Like many everlasting tales, the story of Chantecler jewelry begins on the Blue Island of the Amalfi Coast in Italy: Capri. Before we dig into the fascinating history of Chantecler (and the particular choice of this name) we have to remind ourselves why Capri is so important.
The island was first noticed in the ancient times of the Roman Empire. Almost two millennia ago, Emperors like Augustus or Tiberius, found in the Blue Island (Capri) an eternal oasis, whose beauty is still to this day unaltered by the passage of time. Fast-forwarding to the present times, it was the unlikely friendship of two men, Pietro Capuano and Salvatore Aprea that managed to capture the unique nature of Capri and imprint it forever in their craftsmanship.
Young Pietro Capuano, an adventurer by nature, was born into a noble family of jewelers in Naples. At the beginning of the 19th century, he toured through Europe studying and deepening the art of jewelry, managing to assert himself as a gemologist.
But it was the year 1929, when he first set foot on the island, falling irreversibly in love with Capri and deciding to stay here. Then there was Salvatore Aprea, a rebel at heart originally from Capri, that initially studied the law. But later on he preferred to take a completely opposite path and dedicated himself to art, especially luxury jewelry.
Now, when they say that opposites attract, when it comes to Pietro and Salvatore, one can say it was the right recipe for success. But why did they name their brand Chantecler? Well, in the four-hour play bearing the same name, written by Edmond Rostand, one of the many animal characters was a rooster (chanticleer). And funnily enough, Pietro Capuano’s nickname was Chantecler, because he loved partying all night until the early morning, right about the time when…the roosters start announcing the new day.
But the cornerstone behind Chantecler is another fascinating story. It was the year 1944, and the Second World War was still lingering like a dark shadow over Europe. Inspired by Michael the Archangel, who defeated Satan (maybe a simple coincidence…but we’ll never know), Pietro decided to cast a bronze bell, as a symbol of peace and good luck. The bell was designed from Chantecler and the residents of Capri, for President Roosevelt (the American Forces had a military base at the time on the island).
Just a few months after Chantecler created the “Campana”, the war ended. It was then, and from then on, that the Campana became a symbol of peace and luck, a most sought-after souvenir for Americans and people around the world. And so the Chantecler story began. Today, the Campana symbol turned into smaller bells that make both the most beautiful pieces of jewelry and luck charms all in one. An innate calling and a profound passion for high-end jewelry turned Chantecler into a brand that does not need any other introduction.
White, pink, and yellow gold, diamonds, precious gems and the omnipresent coral, a gift from the seas, are used to bring to life the pieces of art that spark from the imagination of the great designers of Chantecler. Today, as it was 60 years ago, Capri is not just a must-see destination for movie stars and other international personalities. Capri is the motherland of a Jewelry brand that adorned some of the most prominent people of the last century: Jackie Onasis, Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, Maria Callas, Liz Taylor, Rita Hayworth, or Greta Garbo. All these acclaimed legends wore Chanterel acting like privileged ambassadors of the brand in the world. These pieces of jewelry are timeless and carry with them small pieces of Capri. Chanterel is not only a high-end jewelry brand. Chanterel is the sipet that holds your precious memories alive.
Enjoy even more @ Chantecler
by Claudia Ciclovan