Like in the best houses – Style

Shortly before the opening of the Geneva watch exhibition Watches & Wonders 2023, a cocktail made a lot of noise on the occasion of the launch of the accessory brand S by Salanitro, which offered backgammon encrusted with precious stones, a mirror and a table mask. An outstanding event was made by its guests, among whom was the head of Patek Philippe, Thierry Stern, a man who rarely appears in public and whose every step is carefully studied by industry insiders, as well as the living classic of watchmaking François-Paul Journe, the Phillips watch auctioneer and founder of the consulting company Bacs & Russo Aurel Bax are generally very important people in the watch industry. What attracted the giants to the newly appeared brand of jewelry accessories?

A famous brand usually hides many smaller names behind it. In Switzerland, there are a great many supply companies, almost unknown to the public, sepliers, specializing in the production of movements, cases or bracelets. Geneva-based Salanitro SA has been operating in the shadow of the industry for over 30 years, offering more than 80 Swiss brands in gemstone inlays. The first thing a visitor to the Salanitro website sees is a large image of the 2017 Audemars Piguet Haute Joaillerie Diamond Outrage, a futuristic watch set with more than 11,000 diamonds. And this is a nod to the craftsmanship and customers of Salanitro.

Pierre Salanitro founded his jewelry company in 1990. Over time, Salanitro’s customer portfolio has grown. In addition to inlay, the company has learned to produce watch cases and bracelets. In 2015, she opened a factory, which today employs more than 230 people. Since 2019, Salanitro has received two international certifications from the RJC Council of Responsible Jewelers in the Supply Chain and Code of Conduct categories.

In January of this year, it became known that the legend of the watch world, the independent manufactory Patek Philippe, acquired a stake in Salanitro. Patek Philippe President Thierry Stern explained this decision to the press as “a great opportunity to invest in your own secure future”, as well as a desire to strengthen ties with Pierre Salanitro, whose “thriving business has great potential to further develop production capacities in the jewelry and watch segment.” Now the watchmaker can be sure that in the future it will not have to look for executors for its high jewelery orders.

The newborn brand S by Salanitro promises to produce “unusual and outstanding objects”, decorating each of them with precious stone inlays using rare techniques that Salanitro masters master to perfection. The idea for the first collection was born after a Japanese client asked Pierre Salanitro to paint a portrait of his favorite koi carp in precious stones. Later, Mr. Salanitro proposed a joint project to the School of Art of the Canton of Lausanne ECAL: 14 students were given the task to come up with anything (but not watches) on the theme “Originality and precious stones”. So the idea to create a collection of precious interior items was born.

The first object was The Warrior of Malinaltepec mask, inspired by an Aztec funerary mask found in 1921 in Mexico. It is made of gilded silver and encrusted with 214 colorless diamonds and 2 rubies. The second is a backgammon set made of patinated wood and leather with checkers set with black diamonds and blue sapphires. The third is a mirror, a symbol of wisdom and knowledge, created in collaboration with designer and architect Aline Erbeya. The mirror surface, 120 cm in diameter, is set on a base of lacquered wood and decorated with a skull engraved with 1277 precious and ornamental stones inspired by the Mexican tradition. S by Salanitro plans to release 25 different masks, 10 backgammon sets and 10 mirrors annually, dedicating them to different cultures of the world. Of course, with the possibility of a personalized order.

Thierry Stern’s presence at the S by Salanitro launch cocktail can be seen both as a confirmation of the longstanding relationship between Patek Philippe and Salanitro and as mutual support for the business. The relevance of the new brand of Pierre Salanitro will show time.

Ekaterina Ziborova