Aldo Cipullo (American, b. Italy, 1942–1984), designer, Cartier (French, est. 1847), manufacturer, Necklace with Pendant, 1971, gold

Audio Description

Aldo Cipullo was an American jeweler who was born in Italy and lived from 1942–1984. He designed this necklace with pendant in 1971 for Cartier, a French jewelry house that was established in 1847.

Made of polished gold, this is a hoop necklace. The pendant is a hand with a void in the palm. The void is surrounded by a raised piece of gold.

Label Copy

Aldo Cipullo was an American jeweler who was born in Italy and lived from 1942–1984. He designed this necklace with pendant in 1971 for Cartier, a French jewelry house that was established in 1847.

One of the most commercially successful jewelers of his time, Aldo Cipullo and his jewelry was featured in various fashion and lifestyle magazines throughout the 1970s. David Webb, whose work is included in this exhibition, hired Cipullo as a designer in 1960. Three years later, Cipullo moved to Tiffany & Co. and then to Cartier in 1969, where he designed his most famous collections. His mature style was minimalist, often geometric, and usually employed smooth polished gold.

This pendant designed for Cartier is representative of the hamsa or khamsa—an ancient hand-shaped symbol that crosses many religious and cultural boundaries. The power of the number five—represented by the five fingers—is associated with various mystical meanings in Judaism and Islam. Believed to ward off evil, the hamsa was revived in the 1970s. It was incorporated into popular culture and became a kind of good luck symbol.

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