Just off one of Milan’s bustling streets lies an unmarked, gemstone-shaped door etched into an otherwise unassuming wall. To passersby, it’s merely another work of art steps from the Castello Sforzesco, but to a select few, it’s the entrance to Garatti‘s high jewelry atelier. Its hidden-in-plain-sight doorway feels closer to a plot point in a thrilling mystery novel rather than a real-life showroom, especially once visitors bypass a second layer of security and enter a sparkling display of diamonds. (And don’t bother trying to look Garatti up on Google Maps — it’s intentionally off-the-grid.)
Photo: Courtesy of Garatti
Founded in 2018 by Milena Bernocco and her son Nicolas Garatti, the Italian high jewelry house specializes in green diamonds. You’ve likely heard of their yellow or blue counterparts (see: the Tiffany Diamond or the Hope Diamond), but what, you may ask, are green diamonds? The rare gemstone’s greenish hue comes from natural exposure to radiation over millennia, resulting in various levels of saturation and clarity. (No, they’re not radioactive; I asked.)
In fact, any colored diamonds are exceedingly rare, as only one out of 10,000 carats of fashioned diamonds displays “fancy color,” according to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), a nonprofit organization and the global authority on diamonds, colored stones and pearls. But green diamonds rank among the rarest of the rare, second only to red diamonds. Now, Garatti is further positioning itself as the premier destination for the green-tinted gems: It currently owns 60% of the world’s known green diamonds as well as more than 90% of those currently available on the market, per the maison.
Photo: Courtesy of Garatti
For Bernocco, a career gemologist, two factors fueled her decision to go all-in on green diamonds. “The first is the sheer beauty of their color: a magnetic green born from a long, natural process of formation,” she told Fashionista over email, translated from Italian. “The second is our desire to bring these gems the recognition they deserve for their rarity and allure, as they represent the second rarest diamond color in the world.”
Photo: Courtesy of Garatti
Inside its Milan atelier, Garatti artisans combine traditional Italian craftsmanship with contemporary design to create custom pieces. Bernocco spearheads the design process for each of the label’s capsules, including its Settecento collection (a multi-strand necklace referencing 1700s high jewelry) and its Venezia collection (statement earrings and a necklace inspired by Venetian chandeliers). Unlike many of the industry’s front-facing high jewelry players — Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Tiffany & Co., for example — Garatti firmly commits to its custom, made-to-order business model.
“What sets our brand apart from competitors is the sheer uniqueness of our creations,” Bernocco shared. “We craft exclusively one-of-a-kind pieces, tailored ad hoc for each client, alongside museum-grade collections featured on the world’s most prestigious red carpets.”
Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
As one of its most notable celebrity placements, Garatti’s green diamonds (more than 42 carats of them, worth a whopping $35 million, to be exact), graced the neck of Kate Hudson at the 98th Academy Awards in 2026. Other A-listers like Angelina Jolie, Emma Stone, Gwyneth Paltrow, Penélope Cruz and Lupita Nyong’o have also donned the Italian house’s rare jewels.
Regardless of a prospective client’s means, the atelier’s concealed entryway ensures that not just anyone can waltz in and purchase a multimillion-dollar diamond necklace. Instead, Garatti operates on an invitation-only basis. “The selection of our clientele extends beyond financial standing — even though our creations represent true luxury — and is rooted primarily in moral and ethical values that align with our brand identity,” Bernocco explained. “Our ideal client is a person of refined culture, a passionate patron of the arts and actively engaged in social and humanitarian causes.”
Photo: Courtesy of Garatti
This emphasis on ethical values and transparency continues into Garatti’s diamond sourcing, as the jewelry house uses the Kimberley Process (KP), which is an international initiative established in 2000 to eradicate conflict diamonds from the legitimate trade. According to KP, conflict diamonds are “rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments.” Plus, each Garatti diamond is guaranteed and certified by the GIA. (Translation: No “blood diamonds” here, per the company.)
Despite many high jewelry brands targeting female consumers with glittering necklaces and dangling earrings, the wider gemology industry is largely run by men. While scaling the ranks in her gemology career, Bernocco eventually hit a wall. So, after deciding to go out on her own, she brought in her eldest son Nicolas (along with her younger son Luca) to help open more doors.
“It was by no means an easy journey, but my passion and determination to open up this world to true connoisseurs are what [have] driven me to build our brand,” she said. “From a young age, my son Nicolas — now president of Garatti — supported me in its founding, standing by my side to navigate the challenges and obstacles of this industry.” Though in Bernocco’s opinion, “this kind of art is even more beautiful and better with a feminine vision.”
Photo: Courtesy of Garatti
In an age when lab-grown diamonds are becoming increasingly popular on the jewelry market, Garatti highlights its green diamonds’ exclusivity, permanence and exceptional rarity as its key differentiation points. As the high jewelry maison looks to the future, Garatti is focusing on preserving its time-honored craftsmanship for a new generation. (In fact, one of its in-house artisans is a 19-year-old woman, sitting alongside male colleagues with decades of experience.)
“As a brand, we are dedicated to educating and inspiring anyone who encounters our world, ensuring that the passion and love for this fine art endure through time,” Bernocco said.
Disclosure: Garatti paid for Fashionista’s travel and accommodations to report this story.
* This article was originally published here