About
W·ROSADO, The Brand
Wilfredo Rosado entered the world of fine jewelry with his eponymous line of modern haute joaillerie that combines couture craftsmanship with a hefty dose of glamour and unbridled creativity. The debut of W·ROSADO marks an evolution of his brand, as he once again breaks the codes of fine jewelry and appropriates the rare and masterful for daily wear. With his innate passion for style, art and urban pop culture—and a rebellious spirit, Rosado reimagines precious materials, expertly executed in unexpectedly dynamic ways, to create the next generation of cult classics and future heirlooms. Several months of experimentation and collaboration with the world’s finest jewelry artisans in France, Italy and Germany, resulted in a revolutionary, patent-pending fabrication process. At the crossroads of innovation and art, W·ROSADO is both of-the-moment and thoroughly timeless.
Wilfredo Rosado
Widely regarded as one of the jewelry industry’s true innovators, Wilfredo Rosado has made a career out of pushing boundaries and challenging norms. As a protégé of Andy Warhol and a member of his inner circle, Rosado was immersed in New York City’s dynamic downtown street-art and social scene at a time when anything, and everything, seemed possible. He befriended artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, and forged a bond with urban pop culture that would last throughout his life and be a constant source of inspiration.
Rosado’s career in fashion began as Fashion Director for Warhol’s celebrated Interview magazine, before being handpicked to work for Giorgio Armani in Milan. Over the next two decades, he would gain invaluable experience in fashion and the fine arts, along with a newfound sense of refinement and an obsession for artisanal details. This would also be the starting point for his love affair with fine jewelry, as Rosado began commissioning and designing pieces for himself. It continued upon his return to New York when Versace tapped him to create an inspired jewelry collaboration with leading artists such as Julian Schnabel and Marc Quinn, in support of the Whitney Museum of American Art.
In 2011, Rosado launched his eponymous, groundbreaking high jewelry collection. His pioneering designs were a seamless blend of master craftsmanship and modern style that exuded a sexy, yet sophisticated edge. He instantly became the go-to jeweler for avant-garde, red carpet pieces and a favorite of celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts, Rihanna and Mariah Carey.
Constantly inspired by the visual and cultural kaleidoscope of every day life, Rosado is continuously dreaming, experimenting and exploring what is possible in jewelry design. With the debut of W·ROSADO he is once again setting out to break the rules by cleverly reinventing traditional luxury materials with a playful, street style twist and combining state-of-the-art finishing techniques with bold graphic motifs.
Wilfredo Rosado serves on the board of the City Parks Foundation of New York City and is an involved member in its initiatives.
Photo: Mariano Vivanco
Pearl Id
With an unwavering eye on fashion and street style, Wilfredo Rosado spotted a resurgence of the playful beaded bracelets with initials that were a favorite childhood accessory on both kids and his artist friends.
Combining a sense of wit and craftsmanship, he created his own luxurious interpretation by transforming precious pearls (one of his favorite jewels) into precious monogrammed W·ROSADO keepsakes. It wasn’t an easy endeavor: Rosado sought out the finest artisan stone-cutters in Idar-Oberstein, Germany to carve the pearls. After months of experimentation and even developing specialized tools, Rosado and the artisans finally mastered a way to gently carve initials into exceptional Australian South Sea pearls.
Artisan goldsmiths in Valenza, Italy forged the gold and diamond letters, and then set them into the pearls. The new cult classic also comes embedded with colorful gemstone symbols, including a marijuana leaf, a heart, a star, a cross and a star of David. Sold as single jewels or in combinations of diamond-studded letters to create names and words, Rosado’s playful pearls elevate a perennial design.
