“This jewelry makes me want to eat it. It’s completely delicious. In fact it looks like it’s already been well-sucked.” Leave it to Tilda Swinton to inject something risque into what might otherwise have been just another Rodeo Drive boutique opening.

The striking actress almost literally tent-poled the Pomellato debut last night, standing well over six feet tall in high heels and a cream silk pants suit. (She even towered over Allison Janney). The star of the drama “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” who was recently nominated for a Golden Globe Best Actress award, yet snubbed—many say unfairly—for an Oscar, appears in the upcoming ad campaign for Pomellato, a Milan-based jewelry company
that is expanding its global retail presence.

The Beverly Hills store is Pomellato’s fourth US location, following New York, Chicago, and Miami. If the baubles seem at first glance a bit on the traditional side for an ambassador with such edgy cred, that’s because its uniqueness doesn’t shout.

Cabochon rings in diamond-encrusted settings and necklaces of pale pink or violet gems in watery, reflective cuts illustrate the classic yet distinctive design that Italian houses are often known for. “The company cuts all of its own stones,” explained Pomellato president Guglielmo Melegari, “and the designs are always asymmetric.”

More obviously odd, perhaps, is the choice of opening a store for unbridled luxury in the resolution-making, post-holiday month of January. But it’s also awards season, and the boutique, no doubt, will also serve as a styling suite for Tilda and those who emulate her—actresses like Rachael Harris, an Indie Spirit Award Best Actress nominee (Natural Selection) who also attended the soiree—to come get draped before hitting the red carpet.

–Laurie Pike

Photos, from top: A sneak-attack photo of Tilda Swinton posing with a fan while Pomellato CEO Andrea Morante looks on; some gorgeous Pomellato bling. Photos by Laurie Pike.