Bea Bongiasca’s ‘Tarallo’ Collection Expansion Is a Zoo
The pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.

Based on the curled shape of Italian taralli crackers, the limited-edition “Animali Tarallo” collection features hand-painted enamel animal portraits and interpretations of different species’ fur or scales on rings and earrings.
Animali Tarallo was created as a nod to Bongiasca’s lifelong admiration for the beauty of nature and its unmatched artistry, the brand said.
The rings represent the diversity of the animal kingdom, including mammals, amphibians, and mollusks, while the earrings show the kaleidoscopic beauty of creatures’ bold, colorful designs.
Instead of focusing on leopard or zebra print, Bongiasca reimagined the hues and patterns of tropical fish, nudibranchs, and tree frogs.
“It was very difficult to choose what to do as I had so many ideas, but in the end, I decided to work on animal prints for the earrings and more literal animals for the rings, as it is easier to read the animals on the rings than it is on earrings,” Bongiasca said.
“I have done a lot of research on tropical fish as I find that they have the most beautiful colors, so for the prints I concentrated mainly on that, as well as some more classic zebra as well. For the animals it does seem like an odd group, but they really worked well with the ‘Tarallo’ shape, and I loved the final effect and how they are similar but different.”
The first drop of the Animali Tarallo collection is set to debut with 11 styles on April 8, coordinating with Milan Design Week.
Stingrays, zebras, snakes, nautiluses, Tang fishes, elephants, horses, tree frogs, clownfishes, and parrotfishes all came to life through enamel paintings over either sterling silver or, for one style, 9-karat yellow gold.
The brand collaborated with an enamel artist to create these unique paintings that are layered on top of base colors.
“I had so much fun designing all of them. Usually when I draw a jewel, it takes a long time to get from the idea to the finished piece but with this collection, it was the opposite,” Bongiasca said. “The hardest part was limiting the amount of pieces I was designing.”
A second release of pieces in the Animali Tarallo collection is set for September.
The continuation of the collection will include darker colorways, additional animals, and more customization options.
As a tribute to Bongiasca’s favorite animal—the cat—she will launch a special feline lover’s capsule collection. Clients will be able to custom-order a hand-painted portrait of their cat on a Tarallo ring.
The collection retails from $900 and will be available on the Bea Bongiasca website, at the brand’s flagship boutique, and at select retailers worldwide.
Bongiasca has also already started taking custom orders for clients requesting pet portraits; “to my joy, especially cats,” she said.
To celebrate the launch of the Animali Tarallo collection, the brand collaborated with Italian paper artist Mauro Seresini on paper installations depicting the animals in their natural habitats.
Seresni’s immersive “Under the Sea” installation will debut with Bongiasca’s April trunk show at Dover Street Market in London.

After a month, the trunk show will travel to the Dover Street Market locations in Singapore and the United States.
Recently, Bongiasca has been in the news for more than just her jewelry designs.
The New York Times featured her 800-square-foot Milan apartment in T, its style magazine.
Bongiasca gave the Times a tour of her home alongside her long-haired cat Fat Momo, describing the two-story loft as being designed “like a jewelry box.”
Italian architect Massimiliano Locatelli, a longtime friend of Bongiasca’s mother, designed the living room.
Throughout her home there are objects and books that Bongiasca has collected when visiting Japan—Sailor Moon graphic novels, cat figurines including Hello Kitty and maneki neko, and a plush version of Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara’s scowling girls.
The Latest

Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America

The 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.

The West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

This past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.


JSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.

Located on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.

The online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.

She will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.

Working with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.

The jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.

The company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.

He is remembered for his successful entrepreneurship, generosity, and dedication to his family.

The jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.

Welcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

“The Jewelry Book” comes out this September.

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.

The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.

The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.