New Icons: The Latest Collections by Italian Micromosaic Master SICIS 

It seems only yesterday that I was exploring SICIS’ Parisian boutique and discovering all the colourful details, artworks, and jewels on offer. The store had only recently been renovated when I published my article in November 2024, and so I had the brand on my mind throughout the winter months and into the New Year. Just when I hadn’t heard from the Italian team in a while, Haute Jewels Geneva arrived in early April to reunite us once again. At the event, I was presented with two striking new collections – Icon and Colibrì – that offer different interpretations of the SICIS aesthetic. Below, I want to give you a closer look at these capsule suites and tell you more about the inspirations behind them. 

What has always distinguished SICIS from other Italian brands is its mastery of micromosaic – the art of arranging and securing small cube-shaped tesserae into dynamic patterns. Some of these minuscule pieces of melted enamel and glass paste are less than a millimetre, which only adds to the complexity of producing such intricate designs. Now imagine that these tesserae are set by hand in three-dimensional objects – necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings – and you get a truer sense of how difficult this ancient art is to achieve. What draws me to micromosaics is the depth of colour, light, shade, and three-dimensionality that can be achieved, especially when segments are paired with faceted gemstones and diamonds. It is this combination that really sings. 

At Haute Jewels Geneva earlier this year, SICIS showcased its white gold Icon collection, one of two new capsule ranges that continue this tradition of blending micromosaics with a palette of coloured minerals. What appears like an ocean wave motif at first glance is actually a sculptural interpretation of the letter ‘S’ that appears in all four Icon pieces. These interlocking swirls form the foundation of a necklace and bracelet, the former dripping with pear-shaped tanzanites and aquamarines. Overall, the Icon collection has an organic composition that feels effortless and calming, especially when emphasised with an ombré selection of blue sapphires, tanzanites, diamonds and a gradient of blue micromosaics. The tesserae featured here have a custom-created diamond shape, which cleverly accentuates the subtle water-like flow of the repeating motif.

The Icon necklace is undoubtedly beautiful, but I must express my admiration for the Icon bracelet. For some reason, as soon as I saw it, I thought of swans gliding across a lake… there’s something serene about the alternating pear-shaped gems coupled with the light and shade achieved at the crest of each curve. Less obvious interpretations of the SICIS ‘S’ are visible in the Icon cocktail ring and earrings, which really highlight the sumptuousness of tanzanite. Personally, I have always felt that saturated blue sapphires (and, in this case, blue micromosaics) are the perfect accompaniment to tanzanite as they enhance rather than detract from its rich purple tones. Without this depth of blue, the nuances of the sizeable pear-shaped tanzanites in these pieces would be less obvious. 

If the undulating forms of the Icon collection aren’t you’re thing, SICIS has also introduced the Colibrì collection, which gives tropical rainforest vibes thanks to its combinations of green, orange and pink. This capsule range of four pieces is inspired by the fluttering of hummingbirds and their iridescent plumage. Of course, this is achieved through gorgeous sweeping wings of micromosaics with pear-shaped, round and triangular tesserae arranged like individual feathers. However, colourful minerals play a big role, too, especially pear-shaped emeralds, sapphires in shades of orange, blue, and pink, and leafy inlays of malachite that add a lovely textural difference. The finishing touches come from lines of round brilliant-cut diamonds in which each stone is linked to the next by a fine thread of white gold, adding to the airiness. 

Let’s start with the Colibrì ring, which is slightly different from other pieces in that it swaps a pear-shaped emerald for a rectangular emerald-cut beryl. This serves as the focal point surrounded by feathers of mono-colour micromosaics and round brilliant-cut emeralds, diamonds, sapphires and splashes of malachite. The earrings, too, have a touch of the unexpected with a circular shape that sits on the front of the lobe. Here, the hummingbird is in mid-flight, captured at a split-second moment in time when its wings have become blurred against the rainforest backdrop. The anchors are a pair of pear-shaped emeralds, haloed by diamonds, which swirl into a gradient of pink and blue sapphires, diamonds and colourful micromosaics. 

Finally, the collection is completed with the Colibrì bracelet and necklace, both of which combine pear-shaped emeralds with malachite, multi-coloured sapphires, diamonds and micromosaics in a range of complex tonal hues. In these pieces, we can really see the hummingbird inspiration brought to life, especially the idea that its wings are mid-motion, unfurling and retracting at speeds too quick for the naked eye to fully process. The necklace also benefits from asymmetry – something that SICIS never shies away from – meaning one curve of diamonds and micromosaics is slightly lower on the décolletage than the other. 

If the Colibrì suite is about intensity, colour and energy, then the Icon collection is its counterpoint – a calming, serene and flowing sweep of relaxing blues. We are spoilt for choice, thanks to the boundless imagination of SICIS creative director Gioia Placuzzi and the brand’s team of exceptional artisans. Who knows what other beautiful pieces we can expect as the year progresses?