About Patrizia
Patrizia di Carrobio, an Italian countess, is the author of two Italian style classics: Diamanti: Una Guida Personale (Diamonds: A Personal Guide) and Conoscere I Gioielli: Come Sceglierli e Portarli (Knowing Jewels: How to Choose and Wear Them). Bestsellers in Italy, both books articulate her view that jewelry can inspire what is best within us. The books have garnered rave reviews in publications like Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Vanity Fair and Flair. In her latest book, Be Jeweled, released in Italy in late 2017 and in the United States in March of 2018, Patrizia combines memories of her own life in jewels with tales of adornment in history, fashion, literature and art.
As an international dealer of precious gems and vintage jewelry for more than 30 years, Patrizia's family history precedes her: While sharing an apartment with fashion legend Elsa Schiaparelli, Patrizia’s grandmother Contessa Gabriella Nicolis di Robilant served as a fashion and jewelry advisor to wealthy American traveling to Paris.
Patrizia began her own career at Christie’s in New York in 1980, quickly becoming one of the firm’s senior gem appraisers, and eventually heading the Jewelry Department. She was the first female auctioneer in the Jewelry Department and generated a record-breaking $30 million sale, the largest such sale in North America at the time. Her passion for jewelry spans centuries, cultures, and genres—from costume jewelry to Crown Jewels. She deals in important diamonds, pearls, emeralds, and royal jewels, as well as important pieces by jewelers such as Louis Comfort Tiffany, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, and JAR. She has also lent items from her collection to celebrities for Oscar and Emmy red carpet appearances.
Patrizia serves on the boards of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas and the Limon Dance Organization. She also volunteers for Bottomless Closet, a non-profit group that provide training and professional attire to disadvantaged women for job interviews.
Born in Canada to Italian parents, Patrizia has lived in four European countries. She currently resides in New York City and travels the globe to buy and sell stones and jewelry for an international clientele, while also touring the U.S. and Europe to lecture on jewelry.