COSTOLO is a luxury fine jewelry company specializing in both custom pieces & modern product lines. Inspired by nature’s elements, our mission is to innovate the sustainability of the industry.
”We design with an appreciation for the planet that provides these precious materials, and make everything with tremendous care in Los Angeles. Your piece will last a lifetime. Our mission is to educate people on the differences, but more importantly, the similarities between created and mined diamonds. Allowing each customer to make an informed decision about which diamond (created or mined) they would like to use in their COSTOLO piece.”
Female founder Rose Costolo sees this as the primary method to effectively incorporate created diamonds into the exclusive, high jewelry market. Rose believes wholeheartedly that love exists within each piece of jewelry she creates. She works in partnership with the Angel City Jewelers and is a certified professional by the Gemological Institute of America.
Tell us about yourself as creative, including what art means for you as a jewelry designer.
Everything that I make is intended to be a wearable work of art. Sculptures that you can wear for life. My goal is to make pieces that you can’t find anywhere else, and that make you feel connected to the planet that provides these precious materials because I get so much of my inspiration from the earth. I want the people who wear my pieces to feel like they found something that represents the uniqueness of the person they decorate.
Tell us about your design style. What makes your collections unique in the industry?
I am obsessed with geometry and incorporating shapes into my work. I am happiest with a piece when there is something a little unexpected about it – something that catches the eye because it is different. I use a lot of opposing shapes in my work, which you can see primarily in my earrings. An earring set is rarely an identical pair but more so two different pieces that speak to one another and have a relationship that is visually exciting.
What kind of person wears your jewelry?
Anyone who wants to purchase something timeless and unique – anyone who sees it and feels moved or inspired by it. I believe that these are all luxury, genderless pieces.
As a designer, where do you draw your inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from the planet and the concept that the precious materials I get to work with are created by this planet. I’m fascinated by the fact that earth makes gold and diamonds – and that as humans we can now create a diamond with the exact same atomic structure of a diamond mined from the earth. This concept influences me heavily which is why you can find a lot of elemental themes in my work. In my custom work – I am inspired by the fact that every piece I make represents love in some form: self love, romantic love, familial love, etc.
What’s it like to see someone on the street wearing one of your creations?
Surreal. I brought something new into the world that I love and the fact that my piece can be exciting to even one other person fills me with gratitude.
What are the news in the jewelry design industry regarding slow-fashion and long-lasting pieces?
Communicating directly with jewelry engineers instead of outsourcing allows you to give each individual piece the attention, care, and time it deserves in order to be magnificent for life. A long term goal of mine is to innovate the sustainability of jewelry production, and in order to do that we need to learn the ins and outs of how something is made. Made to order pieces definitely feel special and intimate upon delivery as well, they provide a certain uniqueness.
How important is technology for your jewelry brand?
Incredibly – there is a ton of room for innovation in this industry and I want COSTOLO to be on the cutting edge of jewelry technology as a modern brand. Aside from material technology like created diamonds I am integrating try on technology into my website so people can capture the essence of a piece virtually.
Who are your favorite creatives you would like to collaborate with?
I love everything that Gaia Repossi does at Repossi. She’s a visionary and brings really fresh designs into fine jewelry. I dream of someday collaborating with Hajime Sorayama – the futuristic metallic art he creates is so creative and I can only imagine what his mind would come up with in terms of custom jewelry.
What advice would you give to someone interested in getting into the jewelry design business?
Take your time, this is a work in progress. Try to find a happy medium between selling for business and creating art – because this industry specifically allows for a super unique opportunity to prioritize both. Make something in brass before gold to test it until you’re in love with the piece. (People avoid this because of the additional labor cost but if you’re new or unsure it is hugely helpful).
What is your favorite piece you’ve ever created – and what made it so special?
I recently had the honor of creating an engagement ring and wedding band set. This was super exciting but I have made engagement rings in the past. What made this one so special is that the client trusted me with the impossible diamond: my new concept on sustainable diamonds. We made a really gorgeous piece that I know she will have forever that celebrates the love of her life. That feeling when you deliver a piece to a customer and you know it will be in their life forever is something I feel honored to be a part of.
