The Birdman Cometh: Roberto Coin’s Wild Parrot Ring



Italian designer Roberto Coin has been creating whimsical critter-themed jewelry for his Animalier collection for years. But depicting the famously flamboyant parrot required some contemplation. “I thought about doing it many times,” Coin says. “But I didn’t know what I wanted to make.” Ultimately, he settled on a ring, but nailing its proportions—so it would perch on a skinny band—proved challenging. “We worked on it for a long time,” he says. “In the end, the tail stabilized the whole thing.” The rainbow-hued ring marks the start of a new menagerie that will focus exclusively on birds: “There are so many fascinating birds. We’re planning to do 600 at least. This is only the beginning.”

Wild Parrot

Coin says all the Animalier pieces are meant to send the same message: “This is a beautiful world that needs to be protected.” The parrot’s ideal buyer “will think, I have everything, but I do not have a parrot,” Coin says. “It’s for someone fascinating.”

Culture Vulture

The designer, who founded his brand in Vicenza, Italy, in 1977, finds inspiration everywhere. “I think you are always inspired by art and your culture, but you also have to have a fire inside you to create something that nobody has done before,” he says. “It’s something you cannot learn at school.… My art is to change art.”

Feather Forecast

This winged beauty, priced at $16,600, is crafted in rose and black gold with 0.08 ct. t.w. black sapphires, 0.11 ct. t.w. diamonds, 4.9 cts. t.w. orange sapphires, 0.52 ct. t.w. blue sapphires, 0.9 ct. t.w. green garnets, 0.71 ct. t.w. yellow sapphires, and 0.4 ct. t.w. rubies. The parrot’s feet clutch a rounded purple-red ruby.

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