Bea Bongiasca’s Diamonds Are Di-Vine

By Brittany Siminitz | February 11, 2022

For a brand that is relatively young, Bea Bongiasca seems to have already achieved icon status.

Officially founded in 2013—making it nearly 10 years old!—the eponymous brand hailing from Milan puts out work that others can’t seem to get enough of.

And that’s exactly when you know you’ve made it—when the copycats come calling.

“There are two types of copycats that I have come across,” says Bongiasca. “The first kind buys rip-offs on websites like Alibaba for €1 and resells them for €40 on Etsy or on their Instagram page, where they literally just sell copies of various designers. The thing is, if it costs that little, what is even in it? Probably not even brass or any decent enamel, that’s for sure. Leaving me to wonder how it is made and in what working conditions.

“The second type is a brand that is very ‘inspired’ by the type of jewels we are doing. Even if it isn’t part of their DNA to be colorful or fun, they randomly come out with these collections banking on the pop trend.
I think people see through this kind of forced act, and so it does not really bother me because I know that what we do stems from true passion, and it is all part of our brand identity.”

Color really is in Bea Bongiasca’s brand DNA, which displays a Pantone-worthy range of hues in its enamel rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and—most recently—jewelry boxes.

Bea Bongiasca marquise Baby Vine ring — *Baby Vine ring in 18k gold with 0.7 ct. marquise diamond, $8,500*

Bea Bongiasca enamel earring — *Earring in 18k yellow gold with enamel and 0.7 ct. oval-shape diamond, $6,600*

So it’s exciting that the brand has made the leap from demi-fine to fine jewelry, with the incorporation of diamonds and precious metals into Bongiasca’s signature You’re So Vine line. The glow-up boasts rings in heart-, oval-, marquise-, pear-, and trillion-cut diamonds—each totally viable as an engagement ring—in addition to stud earrings with the same offering of stone shapes. The enamel and metal wrap rings coordinate beautifully with the diamonds, offering a removable option for dressing up the stones with a splash of color (or a very modern and whimsical wedding band). In addition to choice of stone, customers can select from 14 different enamel hues—from primary colors and pastels to tropical and dark hues.

Bea Bongiasca heart diamond ring — *Ring in 18k gold with red enamel and heart-shape diamond, $8,900*

Each piece is fabulous, though it’d be nuts not to point out the obvious headliner: a wrap ring in 15 segments of differently colored enamel, giving a bite of each of Bongiasca’s best color offerings (pictured at top).

“It was very tricky to make 15 segments in different colors,” the designer says. “The artisans have to put the piece in the oven to dry each time they hand-paint the enamel on it, so it takes a long time. If there is even a tiny mistake the whole piece needs to be redone, as you can’t just remove one color, you would have to remove them all.”