Italian Jeweler Pomellato Toasts 20 Years of its Iconic Nudo Collection

When you think of Pomellato, the heritage Italian brand founded by Pino Rabolini in Milan in 1967, your mind likely conjures bold gold jewelry set with intricately faceted gemstones in bright, Jolly Rancher-esque hues. And those visions would largely be due to Nudo, the colored gemstone jewelry collection Pomellato bowed in 2001 that’s since become a legitimate classic, a rare feat in today’s crowded jewelry market.

“Nudo,” in Italian means “naked” or “bare,” and the idea for the first Nudo rings was to “free” the stone from visible settings, allowing it to reflect light that lands on it without any barriers. The Nudo gem cut is mixed-shape, with 57 irregular facets. Pomellato’s gem cutters create a faceting that combines a cushion-shaped table with irregular facets and smooth sides. The oddly cut gems—and the unfettered setting that allows them to stand so tall—feel deliciously unique, even 20 years later.

Pomellato’s creative director, Vincenzo Castaldo, tells The Zing Report, “Nudo…was born out of a daring creative intuition to free the stone from its setting and leave it ‘naked’ in its colorful splendor. Its unique design of powerful simplicity—an essential simple shape, yet irregular and unexpected—enhances the beauty of color.”

Indeed, one of the reasons Nudo pieces (rings in particular) are so popular is their simplicity; they slide into existing jewelry collections with ease, complimenting pieces from various eras and aesthetic schools while adding that all-important “pop” to fashion ensembles.

The lollipop-like color and transparency of the gems also makes Nudo pieces covetable. And, “The rich palette of gemstones provides endless possibilities for mixing and matching,” adds Castaldo.

Happy 20th, Nudo!

Top: Classic Nudo rings in shades of blue and green (all photos courtesy of Pomellato)

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