There are some moments in life that come as a surprise
and completely unexpectedly.
One of these days was in November 2014 when I visited
my new friend Rene Serres (to whom I was introduced from my good friend Janaina
Baxebani the same week at Kensington Palace at the event of the Greek
organization “LAT” - Life action Trust).
Rene is the man in charge of the Fabergé jewellery
firm in London and as we wanted to catch up and get to know each other better he
invited me & Vassilis Zoulias in the store while we were in London basically
just doing nothing.
The House of Fabergé and its’ lavish creations have been
my fantasy for years and when he invited me I went without any hesitation,
although I felt like I was in some kind of gold rush, because I wanted for many
years to see these beautiful creations from a closer point of view.
Well I got as close as anyone can expect! When we went
at the store (a beautiful store at 14A
Grafton Street which resembled a Faberge egg!) Rene greeted us very friendly
and although we were surrounded by diamonds which cost millions we felt like
home.
After discussing what we do in Athens and our future
plans he showed us the place and he offered me to try on a bracelet with
diamonds and rubies which I was drawn by it and I was like hypnotized by it.
It is called Kokoshnik Bangle and it features round
white diamonds, alexandrites and rubies set in 18 carat white gold.
It’s very difficult to describe how it feels to wear
something so beautiful and how intoxicating it is to have it on your body, I can
only say that I didn’t want leave it. Ever.
I asked the price and Rene told me: “You don’t want know!” He was right!
We live in a period of time where luxury products are
being demonized and era considered the devil because of the global financial
crisis but I have a different opinion about this subject matter. Jewellery is
art and art can never be vulgar in any extent or form as long as it embodies
respect for humanity through the medium it uses to express itself.
I understand that this kind of art cannot be bought be
the common man so as Michelangelo’s sculptures, but this does not stop us from
admiring them.
I feel that I apologized enough but I made my point. Luxury
is not the opposite of poverty, is the opposite of vulgarity Coco Chanel said.
Finally I gave it to Rene and he placed it very
carefully back in its place taking it very carefully as a baby and polishing it
before putting it back, and I saw the love and admiration for the Faberge
heritage in his eyes.
He must have felt my melancholy of separation with the
bracelet and gave me two Faberge luxurious catalogs as a gift.
As I was leaving the store I felt better because I knew
that the beautiful bracelet will go to someone who will truly love and appreciate
its beauty and art.
That was definitely the highlight of my trip in London
and I will definitely visit his amazing place again, to see my friend (and the
bracelet).
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