Pomellato: ‘The Dualism of Milan’

MILAN'S DUAL SOUL CAPTURED IN JEWELS

Vincenzo Castaldo, Pomellato's Creative Director, finds endless fascination in Milan's harmonious paradox - the coexistence of an austere, urban essence with an abundantly creative soul. It is this contrast that fuels this high jewelry collection called ‘The Dualism of Milan’.

“First and foremost, I wanted to convey the spirit of the city, a mix of rationalist architecture, skyscrapers with their sinuous lines, the night-time atmosphere of the shopping arcades,’ Vincenzo Castaldo explains. ‘Then I wanted to illustrate this ability that Milan has always had to focus on color in every creation, such as the work of Gio Ponti or the Memphis Group.”

The collection is divided into two complementary themes, each interpreting Milan through the unique lens of Pomellato. “These two spirits of Milan resonate with the inner identity of Pomellato”, Vincenzo Castaldo goes on to say. “It rests on what is tangible — perfect knowledge of artisan jewellers, Pomellato’s complete mastery of all the steps involved in creating a piece of high jewelry — and what is intangible in the creation, where the color of a stone or the shape of a jewel evokes an emotion.”

Once again, Pomellato breaks the rules of high jewelry, presenting modern, vibrant designs for the woman of today. Iconic Milanese style codes shine through 19 parures, crafted with precious gems. Fluid shapes, cabochon cuts and graphic prong settings showcase each stone's natural beauty, delivering wearable yet timeless works of art. This collection features two chapters: ‘Milan’s Monochromatic Treasures’ and ‘Milanese Color Prism’.

MILAN’S MONOCHROMATIC TREASURES

The quietest side of Milan is characterised by an aesthetic that relies on refined design, discreet details and a subtle use of color – almost monochromatic. An example of this very Milanese aesthetic is the Planetario designed by Portaluppi in which strict lines embrace some classical details enlightened by stars sculpted in tone on tone. With this very spirit Castaldo created 23 high jewelry pieces that encode subtle details and an unexpected color palette suspended between day and night.

MILANESE COLOR PRISM

The most flamboyant side of Milan is often expressed with the use of unprecedented color combinations, just like in the creations of Gio Ponti. Here, gems take center stage in an interplay of hue and light. Fuchsia spinels, electric blue tanzanites, lush green tourmalines. In this second part of the collection, Pomellato selects the most vivid and rare gems of nature to create pieces that radiate pure chromatic joy. Irregular, organic cuts and unexpected combinations reflect the artful irreverence of Milanese design.

With this collection, Pomellato captures the true spirit of Milan, immortalizing the city's beauty and dynamism in the most precious materials. It is a demonstration of the unbreakable bond between Pomellato and Milan. “In combining these two apparently opposite faces of Milan — one concrete, the other intangible, each with its own character — this high jewelry collection gives us a true, in-depth, multi-dimensional view of the city,” Vincenzo Castaldo, Creative Director of Pomellato, says in conclusion.

Details of the Collection

MILAN’S MONOCHROMATIC TREASURES

MOONSTONES - Inspired by the mist that often envelops Milan, this collection showcases the beauty of moonstones illuminated by melee diamonds. Pomellato's unique spirit shines through in the 11 cabochons. A rose gold choker featuring 211.50 carats of moonstones interspersed with links adorned with white diamond pavé. Pomellato's signature prongs embrace each stone, creating a bold yet refined effect. Complementing the choker are two rings, each starring a moonstone cabochon - one at 41.91 carats and the other at 32.79 carats held by diamond prongs in rose gold. Rounding out the collection are two pairs of earrings showcasing oval moonstones crowned by diamond paved golden discs.

PLANETARIO - An ode to celestial spheres, this collection captures the feeling of stargazing under Milanese skies, paying tribute to the iconic Planetario designed by Portaluppi. A constellation of 23 rare Tahitian pearls in stormy shades orbits a rose gold chain, their inky luminescence accentuated by the sparkle of diamonds, blue sapphires and grey spinels, culminating in a detachable pendant of gems - a conjunction of the celestial and the earthly.  A ring and a pair of earrings with Tahitian pearls, diamond pavé orbs, and precious stones align like planets pulled into each other's orbit, completing the collection.

PLANETARIO NOTTURNO - Emblematic of Pomellato's artistry, this choker blends two of its most specialised goldsmithing techniques: gourmette chain links and irregular diamond pavé, a setting that appears almost organic. The magic of this two-part piece lies in the contrast between the fluidity of the rose gold links, which feel like silk on the skin, and the bold structure of a rose gold disc encrusted with a swirl of diamonds and storm-grey spinels. Amidst this constellation, eight randomly placed anthracite spinels evoke the sky at dusk, recalling the primordial chaos of the universe. The earrings dance with twilight tones, as hues of blue and grey spinels alternate with the sparkle of brilliant diamond pavé, crowned by a halo of grey sapphires.

CIELO STELLATO - This collection pays homage to the star mosaics that adorn Milan's planetarium. At the heart of a refined rose gold chain, a cluster of grey sapphires and spinels forms a celestial focal point, framed by an organic link of white diamonds. The contrast of precise geometry and free form shapes this necklace with captivating dynamism. A coordinated brooch unites rose gold, diamonds and grey sapphires and spinels in an astral motif.

ARENGARIO - Paying tribute to the iconic Palazzo dell'Arengario in Piazza del Duomo, Pomellato has crafted a necklace that captures the essence of Milan's rationalist architecture. This piece interweaves rose gold elements meticulously handcrafted by skilled artisans: a sleek rose gold chain adorned with a pavé of white diamonds forms the foundation, while at its heart, intricate rose gold lattices shimmer with a blend of brown and white diamonds, their facets catching the light like the sun on the Arengario's historic façade.

GALLERIA - At night, Milan's majestic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II with its soaring glass and iron architecture creates an atmosphere both mysterious and captivating - an enigmatic radiance that has inspired Pomellato to reimagine one of its most emblematic designs: the Princess necklace, now a rose gold chain adorned with pavé diamonds and velvety grey spinels, with a heart of grey spinel gems in an octagonal arrangement that mirrors the Galleria's famed glass dome, accompanied by a matching ring alive with faceted grey spinels that dance and catch the light, layered over diamond pavé, and a pair of earrings to complete the parure.

IL SALOTTO DI MILANO - With monochrome allure, this emblematic necklace distills the very essence of Pomellato's Milanese style. In an unexpected alchemy of textures, a rose gold chain unites with a gourmette dripping in a pavé of grey sapphires. At the center, they intertwine through a gold circle, itself alight with grey sapphires. A grey to green tourmaline of 20.72 carats drops like a pendant, catching the light.

ASIMMETRICO - Sensual and sculptural, this collection embraces the body with the sinuous lines of articulated rose gold plates, as supple as fabric on the skin. Inspired by the fluid contours of César Pelli's iconic Milanese architecture, the choker undulates gracefully with every movement, a testament to Pomellato's mastery of precious metals. A second variant consisting entirely of pavés encircles the neck with the fire of 2,924 diamonds. Exquisitely asymmetric, the necklaces are echoed by matching cuffs and earrings which amplify its bold yet feminine allure.

MILANESE COLOR PRISM

SPINELLI DI FUOCO - In a display of fiery hues, Pomellato has crafted a plastron necklace that captures the Maison's passion for colored gemstones. This piece showcases a rare combination of red, pink, purple, violet, grey, orange, amber and scarlet spinels, meticulously arranged in an embrace around a novel rose gold chain adorned with a line of white diamonds. The 238 spinel cabochons, totaling 365 carats of stones, are set in unique settings designed specifically for each gem, both closed and prong-setting, allowing for an unparalleled fluidity. Complementing this piece are two pairs of earrings, featuring an array of multicolor spinels and white diamonds.

BAROCCO - This necklace is a celebration of color, embracing a vibrant kaleidoscope of hues, from turquoise and fuchsia pink to grass green. At the heart of this creation lies a Paraiba tourmaline, weighing nearly 34 carats, its beauty enhanced by the necklace's free-form design. The piece showcases Pomellato's signature gemstone baroque cut, each one seemingly shaped by the elements themselves. Aquamarines, rubellites, tsavorites, tanzanites, mandarin garnets, green tourmalines and blue zircons adorn the front row of the rose-gold chain, interspersed with rose gold links emblazoned with diamond pavé. The juxtaposition of the necklace's untamed energy and the sophisticated artistry of its settings creates a character that is quintessentially Pomellato.

GEMME SUPERLATIVE - A mosaic of colors dances across this necklace, revealing the jeweler's unrivaled creativity and mastery. Playing the 'stone within a stone' card, a vibrant palette of oval gemstones - tanzanite, orange garnet, aquamarine, red and pink spinels, peridot, yellow tourmalines, indigolite, rubellites and morganite - are artfully arranged in a unique composition, each one nestled within its own frame of pavé. Rubies, sapphires, garnets, spinels, tanzanites, zircons, rubellites and Paraiba tourmalines surround the central stones, creating tone-on-tone halos that amplify the luminous beauty of each gem. This display of color is complemented by two diamond pieces: a three-headed ring set with a cameo made of brown and white diamonds and a matching pair of earrings.

IL GRANDE BLU - Inspired by Gio Ponti's words, "I designed a blue necklace, and blue was the inspiration and driver for creating and finding a good balance," this tanzanite set embodies Pomellato’s vision of color and form. Five purple-blue baroque cut tanzanites, embraced by invisible prongs, dance along the chain choker, their hue enhanced by a pavé of blue and violet sapphires that adorn the entire piece. This free-form silhouette, showcasing the natural gems is echoed in a ring featuring a 26.86 carat tanzanite surrounded by a pavé of diamonds, blue sapphires, and violet sapphires. Completing the set, a pair of chain-link earrings.

INDIGOLITE BLUE - The rare beauty of indigolite, a gem that shimmers with an unparalleled hue between blue and electric green. Pomellato has harnessed the majestic allure of this uncommon stone, setting it at the heart of an elegant parure. The gourmette necklace, crafted in rose gold, features a 9.98 carat rectangular-cut indigolite center stone, its brilliance emphasized by a pavé of 203 indigolites and nearly 2,000 diamonds. Complementing this piece is a ring adorned with a 13.67 carat cushion-cut indigolite, embraced by a diamond collar. Completing the set, a pair of earrings showcases two more indigolites, each over 3 carats, set in rose gold and diamonds.

GREEN TOURMALINES - A trio of green tourmalines, totaling 52.46 carats, in a gourmette choker. The angelic green hue of these stones is elevated to new heights by the choker's pavé of 1,786 white diamonds, which envelop the piece. The tourmalines' irregular cuts and the precision of the diamond-set links create a striking contrast. Extending this theme, a rose gold gourmette ring adorned with a pavé of diamonds and a 10.77-carat green tourmaline. Completing the set are chain-link earrings, resplendent with white diamond pavés and four green tourmalines that catch the light.

PINK RUBELLITES – Pomellato’s iconic Princess necklace, a true cult favorite among the Maison’s high jewelry collections, takes center stage with a purple-red rubellite. Renowned for its mastery of chain-making, Pomellato showcases its expertise by intertwining different chain styles. A 17.07 carat rubellite, encircled by a pavé of 484 red spinels, which is connected to the rose gold necklace by two diamond-pavé links. Complementing this piece is a rose-gold ring featuring a 32.36 carat pyrope-spessartine garnet embraced by a pavé of blue and violet sapphires. Rounding out the set, rose gold chain-link earrings adorned with a diamond pavé and two rubellites.

PRECIOUS PAVÉ - Pomellato's pavé technique is showcased in this collection of cuffs, rings, and earrings, where each stone is set with precision and an unparalleled sense of softness. A rose gold bracelet dazzles with the brilliance of 1,145 white diamonds, enhanced by an additional 460 brown diamonds. Complementing this piece are a band of white and brown diamonds and a pair of hoop earrings. For a burst of color, Pomellato presents a set of cuffs with a leopard print effect adorned with 247 pink sapphires and 44 black tourmalines, framed by white diamond edges. A matching ring, featuring a 4.89 carat pink spinel. The green bracelet is resplendent with 165 tsavorites and 44 amethysts that give way to a white diamond pavé. Accompanying this piece is a ring showcasing a 3.45-carat tsavorite.