Annibale Cusi (1863-1930) was only nine years old when he started work as an apprentice in a goldsmith’s workshop and in 1886 at the age of twenty-three he started his own business. Thanks to his innate creative gifts he quickly became established within the jewellery sector as a master goldsmith.
The awarding of the Gran Premio, during the International Exhibition of Milan in 1906 bears witness to his success. This prize was conferred in recognition of the spectacular “Mary Stewart” collier necklace, made in “platiuralium”, a new and very light alloy invented by Annibale Cusi. The necklace was completely articulated and decorated with 15,000 diamonds, evoking the effect of a delicate lace collar.
Later, alongside his son Rinaldo (1895-1979), he became jeweller to His Majesty the King of Italy and also to the Count of Turin and the Duke of Aosta.
In 1922 the Cusi family had Palazzo Cusi built in Via Clerici 1, Milan, and this became the new site for the jewellers’, the workshop and the family residence.
On Annibale’s death his son Rinaldo carried on the business from here, followed by his grandsons Ettore and Roberto and then by Rinaldo Cusi, his great grandson. Rinaldo Cusi opened the current jewellers’ in Corso Monforte 23 in 1996 and from here he carries forward the business with his wife, Floriana and, representing the fifth generation of the family, his daughter Stefania.