Beretta isn’t running out of ideas for celebrating the year of their 500th anniversary. Like with the SO10 EELL History, again we’re looking at an art piece in the shape of a shotgun. This time we don’t have one masterpiece, but a pair of identical twins.
Beretta Celebrates 500 Years with the 1526 Parallelo SxS Shotgun
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Beretta 1526 Parallelo: Introduction
Below, we can find an introduction to the shotgun, in Beretta’s words:
“Franco Gussalli Beretta
President & CEO of Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A.
A double genesis inspired by fluid elegance
The 1526 Parallelo is a bold expression of innovation and timeless beauty. Inspired by the fluid elegance of the 486 Parallelo by Marc Newson and refined through the technical excellence of the SO10, this unique pair of 12-gauge self-opening side-by-sides blends traditional sidelock mechanism with a design that evokes the movement of water: seamless, reflective, alive.
At the heart of the receiver, the 500-year anniversary logo becomes the source of a series of flowing waves that ripple across the surface before dissolving into a flawless mirror-polished finish, symbolizing five centuries of continuity, evolution and transformation.”
Technical Specifications
When Beretta releases these celebratory pieces, the focus is rarely on their technical specifications. We can tell that we’re looking at 12 Gauge side-by-side shotguns built on the basis of the Beretta 486 with high-grade wood furniture, tailored to guarantee a weight difference within 1 gram between the two samples. This visit to the Beretta Due facility can offer an idea of the effort in manufacturing and finishing pieces such as these.
The elegant and minimalist profile, while seemingly simple, is the result of dedicated engineering effort:
“The development of the 1526 Parallelo demanded a complete re-engineering of Marc Newson’s iconic side-by-side action to accommodate a true sidelock mechanism while preserving its distinctive, streamlined profile and achieving the slimmest possible cross-section. Leveraging state-of-the-art machining technologies, Beretta engineers eliminated the traditional hinge pins and lower plate, creating a seamless round-body receiver and the foundation for an unprecedented design.”
Price and Availability
The pair is a one-off; therefore, any speculation on price and availability is pointless. Unlike other “500 years” pieces, these shotguns are also marked as Beretta USA, so they might be destined to cross the ocean. More details can be found on the dedicated website page.
Those who fell in love with the 1526 Parallelo may check out the 486, which is commercially available.
What do you, TFB readers, think? Do you prefer elaborate engravings on similar shotguns, or do you find this finish appealing? As usual, let us know in the comments.
Yours truly can say that he greatly prefers the direction that this “industrial designer + famous Italian company” took, compared to others in recent news.
All images courtesy of Beretta.
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