Renato Cipullo Expands Splendente Letters With Rock Crystal, Onyx, Preserving 1970s Typeface

Renato Cipullo expanded his Splendente letter-pendant family to include rock crystal and onyx hardstone letters on February 27, 2026, preserving the collection’s retro 1970s typeface and graphic motif. Instagram called the rollout a “thoughtful” response, and coverage frames the new stone letters as a lower-price alternative to the original 18k-gold Splendente pendants.

The Splendente hardstone rollout includes named pieces such as an onyx “R” Stone Letter Pendant, Splendente R and C Stone Letter Pendants, a Rock Crystal Blocco Necklace, and an Onyx Trio Necklace. One related piece described in coverage, the “Trio” necklace, pairs onyx with 18k gold, a cotton chord, and diamonds and is priced at $4,950. The original Splendente 18k yellow-gold letter pendant remains listed at $6,500 and is explicitly tied to Cipullo’s New York City experience in the 1970s.

Renato Cipullo’s product page describes the original gold letter pendant in detail: “Yellow gold letter pendant in a boxed style with a perforated back in a retro inspired pattern. These each come with a top bale that functions as a clasp in case you have something you'd like to latch it onto. Renato designed this original font style influenced by 70s motifs and Italian graphic design.” The 18k-gold Splendente pendant is specified as 1.5 inches by 1 inch, made in Italy, and when marked preorder carries a 6–8 week production lead time. The brand’s site also shows multiple repeated product images and interface text that notes standard shopping-cart interactions and an email subscription banner.

Cipullo’s family and career context accompanies the Splendente story. Born in Naples near a square nicknamed Via degli Orefici - street of the jewelers - he left his father’s company in 1964 to join his brother Aldo in New York City, worked for David Webb, and returned to Italy amid Vietnam War draft concerns before opening a boutique called Mare Uno on Ischia in 1967. Coverage reiterates that “Aldo designed Cartier’s iconic Love bracelet, one of the most recognizable jewelry designs of all time.” On family continuity, Cipullo says, “Maintaining the ideals of a family business and including a younger perspective helps continue the legacy and keep the jewelry evolving.” His Amor Fati line, created with daughter Serena, explores mixed metals, texture, gender-neutral style, and Italian motifs of fortune and superstition.

Coverage is clear about what remains unspecified. Multiple sources call the rock crystal and onyx Splendente letters a lower-price alternative, but none publish MSRPs for those individual hardstone letters. Sources also do not confirm whether the rock crystal and onyx versions share the 1.5 x 1 inch dimensions, the Made in Italy origin, the boxed style perforated back, or the top-bale clasp described for the 18k-gold pendant.

The expansion positions Splendente with two visible price anchors: the 18k-gold letter at $6,500 and the Trio necklace at $4,950, while the rock crystal and onyx letters await published retail pricing and detailed provenance information such as stone sourcing and any certification. Collectors and buyers seeking the Splendente graphic and font influenced by 1970s Italian design will now find hardstone alternatives alongside the signature 18k-gold model, with the brand’s product page and announced pieces providing the current specifics.