Pomellato Nudo
Pomellato Nudo
The 2001 collection that redefined Italian coloured-stone goldsmithing through naked-stone bezels
Nudo is the signature collection that Pomellato launched in 2001 and the line most responsible for the house's contemporary identity. The defining gesture is exposure: a large cushion-cut coloured stone is held in a minimal 18-karat gold bezel with no claws, with the pavilion left open to the air at the reverse so that light passes through the stone and saturation is enhanced from below. The name nudo — Italian for naked — is literal. The setting is reduced to its functional minimum and the stone is permitted to be the entire ornament.
The proprietary cushion
Nudo stones are cut in a proprietary cushion shape unique to the collection, with rounded corners, a soft-edged outline, and pavilion depth that holds saturation across the carat-weight range. Pomellato's cutting follows the seat profile of the bezel rather than the conventional industry norms, so a Nudo stone removed from its setting will not slot into a standard cushion mounting from another house. The proprietary geometry is part of the collection's defensive identity in an industry that copies stone cuts as readily as it copies jewellery silhouettes.
Stone weights typically range from approximately 6 to 15 carats, with a small number of high-jewellery editions extending well beyond. Standard species in the line include blue topaz, amethyst, peridot, citrine, and prasiolite, with smoky quartz, lemon quartz, white topaz, and the house's coloured-diamond editions appearing across recent expansions of the collection.
The open-back bezel
The bezel is rolled from 18-karat gold sheet, cut to the precise profile of the stone, and seated so that the girdle of the gem disappears into the metal while the table reads as the only visible plane of the stone. The reverse is open: a circular aperture cut through the seat allows light to enter from below and pass through the pavilion before reaching the table. This back-lit construction is the optical secret of the collection. A sealed mounting would absorb pavilion light; the Nudo aperture lets it through, deepening apparent saturation.
The bezel is offered in rose, yellow, and white gold. Pomellato's surface vocabulary in the line includes high-polish, satin, and pavé-set diamond shoulders. The original collection design avoided diamonds; later expansions added pavé bezels and double-stone Nudo Petit and Nudo Petit Petit pieces that allow lighter, more layerable wear.
Position in modern jewellery
Nudo's commercial impact is significant beyond Pomellato. The collection popularised stackable, coloured-stone, semi-precious cocktail rings as a category for clients who would not previously have considered semi-precious gold rings as fine jewellery. The house's willingness to treat blue topaz and amethyst with the design seriousness normally reserved for ruby and emerald shifted the conversation about what semi-precious species could justify in a high-end retail setting. Many subsequent house collections — and many independent designers — work in a vocabulary that owes Nudo a clear debt.
In the trade
Nudo is the most active Pomellato line in the secondary market. Buyers should examine the bezel's seat for tightness — a stone that rocks within the bezel is a sign of ageing or repaired metalwork — and the table of the gem for abrasions, particularly on amethyst and peridot pieces in heavy ring rotation. Replacement stones cut to the proprietary profile are best sourced through Pomellato; non-house re-cuts visibly compromise the optical effect, and an undocumented stone replacement reduces the resale value substantially. Original Pomellato pouches and certificates accompany well-curated examples, and pieces with full provenance trade at a notable premium to undocumented stones.
Care
Cleaning is by mild soap and warm water with a soft brush, with attention to the open back where lotion residue can accumulate. Ultrasonic and steam cleaning are not recommended; topaz, amethyst, citrine, and peridot are sensitive to vibration and thermal shock. Storage should be in the original Nudo pouch or an equivalent soft case, individually, to prevent the bezel from marking neighbouring jewellery.