Pomellato was founded in Milan nearly 50 years ago by Pino Rabolini, who came from a family of goldsmiths. He envisioned bold statement pieces that could be worn day or night by empowered fashion-focused women. Call it business savvy, intuition, or what you will, but Rabolini introduced the prêt-à-porter approach to the world of jewellery in 1967 on the eve of the women’s movement. He wanted to create captivating designs that were more than just status symbols, but pieces that women could incorporate into their everyday lives, and change depending on their mood or outfit.
The brand has come a long way since its early days in a workshop with 15 staff. Today, Pomellato is an international company employing 500 people—over 100 of which are goldsmiths—and the fourth best-selling fine jewellery brand in Europe. Despite the growth, however, Pomellato remains true to its roots; the brand is the only company of their size and success still based in Milan, where everything is still made by skilled craftspeople.
In September 2014, Pomellato opened its very first freestanding store in Canada at Pacific Centre in Vancouver. The boutique will feature all collections, including M’ama non M’ama, Sabbia, and perhaps its most iconic collection, Nudo, which means naked in Italian. A large portion of the stone is exposed and, without any prongs holding it in place, appears to be floating. The special setting, which is actually patented by Pomellato, is not the only feature unique to the brand. “We use a specific rose gold patented color, an internally developed blend of alloys that gives the metal our specific feminine glow,” explains Andrea Morante, Global CEO.
In 2007, for its 40th anniversary, Pomellato created a special collection called Pom Pom. The creative team travelled the world to source unique centre stones for 40 one-of-a-kind pieces, a slight departure from their typical process. (Pomellato usually has stone cutters who work exclusively for them to cut centre stones based on specific designs and dimensions.) This was the beginning of a new tradition, for every year now, Pomellato designs a special set of one-off pieces.
Pieces from Pomellato’s collections are quite tactile in nature. There are no sharp corners or angles, because the idea is that it has to sit on the body and endeavour to become a part of it. The pieces are smooth to touch—when you’re on the phone, during meetings—when you need a couple moments of peace. It’s something that lives with you.
