Kintsugi: The Flawed Genius of Pomellato’s New Jewellery Collection

February 15, 2021

By Katerina Perez

6 min read

While some jewellers spend their time looking for flawless stones, others prefer to look for imperfection. This is a surprising new opportunity not only for world jewellery but also for the ecology of our earth. How can one create a piece of precious jewellery as such? Undoubtedly, all will become clear to those who read this article for pointers with regard to the new collection “Kintsugi” from the Italian jewellery brand Pomellato.

The unconventional union of expressive Italian mastery and traditional Japanese craftsmanship has formed the basis of a new collection by Pomellato, which takes what might once have been considered a ‘substandard’ material – broken shards of semi-precious gemstones – and recycles them into a beautiful and poetic line of luxury jewels.

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection ring, earrings and pendant in rose gold with jet and black diamonds

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection ring, earrings and pendant in rose gold with jet and black diamonds

 Pomellato Kintsugi Collection rings  in rose gold with either jet and black diamonds or kogolong and brown diamonds

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection rings in rose gold with either jet and black diamonds or kogolong and brown diamonds

 Pomellato Kintsugi Collection rings in rose gold with jet and black diamonds

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection rings in rose gold with jet and black diamonds

The Japanese art of kintsugi or kintsukuro — “kin”, meaning gold, and “tsugi” meaning to heal — originally consisted of the restoration of ceramic products using varnish obtained from the sap of a lacquer tree called the urushi, before being mixed with gold, silver or platinum powder. The philosophy of the craft, whose earliest examples date to the 15th century, argues for the inalienability of breakages and cracks from the history of the object, such that they should not be forgotten or hidden.

Pomellato’s latest collection, Pomellato Kintsugi, is inspired by the ancient Japense art of kintsugi or kintsukuro, which was used to restore broken ceramics

Pomellato’s latest collection, Pomellato Kintsugi, is inspired by the ancient Japense art of kintsugi or kintsukuro, which was used to restore broken ceramics

Jewellery brand Pomellato has drawn inspiration from this Japanese idea and has attempted to embody it in its latest capsule collection of the same name: Pomellato Kintsugi. The damaged jet and kogolong (also known as cacholong or cocholong) specimens – more commonly simply discarded – have been used to devise a new method of gem-making in this intricate interpretation of the ancient Japanese art. Striving to find sustainable solutions and an innovative approach to luxury, Pomellato is recycling materials to reinstate their relevance and give them a place in history, so to speak. 

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection ring and pendant in rose gold with kogolong and brown diamonds

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection ring and pendant in rose gold with kogolong and brown diamonds

To implement this bold project, a kintsugi artist from Tokyo was invited to cooperate, who, with both passion and trepidation, managed to bring new life and value to the broken stones. These newly repaired jet and kogolong gems were then passed to the experienced hands of the masters of Casa Pomellato in Milan, who transformed the “reconstituted” stones into minimalistic rings, earrings and pendants — all with a stunning Japanese twist.

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection rings in rose gold with jet and kogolong

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection rings in rose gold with jet and kogolong

 Pomellato Kintsugi Collection earrings in rose gold with jet and black diamonds

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection earrings in rose gold with jet and black diamonds

 Pomellato Kintsugi Collection earrings in rose gold with kogolong and brown diamonds

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection earrings in rose gold with kogolong and brown diamonds

 Pomellato Kintsugi Collection pendant in rose gold with jet and balck diamonds

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection pendant in rose gold with jet and balck diamonds

 Pomellato Kintsugi Collection pendant in rose gold with kogolong and brown diamonds

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection pendant in rose gold with kogolong and brown diamonds

 Pomellato Kintsugi Collection cocktail ring in rose gold with jet and balck diamonds

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection cocktail ring in rose gold with jet and balck diamonds

 Pomellato Kintsugi Collection cocktail ring in rose gold with kogolong and brown diamonds

Pomellato Kintsugi Collection cocktail ring in rose gold with kogolong and brown diamonds

Pomellato’s creative director Vincenzo Castaldo kindly shared the story of the birth of this unconventional idea: “I travelled to Japan in 2019 and while I was in Tokyo, I sought to deepen my knowledge of the art of kintsugi and immediately felt an affinity with the spirit of this ancient craft. I was drawn to the elegance of Japanese thinking and the idea of something broken becoming more precious through this ritual of repairing. The idea of celebrating your scars as a sign of strength through healing is a very contemporary philosophy. On top of this, repurposing rather than discarding is so relevant to our own lives and our commitment to sustainability. I was inspired to find a way to bring kintsugi to Pomellato and, although Milan and Tokyo may be many miles apart, we share a poetic and uncommon vision of beauty over an artificially perfect ideal, with both embracing diversity and imperfection in a similar manner. We are very respectful of the centuries-old wisdom of the craft, and the aim is not to create perfection but rather an individual and spontaneous result. Each jewel is truly one of a kind, and this to me is the real essence of precious jewellery.”

Pomellato invited a skilled kintsugi artist from Tokyo to cooperate on the new Pomellato Kintsugi Collection

Pomellato invited a skilled kintsugi artist from Tokyo to cooperate on the new Pomellato Kintsugi Collection

 Broken, typically discarded, pieces of gemstone are reconstructed using ancient kintsugi techniques in the Pomellato Kintsugi Collection

Broken, typically discarded, pieces of gemstone are reconstructed using ancient kintsugi techniques in the Pomellato Kintsugi Collection

 Broken seams between gemstone fragments are carefully reformed with gold in the Pomellato Kintsugi Collection

Broken seams between gemstone fragments are carefully reformed with gold in the Pomellato Kintsugi Collection

 The Pomellato Kintsugi Collection is carefully constructed with jet and kogolong pieces

The Pomellato Kintsugi Collection is carefully constructed with jet and kogolong pieces

 The Pomellato Kintsugi Collection pays homage to a technique once used to restore broken ceramics

The Pomellato Kintsugi Collection pays homage to a technique once used to restore broken ceramics

 Each piece in the Pomellato Kintsugi Collection is one of a kind thanks to the diverse nature of the gemstone fragments and how they are reformed

Each piece in the Pomellato Kintsugi Collection is one of a kind thanks to the diverse nature of the gemstone fragments and how they are reformed

 Applying the finishing touches to a restored gemstone that will form the centre of a  Pomellato Kintsugi jewellery design

Applying the finishing touches to a restored gemstone that will form the centre of a Pomellato Kintsugi jewellery design

 Both black jet and milky white kogolong, also known as cachalong or cocholong, are used in the Pomellato Kintsugi Collection

Both black jet and milky white kogolong, also known as cachalong or cocholong, are used in the Pomellato Kintsugi Collection

Let me remind you that this is not Pomellato’s first social initiative of note. With a focus on sustainability, the Italian brand takes a conscientious approach to jewellery design. Pomellato has increased purchases of Fairmined gold, is investing in tracking coloured stones and diamonds, and is exploring new, more ecological processing solutions. Meanwhile, Pomellato collaborates with the Milanese school of goldsmiths to ensure the sustained existence of fine Italian craftsmanship. Through initiatives and advocacy, Pomellato continues to emphasize the importance of caring for the Earth, women’s education and career advancement, and a global well-being that fosters a healthier work-life balance.

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