The Jewelry She Wears
Between working with a generational goldsmith, designing every piece, and still finding time for Spaghetti Sundays, our founder Paola Incisa Di Camerana doesn't have room for jewelry that asks for attention. She wants pieces that disappear into her life, the ones she stops noticing because they've simply become part of her. Here, she talks about the ring she wears every day, why yellow gold always wins, and what actually makes a piece last a lifetime.
What does jewelry mean to you?
It's one of the most personal things we own. It lives on your skin, it becomes part of your routine, and it quietly follows you through the big moments and the small ones. My favorite pieces are the ones I stop thinking about. They've just become part of my life. Take one off and I immediately feel like something's missing.
Jewelry evolves with us too. Sometimes you wear a piece for years. Sometimes you redesign it into something new. Either way, the memory stays attached to it.
What do you wear every day?
I'm consistent, almost boring about it. My wedding band never comes off, and neither does my father's family crest ring. That one means everything to me.
Lately I've been wearing my graduated belcher chain with a round 3 carats lab diamond pendant, my heart shaped lab diamond studs, and my Dare and Dare Me bracelets stacked together. If I'm going out in the evening, I'll add a pinky ring.
None of this is a decision anymore. I don't think about putting it on. It just feels like me.
How did growing up in Italy shape your style?
Italy taught me that timeless always beats trendy. Give me a great pair of jeans, a white t shirt, a tailored blazer, ballet flats. My wardrobe is classic on purpose, because I want everything to work together without effort. I feel the same way about jewelry. Build a collection you'll still love in ten years, not just this season.
Why do you always come back to yellow gold?
It's the most natural thing on me. I love the warmth of it, and how it sits against my skin tone. White gold and platinum have their place, especially for a chic evening look. But yellow gold is what I reach for every single day. At this point it's just my signature.
What makes a piece a forever piece?
You miss it the moment you take it off. It's the necklace, the bracelet, the ring that's been there for the ordinary days and the milestones and everything between. Eventually it stops being jewelry. It becomes part of your story.
What do you hope someone feels wearing your designs?
I hope they fall in love with them. I hope my jewelry feels as natural with jeans and a t shirt as it does with a little black dress on a night out.
Some of my favorite messages come from women who bought themselves a piece to mark a new beginning, an achievement, or just because they wanted to. There's something powerful about choosing a piece for yourself, no occasion required.
Fine jewelry is about longevity. Something you wear for decades and maybe hand down one day. Those are the pieces that end up in a family's story, and I don't think there's anything more beautiful than that.
My daughter has been my hand model for years, so she's worn almost every piece I've designed. Nothing makes me happier than when she says "mom, I really love this piece, can I have it?" It's my hope one day she will come help me with my business.