Aldo Cipullo Biography
Aldo Cipullo (1935 - 1984) was born in Naples in 1935 but grew up in Rome, the eldest of five children. His father, a strict disciplinarian, had a costume jewelry business and, as Renato says, he sent Aldo after school with a bag full of jewelry to sell, an experience that taught him the art of salesmanship. Artistic, imaginative, creative and blessed with movie star looks, Aldo was obsessed with all things American, as American culture had infiltrated the deeply traditional Italian way of life in the post-war years. Aldo was determined to move to the United States and, after much plotting and planning, he arrived there in 1959. He fell in love with New York City where, early in his career, he began working for David Webb, a famous American jeweler. He moved on to Tiffany & Co. a couple of years later, where he had already made a name for himself. However, the most noteworthy moment of his career was when he started working for Cartier in 1969. Throughout the next decade, Aldo Cipullo designed some of his most iconic pieces that left a mark on jewelry design and that they are still very popular. His most famous design was the Cartier Love bracelet, belonging to the most successful collection in Cartier's history. Another notable piece was the Juste Un Clou, otherwise known as his Nail Collection, which he designed in 1971. After a few years working for Cartier, Aldo Cipullo began his solo career, focusing on jewelry and costumes as a man. In 1978, Cipullo was commissioned by the American Gem Society to design a collection for the Smithsonian Museum. This collection consisted of various pieces made from gems mined in the United States. Unfortunately Cipullo died in 1984 from a double heart attack. He died at the age of 42, at the height of his career.
