Pichulik collaborates with Italian ceramic artist Serena Ghidini on Sasso, a limited-edition pendant inspired by the raw beauty of Sardinia.
Jewellery becomes something far more personal when it carries a story of place, material and time. Enter ‘Sasso’, the latest limited-edition release from Cape Town-based Pichulik, created in collaboration with Italian ceramic artist Serena Ghidini, founder of Piano Terra Ceramiche.
Named after the Italian word for stone, Sasso takes its inspiration from a rock Serena discovered in Sardinia’s Sassi Piatti area. The resulting pendant is an organic, sculptural piece that celebrates the beauty of imperfection, with softened edges and asymmetrical forms that reflect the landscape from which it draws its inspiration.
Working entirely by hand, Serena forages wild clays, granite, minerals and sands, incorporating them into experimental glazes and finishes. Rather than simply depicting nature, her work brings the landscape into the material itself, allowing its textures and variations to shape each creation.
The collaboration marks the third release in Pichulik’s limited-edition artist series, bringing together two creative worlds through a shared appreciation for craftsmanship, material honesty and the beauty of slowing down.
For Pichulik founder Katherine-Mary Pichulik, the pendant is more than an accessory. It is a small piece of Sardinia brought into everyday life in Cape Town, carrying the spirit of its landscape against the skin.
The launch took place on 22 October at the Pichulik Atelier in Cape Town, as part of Design Week South Africa 2026. The immersive experience explored the sensory world behind the collaboration, with a video piece accompanying the pendant, alongside a scent study and a preview of Ways of Caring, a forthcoming book ensemble by Caroline Wachsmuth exploring beauty, food, lifestyle rituals, meditation and breathwork.
The collaboration continues beyond the launch, with Serena hosting an In Nature workshop at House of Nammu on 23 October, inviting participants to explore the relationship between foraging, natural materials and the art of making by hand.
Rooted in the cultural exchange between South Africa and Italy, Sasso is a reminder that meaningful design need not be polished into perfection. Sometimes, the most compelling pieces are those that retain the marks of their making, the character of their materials and a little of the landscape that inspired them.
For Pichulik, a brand celebrated for its sculptural jewellery and distinctive approach to adornment, Sasso offers a fresh expression of its design philosophy: accessories that are not merely worn, but experienced.