The Paraiba Van Robot: Designing Connection Through Responsible Luxury
Throughout history, fine jewelry has carried meaning beyond its materials. It has marked relationships, captured memory, and acted as a bridge between past and future. The collaboration between Cuprian & Co. and designer Tatiana Van Lancker continues this lineage, reinterpreting an iconic modern design through one of the world’s rarest gemstones: Paraiba tourmaline.
The result is the Paraiba Van Robot — a pendant that balances playfulness with intention, craftsmanship with conscience, and personal symbolism with responsible sourcing. At its core, the collaboration reflects a shared belief that fine jewelry gains depth when its story is as considered as its form.
Paraiba Tourmaline as Emotional Material
Paraiba tourmaline occupies a singular position in the world of colored gemstones. Defined by its copper-bearing chemistry and unmistakable neon glow, Paraiba defies traditional expectations of color and light. It does not simply reflect — it radiates.
For Van Lancker, Paraiba tourmaline has long held a personal fascination. Its luminous intensity aligns naturally with Van’s creative language: expressive, bold, and emotionally resonant. The decision to use responsibly sourced Paraiba from Mozambique speaks to a shared ethos between Cuprian & Co. and Van — one rooted in transparency, respect for origin, and meaningful design.
In the Paraiba Van Robot, the gemstone is not an accent but the emotional center of the piece.
Color, Contrast, and Meaning
The pendants pair wintergreen-colored Paraiba cabochons with vivid princess-cut rubellite accents — a deliberate contrast of tone, shape, and energy. The blue-green glow of Paraiba interacts dynamically with the warmth of fuchsia rubellite, creating a visual rhythm that feels both joyful and grounding.
The curvaceous cabochon-cut Paraiba, set at the center of the robot’s body, introduces softness and tactility to an otherwise mechanical form, reinforcing the pendant’s emotional weight.
Scale as Symbol: Maxi and Mini
The Paraiba Van Robot is offered in both “Maxi” and “Mini” sizes — a decision shaped by symbolism rather than hierarchy. The two scales speak quietly to relationships: parent and child, protector and protected, origin and future.
These proportions echo the collaboration’s broader themes — respect between miner and land, care between generations, and continuity between craft and culture. Jewelry becomes not just something worn, but something shared.
Van Robot: Irreverent Yet Refined
Van launched in 2020 with the now-iconic Van Robot pendants, introducing an irreverent yet refined counterpoint to traditional high fine jewelry. The robots’ nonchalant posture and weighty, tactile construction stood apart in an industry often defined by restraint and formality.
The designs quickly developed a cult following, resonating with collectors across genders and generations — from creatives and tastemakers to families seeking a personal talisman infused with joy and meaning. Van expanded on this design language by introducing Art Deco references while maintaining Italian craftsmanship and precision at its core.
The Paraiba Van Robot continues this evolution, folding rarity, responsibility, and color into the design’s established DNA.
Craftsmanship and Movement
Each Paraiba Van Robot pendant is handcrafted in 18kt gold in an established, family-run atelier in Arezzo — once the world’s capital of gold under the Etruscan civilization. Arezzo remains synonymous with precision, balance, and fine jewelry expertise.
The robots are constructed from multiple hinged components, allowing the arms and legs to move freely. This articulation gives the pendants their signature animated quality — a sense of life that feels instinctive rather than ornamental.
Their deliberate weight and tactility evoke the familiarity of a cherished object, reinforcing the emotional connection between wearer and piece.
The Paraiba Van Robot Maxi Pendant and the Paraiba Heart Van Robot Mini Pendant will launch at Marissa Collections on December 2nd and 3rd, 2025 in Naples, Florida and will be available in limited quantities through select channels.
Responsible Sourcing as Design Philosophy
At the heart of the collaboration lies a shared commitment to responsible sourcing. Cuprian & Co.’s mine-to-market approach ensures that each Paraiba tourmaline carries a clear provenance — honoring the relationship between miner and land.
For Van Lancker, this transparency aligns naturally with broader considerations of legacy and impact. Jewelry, especially when passed between generations, is inseparable from questions of responsibility and stewardship.
“We hope collectors feel that spark of joy that Van Bijoux Bots evoke,” she notes, “but also a deeper connection to the story behind the stones chosen and the collaboration.”
A Contemporary Expression of Paraiba Tourmaline Jewelry
The Paraiba Van Robot stands as a contemporary expression of Paraiba tourmaline jewelry — one that proves playful design and ethical intention are not mutually exclusive.
By pairing responsibly sourced Paraiba with expressive Italian craftsmanship and an established design language, the collaboration reframes modern luxury as something rooted in connection, care, and creativity.