Montiel puts its “Historical Jewels” collection on sale, made up of exclusive pieces by Pomellato, Vhernier, and Mikimoto
Montiel puts its “Historical Jewels” collection on sale, made up of exclusive pieces by Pomellato, Vhernier, and Mikimoto
The Montiel jewelry shop of Pamplona was inaugurated in 1963 by Gonzalo Fernández Montiel and his wife, Dory de Prado. Currently, it is their children –Gonzalo, Óscar, and Miki– who are in charge of continuing to champion the quality and exclusivity of this emblematic establishment – an establishment with its own fine jewelry collection and an enviable selection of watches and jewelry by renowned international brands: Patek Philippe, Buccellati, Pomellato, Vhernier, and Mikimoto, among others. The shop’s relationship with some of these brands goes back a long way: decades of joint work representing the know-how of companies that have made history creating iconic pieces. In order to highlight this strong connection and pay tribute to the excellence of these brands, Montiel has put its “Joyas históricas” (“Historical Jewels”) collection on sale this year, a collection made up of exclusive pieces by Pomellato, Vhernier, and Mikimoto.
Pomellato, a symbol of creativity and color, was founded in Milan in 1967 by Pino Rabolini, the heir of a family of goldsmiths who introduced the philosophy of prêt-à-porter in the traditional and conservative world of jewelry. Rabolini revolutionized the range of possibilities in women’s fashion while at the same time providing Pomellato with a strong, modern identity.
Each Pomellato creation is handcrafted in-house with a unique know-how that captivates and empowers: more than a hundred artisans work daily at the brand’s Milanese workshop with precious stones that come to life thanks to their passion and skill, the result of many hours of meticulous work and ingenious solutions. This process combines precious metals –such as Pomellato’s signature rose gold– with fine diamonds and colored gemstones from around the world. Among other expert techniques, Pomellato’s artisans use microcasting, also known as investment casting and lost-wax casting: a process that dates back to 3500 BC and which allows for the creation of the soft lines and fluid, voluminous forms that characterize the firm’s jewelry.
Eternally inspired by the powerful creative spirit of Milan, Pomellato embodies the distinctively modern and unconventional beauty of its beloved hometown. The brand’s characteristic style –elegant, original, and unmistakably Milanese– is a tribute to the city’s goldsmithing heritage.
Less than 100 km south of Milan is Valenza, the birthplace of Italian jewelry and of the centuries-old techniques of this trade. Vhernier was established in this town of less than 1,000 inhabitants 40 years ago. It is a family jewelry store that designs pieces with a strong, modern charm that has conquered actresses of the stature of Angelina Jolie, Anne Hathaway, and Uma Thurman. The brand’s vision is clear: to create completely new pieces of jewelry that have never before been seen, freeing women from the restrictions of conventional elegance, giving them the opportunity to stand out with a new and meaningful style. Nature and sculpture, primitive and contemporary art, and design and architecture are the sources of inspiration for Vhernier’s designers. Their jewelry garners life from the curves of Constantin Brâncusi and Anish Kapoor, the movements of Jean Arp, and the architecture of Zaha Hadid: powerful inspirations run through the filter of Milanese rigor and spirit, expressing love for cultured elegance and refined beauty. Thanks to this take on the eternal spirit of art, the firm’s creations go beyond mere passing fashions, becoming timeless and always current masterpieces.
At the Vhernier workshop in Valenza, the ancient knowledge of Italian goldsmithing is combined with the most sophisticated innovation, allowing the company to create –for example, and thanks to a particular gold fusion method– mirrored gold surfaces that are larger than usual; surfaces which are perfect and have no blemishes, admirably reflecting light. Another noteworthy technique that belongs to Vhernier is known as Trasparenze, the result of superimposing a beautiful and pure rock crystal atop stones of natural but opaque colors, giving a sheen to the gems and creating an extraordinary color effect. Seen from above, the color of the main gemstone shines in infinite shades that change with each and every movement, while the profile view reveals the transparency of the rock crystal itself. Another of the most demanding processes is the Pavé process, carried out by highly experienced master craftsmen who work with microscopes, setting each stone with only two prongs (never more than four) to leave the least amount of visible metal possible. Additionally, Vhernier has worked hard to propose a new iteration of this process: Eyeliner Pavé, a sensual surface that is home to large and small gemstones and that garners excitement due to the apparent random design with which the diamonds are arranged. The golden shapes, colored with an innovative rhodium plating technique, beautifully highlight the stones, with no rough metal in sight.
The third brand that is part of Montiel’s “Historical Jewels” collection is the Japanese Mikimoto brand. In 1893, Kokichi Mikimoto managed to create the world’s first cultured pearl. From that time on, he continued to grow pearls of high quality –measured by criteria such as size, shape, color, shine, and thickness of the nacre- and to create fine jewelry pieces with them. Kokichi Mikimoto was aware of the importance of design, and he thus sent skilled craftsmen to Europe to learn the latest jewelry design techniques and styles, including Art Deco and Art Nouveau. Using the experience and knowledge they brought from Europe, he spent decades combining traditional Japanese metalworking craftsmanship and European manufacturing techniques to create the distinctive Mikimoto style.
130 years later, Mikimoto remains the main producer of top quality cultured pearls in the world and one of the most prestigious jewelry brands thanks to its unwavering commitment to quality: its craftsmen and craftswomen, highly qualified experts, dedicate countless hours to classifying and selecting the pearls (less than 10% of the pearls they cultivate are used for Mikimoto jewelry) and assembling the necklaces, yielding jewelry with a unique artistic and aesthetic feel.
Throughout this year, Montiel will gradually present the different pieces by Pomellato, Vhernier, and Mikimoto that make up its “Historical Jewels” collection both in the boutique in Pamplona and through the shop’s website. Do not miss this unique opportunity to get to know the creations of these great brands and the history of the art of jewelry making.
Montiel Jewelers
Avenida Carlos III 50, Pamplona.
Tel.: +34 948 233 099
