OFF THE CUFF : A Gift and Its Presentation Are a Package Deal
Y ou’ve found a great gift for a sweetheart but think simple wrapping is too boring, too old hat. How do you make it special?
Bahran (Bob) Vaziri, who recently opened the tony Bvlgari store in South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, has some ideas. We’ve got to warn you, though--they can get very pricey. Scaling it down to fit your budget is up to you.
Vaziri came from Tehran, Iran, 22 years ago to attend Robert Lewis Stevenson High School in Pebble Beach , Calif. In college, he majored in politics and geological science, studies that he says contributed to his success in the jewelry business. He has worked for Polo Ralph Lauren and Cartier, and in 1993, he joined Bvlgari, a Rome-based jeweler that was founded more than 100 years ago.
This is another in a series of first-person columns that allows people connected to the fashion industry to talk about their encounters.
Men often ask us to hand deliver an item. For this, we have a limousine. It’s very nice when a security guard and another gentleman bring you a gift you’re not expecting.
For my holiday wish, I would like one of our antique gold watches with a concave face, gold around the edges and crocodile strap. I’d like it to come with a plane ticket to the Easter festivities in Rome, where Easter is celebrated like Christmas. Presents are given, and there’s a nice spirit in the air.
Every Bvlgari product bears our stamp that represents the care and skill that goes into making the product. That stamp is part of our gift presentation. To finish off our gift-wrapping, we melt wax and seal the paper with the same stamp the company has used since its beginning. We then put the package with tissue inside one of our different holiday bags.
But there’s more to gift presentation than making the package look elegant.
One male client wanted us to wrap the box without the item inside. While she was wondering why he gave her an empty box, he planned to slip a bracelet of colorful stones shaped like fish into her champagne glass.
A hot item this year for men are scuba watches. What appeals to men is the understated look; it’s made of stainless steel and has an India rubber strap and steel buckle that gives it a sport look. And it’s practical. It’s certified for diving to 660 feet (only a few watches can go that deep).
Some women have come in to surprise their husbands with scuba watches because they were going to the Bahamas, Hawaii or on other diving trips. One couple was going on a trip around the world for 80 days and she thought the watch would be a great gift for her husband.
For ladies, the most popular gifts right now, not counting perfume, are jewelry pieces that have colorful precious stones mixed with gold or pearls. It’s a simple, stately look.
