"What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a question we all get asked as children. Our answers are often imaginative, but rarely survive into adulthood.
For Swiss based jewellery designer Angelo de Luca, however, his childhood dream actually came true.
Before I met Angelo, I never thought much about jewellery. But being around someone with as much passion and knowledge as Angelo is just so infectious - you can't help but be inspired when you're in his presence.
Most of us aren’t fortunate enough to translate our childhood dreams into reality. But sometimes, if we’re lucky, we get to experience them through people like Angelo. And that, in itself, is enough to make the world feel full of youthful possibility again.
Thank you, Angelo, for this inspiring conversation and your insights into your work, life and process.
INTERVIEW
You often say, “The jewel chooses the person.” What do you mean by that?
Jewels possess an intense, intimate energy. A jewel should embody something deeply personal inside the wearer, such as security, sexiness or mystery. My goal is for collectors to feel more connected to the best parts of themselves when they wear a piece of my jewellery. That’s when you know the jewel has found its person.
When did you first fall in love with jewellery?
It started in childhood. I was impressed by the jewellery worn by my mother and her friends. Their sparkle made me feel safe and protected. I was making jewellery out of all kinds of materials when I was a child. Even today, I can’t pass a jewellery shop without pausing. For me, jewellery is how I make sense of the world. It’s an expression of emotion, memory, and identity. It’s what I love most.
That emotional connection seems to carry into your design process.
Completely. When I design a custom piece, I ask my clients for just three words. Those words - like “courage”, “mystery” or “simplicity” - form the soul of the piece. From there, I sketch. I studied in Rome, where I learned to turn feeling into form. One of my mentors once told me, “sketch one thing a day.” I still do that. It keeps me close to the essence.
But even the most poetic idea needs structure. Design has to meet reality - thickness, cost, proportions. I start with imagination, then translate it into something that can live in the world.
"For me, jewellery is how I make sense of the world. It’s an expression of emotion, memory, and identity. It’s what I love most."
How does St Moritz shape your creations?
St. Moritz brings a particular energy. People come here to enjoy life, to celebrate. That joy finds its way into my work. Come to think of it, the beauty of being a jewellery designer is that it’s all about bringing joy. My clients come to me in happiness - whether it’s a celebration, a milestone, or simply the desire for something beautiful. And that energy is contagious.
When did you first fall in love with jewellery?
It started in childhood. I was impressed by the jewellery worn by my mother and her friends. Their sparkle made me feel safe and protected. I was making jewellery out of all kinds of materials when I was a child. Even today, I can’t pass a jewellery shop without pausing. For me, jewellery is how I make sense of the world. It’s an expression of emotion, memory, and identity. It’s what I love most.
Does the surrounding nature also find a way into your work?
The Engadin has profoundly influenced both my life and my work. Nature teaches you to listen, to be still. The mountains, like stones, possess energy. And when you tap into that energy, you learn more about yourself than you could imagine.
Aside from that, there’s also a tension in the valley between the polished glamour of the grand hotels and the rawness of nature. That contrast lives in my work too.
You release collections alongside custom work. What’s your rhythm there?
I keep a permanent collection of timeless, elemental pieces that anchor the brand. This collection is all about finding the perfect stones and creating pieces that can be worn every day, even when you’re picking up bread at the bakery.
Then, twice a year, I release two seasonal collections to add some excitement and flair. These are the diamonds, the pieces for those moments when you want to stand out. It’s like our shop, Bread and Diamonds, where you find the perfect balance of the essential and the extraordinary, elevating your everyday experience.
What does value mean to you when it comes to jewellery?
Jewels carry both financial and emotional value, but it’s the emotional weight that often proves immeasurable. Take the ring I wear every day: crafted in 1920, it belonged to my great-grandfather. Gold, delicately engraved with flowers, set with a single sapphire. It’s now my logo, but more than that, it’s part of my story. And for me, it’s priceless.
Even the idea of holding a piece for next generations can increase its allure. Often, when clients are torn between two pieces, I ask them to imagine which one they could hand down to their children. The answer comes quickly.
Final question. How do you hope your work will live on?
We think we own gemstones. But actually, we’re just a footnote in time compared to the life of stones themselves, which are billions of years old. We’re just caretakers. It puts life into perspective.
That’s why stones become a vessel for something else entirely. If someone, years from now, holds a piece and feels seen, or beautiful, or stronger than before… that’s everything. A jewel that helps you become more of who you are - this is how I hope my work will find its legacy.
"My goal is for cOLLECTORS to feel more connected to the best parts of themselves when they wear a piece of my jewellery. That’s when you know the jewel has found its person."
