CIRCA's Chris Del Gatto Talks Cartier, Queens, and Crazy Requests!

2011 November 9

Chris Del Gatto
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Confession: Chic has a tendency to daydream about diamonds from time to time. Lucky for us, we can phone Veronica Webb's main squeeze, Chris Del Gatto, whenever our heart pleases. After all, he is the founder and CEO of CIRCA, the leading global buyer of diamonds, watches and jewelry. Ring, ring or shall we say bling, bling?

How did you get your start in the jewelry business?
I started as a gemologist at 17. Then I trained to be a diamond cutter when I was 18. Eventually, I worked my way up the business and found out I was much better at building businesses than I was cutting diamonds.

Gemologist at 17? Bet that helped with the ladies...
Diamonds are a girl's best friend, but that's not why I went into it; I'm not that calculating. When I was 21, and very successful at auctions around the world, it's true that it did help a little bit...

How has the diamond district in Manhattan changed since you began?
It used to be a retail center where you'd see uptown cars with people from Connecticut, Westchester, and New Jersey coming to 47th Street to shop. That's all gone. The economy has hurt retail, and the better retailers have left 47th Street to go upstairs. A lot of the jewelry industry's big-time families have moved to Madison Avenue.

What's the craziest thing someone has tried to get you to buy?
We hear everything under the sun. One time I bought a huge all-diamond necklace. The woman wanted me to recreate it with cubic zirconia because she wanted to give the money to her boyfriend without her husband finding out that she sold the necklace he bought her. I told her I would buy the necklace, but if she wanted to reproduce it to fake out her very famous businessman husband, she'd have to do it somewhere else. She became a good friend later.

What would you like to bling out for yourself?
The wall over my bed. I'm waiting for the perfect photograph. That space is so intimate and personal, so it's gotta be super sexy. [Veronica Webb] and I have been talking about the right picture of her to put up there.

Any jewelry you wish you still had in your archive?
A 19th century Cartier garnet necklace and earring set. It was one of the most beautiful pieces I'd ever seen.

Is there jewelry that's too pricey for CIRCA to purchase?
Absolutely not.

What's the oldest, most impressive piece you've bought?
We recently bought a necklace for millions of dollars that belonged to Maria Antoinette and a tiara that Napoleon's sister owned. But, we buy everything, even regular jewelry like a half carat stone from a housewife in Connecticut. We're not too good for any item.

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