Carolina Bucci is a jewellery designer who continues to lead a vibrant re-invention of the Bucci family’s Italian heritage.

Her family jewellery business dates back to 1885. Working with the same techniques and tools used by her great-grandfather, as a fourth generation, Carolina has frequently turned to her family’s past and the traditional goldsmith know-how for inspiration.

Located on 22 Motcomb Street London, the flagship store allows the designer to showcase her new collections and I recently popped in to see one of my top wish list jewellery items – the Forte beads collection.



Personal stories, Nostalgic memories and experiences are intertwined with each of Carolina’s designs. Forte Beads are named after the Tuscan seaside town Forte dei Marmi, where Bucci would spend her summer holidays braiding friendship bracelets with her sister and more recently creating beaded ones for her children during summer holidays.

Behind the counter sit sweet-shop style glass apothecary jars filled with hardstone and semi-precious beads: Cornelian, Coral, Peach Aventurine, Rhodonite, Blush Coral, Rock Crystal, Magnesite, Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Angelite, Hematite, Tiger’s Eye, Lemon Agate, Chrysoprase, Jade..



Customers can select a colour of glittery lurex cord, tipped with Bucci’s signature sparkly Florentine-finish gold, and choose a pick’n’mix assortment of the jellybean-like beads to create a bracelet or necklace. With a choice of twenty three brightly coloured beads, four colours of Florentine Finish gold beads and a whole alphabet in Carolina Bucci’s signature scribe, personalisation is key. Carolina encourages the wearer to become part of the design process by allowing them to create something personal and totally unique.

At £450 for Forte Beads Bracelet, and £910 for the Necklace, Bucci’s ability to make incredibly precious jewels feel as effortless as a summer-holiday trinket is simply genius. Easy to construct and easy to re-invent, she sees Forte beads is a playful approach to fine jewellery and an ever-changing expression of oneself.

September 2019

By Anna Bance