In the rarefied world of high jewelry, where tradition often dictates a rigid adherence to classical motifs and conventional settings, the Milanese powerhouse Pomellato is choosing a different path: one of unrestrained creativity. The house, founded in 1967 by the visionary Pino Rabolini, has long been a disruptor in the luxury sector, known for its bold, unconventional approach to fine jewelry. With the unveiling of its latest high jewelry collection, Stile Libero—translated simply as "free style"—Pomellato is pushing the boundaries of what haute joaillerie can represent in the 21st century.
Comprising 65 distinct, singular pieces, Stile Libero is not merely an exercise in opulence; it is a manifesto of self-expression. By moving away from the stifling expectations of traditional high jewelry, the collection celebrates the spirit of the modern woman—autonomous, courageous, and deeply authentic.
A Legacy of Milanese Disruption: The Foundation of Pomellato
To understand the gravity of Stile Libero, one must first look at the history of the house. Established in Milan during the cultural upheaval of the late 1960s, Pomellato was born from the desire to break the “jewelry-as-heirloom” paradigm. Rabolini envisioned a brand that treated jewelry not as a formal obligation, but as an accessory of style—a daily companion for the contemporary, fashion-forward woman.
Throughout the decades, the house has remained faithful to this ethos, perfecting a signature aesthetic characterized by soft, rounded gold forms and intense, vibrant gemstones. Stile Libero serves as the latest evolution of this narrative, bridging the gap between historical craftsmanship and a modern, eclectic design philosophy. It is, as the brand describes it, a synthesis of the "ars combinatoria"—the art of combinations—where diverse materials and disparate historical influences coalesce into something entirely new.
The Philosophy of Freedom: Official Perspectives
The vision behind Stile Libero is deeply rooted in the concept of intellectual and creative liberation. For CEO Sabina Belli, this collection represents the culmination of Pomellato’s journey toward becoming a truly modern luxury player.
"Stile Libero embodies high jewelry in the free-spirited Pomellato way," Belli remarked in a recent statement. "Each creation holds precious stories of creativity and craftsmanship: jewels that unite distant worlds and push creative boundaries. These are emblems of beauty and wonder, conceived for women who are free, strong, and authentic protagonists of their own style."
Echoing this sentiment, Creative Director Vincenzo Castaldo emphasizes the internal process behind the collection. "Stile Libero is the art of moving instinctively, embracing the courage to blend skills and mastery," he says. "It is creativity expressed without fear—refined, liberated, and touched by a quiet, thoughtful provocation." This provocation is felt in the design choices, which reject the standard, predictable symmetry of traditional high jewelry in favor of something more fluid and emotionally resonant.
Architectural Brilliance: The Three Pillars of the Collection
The Stile Libero collection is organized into three distinct thematic chapters—Visionary Colors, Magnetic Gold, and Hypnotic Shadows—each showcasing a different facet of the house’s technical prowess.
1. Visionary Colors: Chromatic Audacity
The Visionary Colors chapter is a masterclass in gemstone curation. Eschewing the conventional reliance on colorless diamonds, this series focuses on the emotional impact of intense color. The house has utilized innovative griffes (prong) settings that elevate the stones, allowing maximum light to penetrate the facets and providing a heightened sense of presence on the skin.
- Mandala Chromia: A centerpiece of the collection, this medallion necklace showcases an intricate openwork motif framed by brown diamonds, housing 99 rare, natural multicolored sapphires.
- Drops of Paraíba: This choker highlights the ethereal beauty of 21 pear-shaped Paraíba tourmalines, chosen for their rare, electric blue-green glow.
- Rainbow Supreme: A testament to the sheer scale of the collection, this rivière necklace features 68 round-cut tourmalines totaling an impressive 157 carats, arranged in a seamless, hypnotic color gradient.
2. Magnetic Gold: Sculpting the Precious Metal
In Magnetic Gold, the focus shifts to the foundational material of the house: gold. Here, the chains, chokers, and rings are decorated with diamonds in unusual cuts and colors, emphasizing a sculptural aesthetic. The Byzantine choker is perhaps the most representative piece of this section, featuring nine emerald-cut brown diamonds set within custom rose-gold bezels that possess crater-like, organic contours. The effect is one of raw, tactile luxury, where the gold is treated as a malleable, artistic medium rather than a simple support for stones.
3. Hypnotic Shadows: The Art of Openwork
Hypnotic Shadows explores the limits of goldsmithing through delicate, hand-pierced designs that mimic the intricacy of lace. This chapter highlights the extreme labor intensity required to produce such pieces. The Arabesque necklace, for instance, demanded 1,450 hours of artisan labor. The result is a rose-gold masterpiece illuminated by 18 fancy rose-cut diamonds, creating a piece that feels light and airy despite its substantial physical presence.
Technical Mastery and Artisan Labor
The creation of Stile Libero is a tribute to the artisans in the Pomellato ateliers. The transition from concept to finished piece is a grueling process that demands a high degree of technical skill, particularly when working with openwork. To maintain structural integrity while carving out intricate, lace-like patterns in gold requires an advanced understanding of metal stress and thermal properties.
Furthermore, the integration of “unexpected geometries” in the Visionary Colors section necessitates custom-cut gemstones. Unlike standard mass-market jewelry, where stones are cut to fit pre-existing settings, Pomellato’s approach in this collection often involves creating the setting to accommodate the unique character of the stone, ensuring that no two pieces—even within the same line—are truly identical.
Cultural Context: The Paris Exhibition
To underscore the gravity of this launch, Pomellato has expanded its reach beyond the retail environment. Currently, the house is hosting its first major exhibition in Paris, Pomellato, Le Joaillier Révolutionnaire, at the prestigious Palais de Tokyo.
Running through July 20, the exhibition serves as a retrospective of the brand’s history, placing Stile Libero in the context of the house’s long-standing relationship with art and photography. The exhibition features archival images from legends such as Albert Watson, Helmut Newton, and Lord Snowdon, demonstrating that Pomellato’s obsession with the “free-spirited” woman is not a recent marketing invention, but a core tenet that has defined their imagery for over half a century.
Implications for the High Jewelry Market
The release of Stile Libero comes at a pivotal time for the high jewelry industry. As younger, more affluent consumers enter the market, the definition of "precious" is evolving. There is a marked shift away from "safe" investments toward pieces that function as artistic statements. By embracing eclecticism and the "art of combinations," Pomellato is positioning itself at the forefront of this shift.
The collection suggests that the future of high jewelry lies in the tension between heritage and rebellion. By blending the technical mastery of the Old World with a provocative, modern design language, Pomellato has successfully elevated the brand from a jeweler to a cultural arbiter. Stile Libero is not just a collection of necklaces and rings; it is an invitation to view jewelry as a form of intellectual liberation, proving that even in the most traditional industries, there is always room to freestyle.
Azzam Bilal Chamdy
Reynand Wu
Lina Irawan
