm.