POMELLATO ICONICA: THE LANGUAGE OF UNIVERSAL FORMS

Across centuries and cultures, simple forms have carried meanings far beyond their physical shape. The circle suggests continuity; the triangle evokes balance; the square conveys stability. The eye has long been associated with wisdom, while the teardrop and star can suggest transformation and luck. In Iconica, Pomellato draws these familiar symbols into the world of contemporary jewellery, translating them through warm rose gold, brilliant-cut white diamonds and the Maison’s characteristic sculptural approach.

The result is a collection that treats geometry not as something rigid, but as something tactile. Its forms are rounded, softened and designed to move naturally with the body. This is particularly evident in the collection’s distinctive diamond settings, where brilliant-cut stones sit within recessed shapes carved into the gold. Rather than appearing simply placed upon the surface, the diamonds become part of the architecture of the jewel, creating an intriguing trompe l’œil effect in which the boundary between precious stone and sculpted metal becomes deliberately difficult to distinguish.

That visual tension is central to Iconica. From a distance, the pieces appear to be defined by their bold volumes and clean geometry; closer inspection reveals the precision of the settings and the subtle variation in the way light travels across the surface. Pomellato’s craftsmanship gives these apparently simple forms their sensual quality, with softened edges and polished gold lending the jewellery a sense of movement rather than severity.

The approach also reflects the broader character of Iconica, a collection rooted in Pomellato’s Milanese goldsmithing heritage. The Maison was founded in Milan in 1967 by entrepreneur Pino Rabolini, who sought to bring the spirit of prêt-à-porter into fine jewellery. His vision challenged the convention that precious jewellery belonged only to formal occasions, instead introducing pieces with a stronger sense of individuality, versatility and contemporary design. That relationship between jewellery and personal expression remains central to Pomellato’s identity.

More than half a century later, the same philosophy can be seen in the way Iconica approaches its materials. Rose gold has become one of Pomellato’s defining signatures, providing a warm foundation for the brilliance of white diamonds. At Casa Pomellato in Milan, more than 150 artisans work with precious metals and gemstones, combining traditional goldsmithing techniques with contemporary processes. Among them is microfusion, or lost-wax casting, which allows the Maison to achieve the rounded, harmonious volumes that characterise much of its jewellery.

Within the Iconica universe, the language of form extends across a broad selection of jewellery. Rings remain among its most recognisable expressions, with sculptural rose-gold surfaces punctuated by shaped diamond settings. One current Iconica ring, for example, combines 18K rose gold with 18K rhodium-plated white gold and 38 white diamonds, while another presents seven white diamonds within a generous domed rose-gold form. The proportions give the pieces presence without relying on excessive ornamentation.

The collection also explores how the same vocabulary can be translated into pieces intended for movement. Iconica earrings use rose gold and white diamonds to create a play of light, while bracelets and bangles extend the collection’s sculptural forms around the wrist. The current range includes a rose-gold Iconica bangle set with 40 white diamonds, alongside more diamond-rich variations, demonstrating how the balance between gold and light can shift dramatically while retaining the same visual language.

Necklaces offer another interpretation. A current Iconica necklace with pendant combines 18K rose gold with 127 white diamonds and is designed to be reversible, offering a fully pavé-covered side and a more restrained rose-gold expression. Elsewhere in the collection, a longer lariat necklace uses a central motif inspired by the relationship between paired Iconica rings, with an adjustable element that moves along the chain. The jewellery therefore changes character with the way it is worn, rather than prescribing a single manner of styling.

A new Iconica parure continues this exploration through a chain necklace with a round pendant, bracelet, earrings and ring. The circle becomes its central visual presence, bringing the collection’s ideas of continuity and completeness into a coordinated group of pieces. Worn together, the jewels create a stronger architectural rhythm; separated, each retains enough definition to stand independently. That flexibility is consistent with Pomellato’s long-standing inclination towards jewellery that feels personal rather than ceremonial.

There is also a quiet intelligence to the collection’s use of symbols. Instead of presenting their meanings literally, Pomellato reduces them to their most recognisable forms and allows the wearer to decide how much significance to attach to them. A geometric motif can be read as an abstract design, a personal talisman or simply a pleasing arrangement of gold and light. The symbolism remains present without becoming prescriptive.

This balance between meaning and instinct is particularly characteristic of Pomellato. The Maison’s design philosophy has long favoured expressive shapes, tactile surfaces and unconventional approaches to precious materials, while its Milanese identity provides a cultural foundation for that experimentation. Its current craftsmanship philosophy similarly places emphasis on combining inherited goldsmithing knowledge with innovation, ensuring that traditional techniques remain capable of producing contemporary forms.

For those in the UAE, Pomellato’s current official store locator lists locations in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, including the Pomellato Boutique at The Dubai Mall and retailers operated by Ahmed Seddiqi in Dubai, as well as locations at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi.

Iconica ultimately finds its character in the space between recognition and reinterpretation. Its circles, triangles, squares, eyes, teardrops and stars may carry meanings that predate the collection itself, but Pomellato gives them a distinctly Milanese vocabulary of rounded gold, controlled proportions and carefully placed light. The result is jewellery that does not need to explain its symbolism to possess meaning: its language is deliberately open, allowing form, craftsmanship and the person wearing it to complete the story.