Milan, like most big cities, does not have a single identity. One side is austere, refined, rational, while the other is flashy, dynamic and, above all, colourful.
Vincenzo Castaldo, is the creative director of Pomellato, the Milan-based jeweler. He drew on the city's contrasting personalities for Dualism of Milan, the company's 2024 high jewellery collection.
It tells the story of the fashion and design capital of Italy's Lombardy region through a bold mix of coloured stones. Even, or especially, when it captures its quiet side.
“Combining these two seemingly opposite faces of Milan - one concrete, the other immaterial, each with its own character. This collection of fine jewellery gives us a true, in-depth, multi-dimensional view of the city.” As Castaldo said in a statement.
The first chapter, known as “The Monochrome Treasures of Milan”, includes 23 refined and subtle pieces of high jewellery. Such as a rose gold necklace with 11 cabochon moonstones weighing a total of over 210 carats (above). They demonstrate that discretion can nevertheless translate into distinctive design.
Another necklace, called Cielo Stellato (above), a chain of rose gold designed to encircle the neck. Ending in a star-shaped cluster of grey sapphires and spinels, it gives the classic style of links an unexpected dynamism.
Two of the most charming pieces in the chapter are the Galleria necklace of rose gold links. Which pays homage to Milan's majestic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II at night.
With an octagonal arrangement of grey spinners, it is meant to evoke the famous glass dome of the building. Also the Il Salotto di Milano necklace, another rose gold chain descending into a gourmet necklace drowned in grey sapphires. Which is topped by a pendant centred by a 20.72 carat green tourmaline.
The stone is a good transition to the second chapter of the collection, called “Milanese Color Prism”. These jewels evoke the wilder side of the city. Still including the exuberant creations of architect and industrial designer Gio Ponti and the Memphis Design movement. A style associated with a group of Italian architects and designers who dominated the 1980s with their pop art-inspired sensibilities.
“Here, the gemstones are in the foreground in an interplay of hue and light,” according to a statement from the company.
“Fuchsia spinels blue electric tanzanites but also lush green tourmalines. So in this second part of the collection, Pomellato selects nature's most vibrant and rare gemstones to create pieces that radiate pure colorful joy. The irregular, organic cuts as well as unexpected combinations reflect the artistic irreverence of Milanese design.”.
As in the “Monochromatic” chapter, striking necklaces, especially chain necklaces designed to sit high and close to the neck, are a key element.
The most striking piece is perhaps the Spinelli di Fuoco necklace (above). It combines 365 carats of red, pink, purple, violet, grey, orange, amber and bright red spinels. All in a fiery arrangement emanating from a chain of rose gold with diamonds.
The rainbow theme is also prevalent in the Barocco necklace. With pieces of aquamarine, rubellite, chaborit, tanzanite, tangerine garnet, green tourmaline. But also blue zircon in a baroque cut, and a drop of 34-carat tourmaline in the centre.
And it also does so on the Gemme Superlative necklace with oval gemstones. Including tanzanite, orange garnet, aquamarine, red and pink spinel. But also peridot, yellow tourmaline, indicolite, rubellite and morganite. Each placed in its own pavé frame.
“Rubies, sapphires, garnets, spinels, tanzanites, zircons, rubellites and tourmalines of paravines surround the center stones, creating tone-on-tone halos that enhance the luminous beauty of each gemstone,” according to Pomellato.
Source: jckonline.com
