From Stem to Store: Borgioni’s Rose Cuff



Everything’s coming up roses at Borgioni. The four-year-old company, founded by mother-daughter team Rhonda and Tiffany Bartolacci, made its debut at this year’s Couture show (earning a nomination in the Diamonds $20,000 and Up category) with a cuff that’s not your garden-variety arm candy. So how does their garden grow? With colored gold, pavé stones, and two very different personalities.“[My mom] is a little bit more rock-and-roll and edgy, and I’m a little bit more flowy boho,” says Tiffany, who admits she was initially against the addition of the scorpion. “But we collaborate and that’s what makes it work.” ­Operating on opposite coasts—Mom’s in Tampa, Fla., Tiffany’s in Los Angeles—the duo inherited and reset the ­family ­jewels, and voilà! The seeds for the business were planted. This handmade sparkler, which retails for $46,500, was originally created for Tiffany’s 2008 wedding. But it was such a crowd pleaser, it inspired an entire line blooming with roses.

Making Waves

Crafted from 18k black rhodium gold, the base of the bracelet is covered in 7.24 cts. t.w. of black pavé diamonds. “We love working in blacks and browns, so the waves give it a lighter feel and some movement,” Tiffany explains. A well-placed hinge makes the piece easy to put on and take off.

In the Name of Love

Thanks to the family’s matriarch, a jewelry line was born. Made up of 6.6 cts. t.w. pavé rubies, the rose is a tribute to Rhonda’s beloved late mother, Emily Rose Borgioni, and was the theme for Tiffany’s wedding. Bridesmaids were gifted with rose pendants and groomsmen received rose cufflinks.

Taking the Sting Out

The scorpion—studded with 2.25 cts. t.w. of pavé brown diamonds—can be unclipped and replaced with a less threatening tsavorite leaf. “My mom designed the bracelet to wear at my wedding, but a scorpion wasn’t really appropriate,” explains Tiffany, “so we settled on an interchangeable cuff.”

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