A pair of onyx and gold earrings, comprised of onyx discs with overlayed, gold cross-hatching interestected by onyx beads, in 18k. Aldo Cipullo for Cartier.

Italian-born designer Aldo Cipullo was the son of a costume jewelry maker from Naples, Italy. He more than made his mark in New York, quickly becoming one of the most daring and glamorous designers in the city. Once arriving on U.S. soil in the early 1960s to attend the School of Visual Arts, he fell in love with New York, and started his highly successful trajectory at David Webb before joining Tiffany and then Cartier. There, he designed one of the world's most iconic pieces of jewelry: the Love Bracelet, in 1969. Other notable pieces during his five-year tenure there include the Nail Cuff. In 1974, he moved on to launch his own atelier, and in 1978 the American Gem Society commissioned him to create a collection of pieces with American gemstones. At the time, he was a leading design figure, having won a Coty Award and known worldwide for his Love Bracelet. The curator, who was seeking dramatic looks with little concern for wearability, selected Cipullo. His 31 one-of-a-kind pieces are officially called the American Gemstone Jewelry Collection and are permanently housed in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

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