Venetian designer Carlo Favaro explains why he chose DiamArt.

The solutions prompted by micro diamond surfaces for his creations in collaboration with the Verona company.

What most impressed you about micro diamond surfaces?

DiamArt micro diamond surfaces immediately presented an exciting challenge. I love taking materials to their limits and bringing out their strengths. The result is a synthesis of form and function. I appreciate the multitude of potential applications: metals, fabrics, plastics, minerals, textiles: brilliance, durability and exclusivity. The ability to enhance the value of an object. It’s in my nature to look ahead constantly, in terms of both market and materials. I adore new technologies; I'm fascinated by all innovative solutions. I often work with carbon and titanium, for example. So it was impossible for me to be indifferent to the allure of diamonds.

How did you reconcile design and the innovative character of the material?

The common denominator underlying all the items created with DiamArt is the showcasing of diamonds and the inherent characteristics that distinguish them: brilliance, preciousness, strength and uniqueness. As with all my designs, the inspiration was my city, Venice, where my ideas originate and the undefinable takes shape. It was here that I conceived lightweight yet powerful structures that could exalt diamond itself, just like jewellery that holds and encircles precious stones. Several elements shared by these creations were designed to showcase the protagonist: diamond. The cut, the angle, the structure: all these contribute to accentuating its characteristics. A chair, a table, a mirror: with DiamArt all these become items of jewellery.

What led you to choose DiamArt?

DiamArt is unique in the world. Its technical characteristics allow micro diamond surfaces to be applied practically anywhere, with exceptional aesthetic results and incredible functionality, thanks to the durability of the material. I sensed the potential of this innovative material and immediately wanted to take on the challenge of combining it with other high-end brands. Clients often seek to combine preciousness, durability, elegance and customisation. And micro diamond surfaces meet all these criteria. The additional value DiamArt provides lies in its uniqueness, preciousness and brilliance. When I saw the material, I imagined a world of possibilities, and wanted to showcase the inimitable ability of diamonds to reflect light.

Which projects have you used it in?

I've used DiamArt micro diamond surfaces in several projects. One of the most comprehensive has to be the furnishings I designed for Palazzo Monga, an original neo-classical building overlooking one of the major streets in central Verona, Corso Borsari, which is now a luxury guesthouse. The Palazzo Monga collection is a series of furnishings with DiamArt micro diamond inserts, commissioned by the Palazzo Monga Boutique Guesthouse for its entrance hall and coffee lounge. The metal components were supplied by Fratelli Damian of Treviso and consist of gold-plated steel. The building has a New York mood, so I designed the decor along the lines of minimalism, clean-cut shapes and pure elegance. The aim was to create aesthetic value by showcasing diamond, setting it in metal surroundings, just like jewellery. Extreme simplicity and rigour for an overall intensification of the effect through the reflection of light. Every element is designed to maximise this very property: the reflection of light by micro diamond surfaces.

What does the collection consist of?

The collection consists of a mirror, two armchairs, a console table and a coffee table, all in minimalist style. By combining gold-plated steel and micro diamond surfaces, I was able to create items that could enhance the aesthetic properties of diamond. Authentic jewels on a macro scale. The most impressive item is the full-length mirror, which is two metres wide and a metre and a half high. This also features an innovative element: a stable iron base that allows perfect gilding of the frame, which in turn has a double curve and a gold finish. The surrounding band of DiamArt Stellar White micro diamond from the Caracto collection is inset around the entire perimeter, adding extra allure to an essential, modern design. As for the armchairs, in ivory white, I preferred a streamlined structure with a 45 degree angle to bring out the setting of the diamond, creating as minimalist a form as possible and utter symmetry. The chair rests on four multifaceted metal legs and is interrupted only by the DiamArt micro diamond finish, which encompasses the entire metal structure of the legs and continues right up to the backrest which, like the seat, is broad and minimalist with a soft leather covering that combines harmoniously with the slender steel and micro diamond frame. Another item is the console table: it has three triangular legs which are slim yet angular, contrasting with the semi-ellipse shape of the glass top, featuring the initials of the hotel, again in micro diamond. And finally, the coffee table, with four slender legs supporting - almost floating - the oval glass top, with a strip of diamond around the entire perimeter.

How was your collaboration with DiamArt; would you choose the company again?

Working with the DiamArt team was professional, scientific and synergistic. It was a dialectic relationship in which my requests and objections became the stimulus to seek solutions appropriate for the project. I benefited from openness and attention, and was constantly updated on the progress of surfaces and applications. It was a joint effort with the DiamArt team, particularly the research and development department. I would choose them again, and I do, because the applications are endless and the high degree of customisation gives added value: from jewellery to furniture, via a multitude of other options. Every detail is made unique by diamonds.