Sorellina Jewelry Heads To Capri For Their 10th Anniversary

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a jewelry journalist is when you meet a fledgling designer, feel their passion and tap into their talent almost immediately, only after seeing their first few pieces. Many years of covering antique and vintage periods, renowned houses and emerging contemporary talent have afforded me the magical opportunity of spotting that rare mix of an emerging designer’s distinctive point-of-view, uncanny sense of what will resonate in fine jewelry and then watching as they evolve and reach new heights in their careers to grow into brands that are carried internationally and are desired by a cross-section of generations.

That has been the case with Sorellina, the dynamic duo sisters Nicole and Kim Carosella, who I first met in 2013 when they only had a handful of finished pieces and the sketches of the other designs in production. We talked about our love for Victorian jewelry, and I could see the influences in the few pieces they showed me. I felt their reverence for the past without dwelling in it. Every inspiration took a modern spin. I couldn’t wait to see what was next. Each collection grew more sophisticated in the use of colored gemstones and textural nuances, meaningful symbols that took on almost a lyrical sensibility and, then, their first ornate and high end enamel and gemstone Tarot Card collection, which was bigger and bolder, revealing the depths of their fertile imagination. They ensured that their vision for this collection was realized by using master artisans. It was a risk and a new direction for them.

But taking chances and working with more challenging designs has proved to be the most successful for the company.

Both sisters are down-to-earth with a sense of humor. I remember when first meeting them, asking when jewelry first caught their eye. “Our fascination began when we were both colicky babies who could only be lulled to sleep by our mother dangling her sparkly jewelry in front of us,” Kim recalled.

Ten years later, to commemorate their anniversary collection and pay homage to their heritage, they returned to their roots and created the most intricate and personal collection to date. The duo began to conceptualize ‘Dieci’—Italian for 10 in early 2022 after finding a parcel of sleeping beauty turquoise at the Tucson Gem Show that was nearly identical in color to their memory of the water in Capri where they continue to visit every summer since childhood. The collection also features gems, including cereuleite, yellow opal, padparadscha, emeralds and sapphires. Pieces capture the sea and sky of the picturesque island.

Sorellina 18K Amalfi Statement necklace with cust-cut white onyx, sleeping beauty turquoise, pink sapphire, padparadscha and diamond accents

Sorellina 18K turquoise Sea Shell Crescent earrings

Sorellina chrysoprase 18K Mermaid ring with diamond accents

Nicole, who handles design and overall product development, explains, “Kim and I spent most of our summers growing up traveling to Capri to be with friends and family. When I think about our time there, I have fond memories of summers spent on boats, diving into the electric blue water and eating the freshest food, walking along the cobblestone paths with gelato in one hand and a lemon cookie in the other. Sitting among the lemon trees, we ate pizza in our family friend’s garden. No matter what stage of life we were in, returning to Capri was always an escape we cherished and still do.”

Sorrelina 18K gold Alba Studs with turquoise center stones, pink sapphires and diamond accents.

Sorellina 18K Limoncello earrings with yellow opal lemons and malachite leaves with diamond accents

Kim, who handles all operations, adds, “We always knew we wanted to create a collection to honor our heritage and celebrate a place we love so much. But we wanted it to be at a point in our business when we could afford to bring certain concepts to life with special, one-of-a-kind gems. The blue-green color of the sleeping beauty turquoise we found in Tuscon immediately brought us back to Capri, boating on calm waters. That was the moment we felt ready to brainstorm all the things we loved about the island and conceptualize our most elevated collection to date.”

Sorrelina 18K gold Capri Inlay Earrings with chrysoprase inlay, pink tourmaline and diamond accents

Sorellina 18K Marea Ring with diamond accents

The collection rolls out this week, and it represents the original raw talent they displayed in 2013, the growth, progression and development of their aesthetic and the evolution driven by their experiences and their enduring passion for creating visionary yet relatable jewelry.

Sorellina 18K Small Limoncello Beads Opal bead necklace

Sorellina 18K gold turquoise Alba Necklace with diamond accents

Sorellina 18K mother-of-pearl Alba Inlay Huggies with diamond accents