Challenges spark his ideas and craftsmanship guides his hand. During a recent visit to Qatar, Italian designer Roberto Coin spoke with OHLALA about the mindset and vision that shaped a brand like no other.
OHLALA – You began your career in hospitality. What made you leave that universe for jewellery, and how does that culture of service, detail and well-crafted surprise influence the way you design today?
Roberto Coin – The hotel business taught me everything about people: how to speak to them, how to be kind, how to stay humble, no matter who is standing in front of you. That education became invaluable in everything I’ve done ever since. I met extraordinary guests, many of them were beautifully dressed women whose jewellery fascinated me. But the real turning point came when my business partner and I sold our hotel. I asked myself what I wanted to do next. At first, I didn’t know where to begin. I spent six years learning, not because I was slow, but because I wasn’t yet confident. I visited thousands of factories, studied craftsmanship and eventually began creating pieces unlike anything on the market. From day one, my designs stood out. That mix of humility, curiosity and the desire to serve people, all learned in hospitality, became the foundation of the brand.
OHLALA – When you look at the brand through your own eyes, what defines Roberto Coin at its core? And among your different collections, which do you feel best expresses that identity today?
Roberto – At the core of the brand is diversity, innovation and the belief that no two women should be dressed the same. Big brands try to dress everyone identically, but I wanted the opposite. Many people told me it was impossible. That’s exactly why I did it. Very early on, I invented a new way of building a brand: creating hundreds of models so that each woman could f ind something unique. Today, we create around 600 designs a year, a figure no other single factory in the world can match. Among our collections, Appassionata is the perfect expression of this identity.
OHLALA – Since 1996, you have signed each of your creations with a small hidden ruby. When did you realise this gesture would become your signature, and what does it bring both to your work and to the people who wear your pieces?
Roberto – The idea came from my desire to please clients, to give them something meaningful. One night, I was reading a history book about ancient Egyptians. They believed a ruby touching the skin of a woman would bring her happiness, prosperity and good fortune. Then I learned about the Burmese warriors, who believed that rubies touching their skin would protect them from death on the battlefield. That fascinated me. So, I decided that every piece of jewellery should carry this hidden gift, invisible to the world, but close to the wearer. Roberto – The idea came from my desire to please clients, to give them something meaningful. One night, I was reading a history book about ancient Egyptians. They believed a ruby touching the skin of a woman would bring her happiness, prosperity and good fortune. Then I learned about the Burmese warriors, who believed that rubies touching their skin would protect them from death on the battlefield. That fascinated me. So, I decided that every piece of jewellery should carry this hidden gift, invisible to the world, but close to the wearer.
OHLALA – You create pieces that mark key moments in people’s lives. What moment in your own life has shaped your hand, your eye or your sense of detail as a creator?
Roberto – I don’t have a specific moment, but I can say that what shaped me @robertocoin @almajedjw the most were problems. I love solving them. People say I think outside the box, and it’s true; challenges excite me. Whenever I face difficulties, I find new ideas. That mindset shaped both my style and my career.
OHLALA – You were part of the World Diamond Council, deeply involved in ethical and origin concerns. What are the issues the industry still needs to address?
Roberto – No industry is perfect, and ours certainly isn’t. We’ve done a lot of work with our own time and money (nobody was paying us) to ensure that diamonds are sold legally and ethically. But there are always people who try to cheat. I’m no longer on the board, but one debate in which I strongly disagreed was the one over natural and laboratory-grown diamonds. I believed they could coexist only if they were clearly separated. I personally would never use lab-grown diamonds, but if my son wanted to start a company with them, I would support him. What matters is transparency. They need to be marked in a way that leaves no room for doubt, a clear identifier that tells consumers exactly what they’re buying. Gold traceability is another issue: not all of it is traceable yet. Still, I believe jewellery is trying harder than many other industries to become fully ethical.
OHLALA – Your creations are very popular in Qatar and across the Middle East. Why do you think your design language resonates so strongly here, and how does this region fit into your vision for the brand?
Roberto – The Middle East has been important to me for a very long time. I first came to Dubai, and very quickly, clients started coming to us from all over the region. In Qatar, our partnership with Al Majed Group Holding and the opening of our boutique in Msheireb Downtown Doha in 2022 enabled us to showcase the Roberto Coin universe in a very intimate way. I think our Princess Flower collection speaks very strongly to women here, and the name probably helped a lot. The history behind it as well: it’s inspired by the floral decorations of Venetian palaces. And, of course, who doesn’t love flowers?
OHLALA – How can technology and Italian craftsmanship coexist in the jewellery field?
Roberto – Italian craftsmanship is one of the most precious things we have, and today it’s becoming challenging to preserve, especially with new technologies and now with AI. I’m studying these tools myself. I don’t love them, but I know we must understand them. We use very advanced machinery in our factory and anyone can buy the same machines. The difference is that we have extraordinary engineers and creative minds who can teach these machines to behave differently to achieve results no one else can with the same equipment. T hat is a kind of invisible craftsmanship in itself. But in the end, the most important skill to preserve is the work of the hand. The hand is what makes a piece truly perfect. Technology can support us, but the soul of Italian jewellery will always come from the human touch.