Carmel Realty News

 

 

 

In late 2023 Fourtané Jewelers, owned by the Bonifas family, opened a second Carmel location just up the street on Ocean Avenue from their famous jewelry and watch salon in the historic Pine Inn. Known as a worldwide purveyor of rare vintage jewelry pieces and of the finest watch brands in the world, including Rolex, Patek Phillipe and Cartier, the new, two-story boutique focuses solely on jewelry. The Bonifas family also owns a Rolex Boutique in San Diego, which they are currently expanding.

 

At­ the­ new­ Carmel­ store,­ which­ is­ located­ at­ SW­ Ocean­ Avenue­ and­ Dolores­ Street, modern­ brands ­like ­Carolina ­Bucci­ cement ­the­ approach ­of wearable­ luxury. ­Actor ­Jared­ Padalecki, ­a­ Fourtané­ customer, golfer­ Keith ­Mitchell,­ who­ is­ sponsored­ by ­Fourtané, ­and­ Bucci ­were­ on ­hand­ to celebrate­ the store's November opening with the Bonifas family and to launch the Carolina Bucci "store within ­a ­store."

 

 
Designer Carolina Bucci is a fourth-generation Italian jeweler whose designs (like the Twister Luxe 180 Mix Yellow Gold bracelet, right) are meant to be wearable for any occasion. Bucci recently partnered with Fourtané to open a store within their new jewelry store on Ocean Avenue.

 

"I­ first­ met­ with­ Fourtané­ about­ six­ years­ ago, introduced­ by­ a­ friend,"­ Bucci­ says. "I­ was­ immediately struck ­by ­the ­way ­they ­described­ their business. It­ was­ never­ about­ their­ profit­ or­ revenue, or­ even­ their­ watches­ and jewelry, but always about their clients. My job, as I see it, is to make my clients happy – without that, there is no longevity or growth. I could tell right away that Fourtané ­was ­a­ business ­that ­shares ­those­ values.­ And, more­ than­ that,­ the­ fact­ that­ they­ are­ a­ family-owned­ business ­was­ very­ important – there ­is ­an ­implicit ­sense­ of ­trust."

 

Bucci,­ a­ fourth-generation­ jeweler, describes­ her­ handcrafted­ collections­ as­ "relaxed­ luxury"­ that­ doesn't­ take­ itself­ too­ seriously­ and­ chose­ the­ 70-year-old Fourtané­ to­ be­ the­ first ­U.S.­ store­ to­ showcase­ her designs.

 

"My­ jewelry­ has­ never­ been­ available­ in­ the­ U.S. before­ as­ it­ is­ in ­Fourtané – there­ is ­something­ for everyone – and the ­idea­ of ­mixing­ and­ matching is­ very ­much­ at­ the­ heart­ of­ my­ brand­ philosophy,"­ she­ explains.­ "There­ is­ also­ something­ about­ the­ laid-back­ Californian­ lifestyle­ that­ I­ think­ will complement ­my ­collections ­perfectly. ­The ­jewelry ­is­ to ­be­ worn­ and­ loved – certainly ­not ­kept ­in­ a­ safe­ at­ home. ­I think ­Fourtané ­is­ going­ to ­do ­a great ­job ­of­ translating ­that­ spirit ­to ­their­ clients."

 

  
Fourtané owners Kris, John, Sandy and Josh Bonifas at their new jewelry store in Carmel (left). A custom Carmel bracelet by Bucci (middle). The new Carolina Bucci boutique within Fourtané (right).

 

Josh­ Bonifas,­ who­ runs­ Fourtané­ with­ his­ father, John, ­mother, Sandy, and­ brother, ­Kris, ­says­ that ­the­ new­ location, designed­ by­ Studio ­Tonic, the same­ Swiss­ team­ that­ created­ the­ Rolex­ salon­ at­ the­ original ­store, ­has­ a­ classic ­identity ­with­ a ­modern­ aesthetic.

 

"The­ concept ­inspiration ­was­ a­ Parisian ­apartment,"­ he­ says. "It­ showcases­ the­ jewelry ­like ­an ­art­form­ with ­the ­design­ and­ lighting."

 

Brands­ like­ Roberto­ Coin,­ Mikimoto, Simon­ G., Robert ­Procop, ­Geoffrey ­Good­ and ­Messika ­fill­ the­ gallery-like ­space, ­created ­in­ sophisticated  palettes, while­ jars­ burst­ with­ colorful­ beads­ and­ marble­ balls ­from Bucci's ­customizable ­FORTE ­bracelets. ­A­ special ­"Carmel"­ bracelet ­is ­offered ­in store, ­along­ with ­many ­other ­unique ­and­ striking­ pieces.

 

  

Master jeweler Juan Da Silva in his upstairs workshop.

 

The ­second­ floor ­of­ the ­3,600-square-foot­ space ­is­ devoted­ to ­Fourtané ­master ­jeweler­ Juan­ Da­ Silva's­ new ­custom ­design­ studio.

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"There ­is­ a­ beautiful­ workshop­ and­ lounge ­area­ for­ him­ to ­showcase­ his­ incredible­ talents­ and­ a­ very­ special­ opportunity ­for­ our ­clients ­to­ work­ with him,"­ Bonifas­ says. ­"It's ­an­ exciting ­new­ development."

 

Adding­ to ­the ­specialness ­of­ the­ new ­location ­is ­the­ opportunity­ for­ the­ Bonifas­ team­ to­ work­ closely­ with ­Bucci.

 

"We­ are ­the ­first­ shop ­in­ the­ U.S. ­to ­sell­ her ­complete­ collection, and­ it's­ a­ very­ immersive­ experience,"­ Bonifas­ says.­ "Obviously­ it's­ incredibly­ made, but­ also ­in ­terms­ of ­appeal, ­it's­ very­ wearable, ­beautiful, handmade ­jewelry­ and­ a­ very­ important­ brand­ in the­ jewelry­ world."

 

Bucci ­says­ that ­her­ pieces ­are­ versatile ­enough­ to­ be­ worn­ throughout ­the ­day­ or­ to­ an ­evening ­event.

 

 
Diamond and gold ring (left), diamond and gold earrings (right) from Messika.

 

 
Upstairs workshop featuring Aldo Cipullo necklace on display.

 

"We­ use­ the­ word­ 'sprezzatura'­ a­ lot­ to­ describe­ it,"­ she ­says, ­"which ­loosely ­translated ­means­ that­ a ­lot ­of ­work­ goes ­into ­making­ everything ­appear effortless. ­I ­don't ­have ­a ­particular­ type ­of­ woman in ­mind ­when ­I ­design. ­Selfishly ­I ­design ­pieces ­that­ I­ want ­to­ wear ­myself. ­But­ of­ course, ­I­ am assuming­ that others­ will­ like­ them­ too,­ and­ they­ tend­ to­ be­ people­ who­ love­ the­ fact­ that­ the­ meticulous­ crafting ­of ­our ­pieces ­is ­not ­obvious ­from ­far away. It's­ about­ a­ sense­ of­ discovery.­ Our­ jewelry­ isn't­ about­ shouting­ statements,­ but­ rather­ a­ precious­ accessory­ that ­fits ­into ­the­ daily­ rhythm ­of your ­life.  We ­have­ pieces ­that ­work ­for ­both­ a­ school­ run ­and­ a ­night ­at­ the ­opera. ­That's ­important­ to ­me ­to­ build­ that ­flexibility ­into ­the ­collections."

 

For ­Bonifas, ­the ­opportunity ­to ­create­ a ­third­ store to­ serve­ all­ the­ customers­ he­ and­ his­ family ­have­ developed­ relationships­ with­ over­ the­ years­ is priceless.

 

"Our­ way­ of­ business­ is­ not­ transactional,"­ he­ explains. ­"We ­have ­an ­intimate ­sales ­relationship­ with each ­client. ­It's ­a­ super ­luxury­ experience­ that starts­ when­ they­ walk­ in­ the­ door­ and­ are­ greeted­ and­ offered­ beverages.­ We­ have­ a­ bar­ in­ the­ new­ store­ curated­ to­ the­ individual­ needs­ of­ the clients.­ They­ are­ often­ making­ important­ purchases­ to­ mark­ special­ occasions­ and­ we­ want­ to­ augment­ the­ memory­ associated­ with those milestones."

 

   
(Left to right) 18K gold diamond necklace, 18K gold chain necklace from Roberto Coin. Gold and pearl bracelet, pearl earrings from Mikimoto.