Breaking the Mould: Discovering NTERDI, A Daring New Jewellery House

Recently, I met the founder of a young fine jewellery brand called NTERDI. Instantly intrigued by the name, I learned it derives from the French word interdit, meaning forbidden. Unexpected yet compelling, it feels perfectly suited to the spirit of NTERDI’s creations, so let’s explore the world of striking, design-led jewels he has envisioned.

Across the world, we are seeing a new generation of designers bringing fresh energy to the fine jewellery landscape — brands that value individuality and innovation over tradition. Among them, NTERDI stands out for its daring perspective, combining the prestige of European jewellery with the bold, boundary-pushing attitude of contemporary design.

Daring Jewellery for a New Generation

Looking through the luxury, daily-wear offerings in front of me, I felt that NTERDI’s jewels speak directly to a new generation of wearers who are unafraid to express themselves through statement pieces that explore distinctly modern themes, from industrial design and adaptability to geometry and resistance. When I asked the designer what forbidden means to him, he said simply, “It’s edgy and connects with the concept of the jewellery—these are not your regular jewels.”

If you haven’t guessed yet, I was speaking to a gentleman who is something of a non-conformist. I could see and feel how that atmosphere of quiet rebellion runs through every part of NTERDI’s identity, from its sculptural silhouettes (take a look at the Vol O Vent collection) to the unexpected materials used to craft each jewel (rubber elements used in jewellery? Why not!). 

From Prominent Maisons to NTERDI

Having held senior roles at Cartier, Bulgari and Chanel, the creative individual behind the brand—who prefers to stay anonymous for now and I am deciding to call Mr. M—understands the discipline and precision of jewellery making. With NTERDI, he saw his opportunity to break from tradition, to apply the craftsmanship and polish of the great Maisons to something bolder, freer and unmistakably his own. “When you work with Chanel or Cartier, the bar is so high,” he told me, examining one of his own prototypes under a magnifier. “I’m almost 100% satisfied with this piece. I say ‘almost’ because I want everything to be absolutely perfect.” I believe it is this obsession with quality, paired with unconventional designs, that makes NTERDI so appealing.

The first collection that Mr. M introduced me to was Vol O Vent, his personal favourite and the heart of the NTERDI universe. A clever play on words, the name is borrowed from the French vol-au-vent—those deliciously light pastries—which translates as “flying in the wind”. “I didn’t want to call it Butterfly,” he told me. “There are already so many butterfly collections.” Instead, he has distilled the essence of everyone’s favourite winged creature into sharply geometric forms that remind me of tiny origami sculptures, polished to a mirror finish or set with pavé diamonds.

A pendant and pair of drop earrings are reversible, revealing either malachite, mother-of-pearl or 18k yellow gold with a simple flip—a small but satisfying detail that speaks to Mr. M’s fascination with form and function. Other pieces play with asymmetry, including a pair of stud earrings featuring one butterfly coloured in rich red enamel, the other left gleaming in polished gold. It’s playful details such as these that offer a glimpse of NTERDI’s unorthodox personality. 

Nut Collection 

If Vol O Vent captures the poetry of flight, the Nut Collection is the embodiment of power. Its forms are chunkier and more deliberate, with 18k gold hexagons drawn from the world of engineering, reimagined as fine jewellery. The concept is simple but potent: a nut, an object of pure utility, becomes an emblem of strength and connection. 

Polished to a high gleam and traced with pavé diamonds, there are bangles that are sculptural yet sleek, pendants that could pass for miniature pieces of industrial art and earrings that look just as good on men as they do on women. “These are for the builders of their own construct,” said the brand’s founder when I asked about his inspiration, words that perfectly capture the mood and message of the collection.

Rubber Me

Rubber Me explores the concept of flexibility, pairing supple black rubber with sleek yellow gold and flashes of diamond light. The result is jewellery that bends in beautiful ways but never breaks, a tactile expression of movement, resilience and individuality. “It’s for the misfits,” Mr. M told me with a smile. “It’s about adaptation and the power of not following the rules.” 

That attitude runs through every piece, from elegant round and marquise-shaped hoops to a pair of drop earrings, where gold chains wrap around wheels of black rubber and diamonds. I love the ring in particular: gold, diamonds and black rubber orbit one another in a design that is both industrial and sensual — opposing forces, locked in an elegant tug of war.

Clip Collection

Minimal, functional and subtly subversive, the Clip collection pares NTERDI’s design language back to its essentials. During the Second World War, the paperclip was worn in Norway as a sign of unity and resistance—a utilitarian object, transformed into a symbol of solidarity. Here, that symbolism is revisited in yellow gold and diamonds, across cord bracelets, bangles, rings and layered necklaces. Each piece turns something functional into something precious, blurring the line between object and ornament.

Brooches and Cufflinks

Brooches and cufflinks extend the NTERDI universe, bringing its gender-fluid ethos into sharper focus. In Rubber Me, a pair of interlinked wheels become a dramatic lapel accent; in Vol O Vent, geometric butterflies in malachite and mother-of-pearl take flight across a tailored jacket. “Men are wearing brooches on the red carpet now,” the designer said with a smile. “So why not?” That openness to interpretation is quintessentially NTERDI. These jewels aren’t confined by convention—they’re made to be worn freely by anyone.

Introducing the Upcoming Gladiator Collection

A final, soon-to-be-launched collection, Gladiator, feels like a culmination of everything NTERDI represents. Modelled on the mace once wielded by ancient warriors, its design unites black onyx spikes, 18k yellow gold and diamonds in a pendant that is disarmingly beautiful. Available as a choker-style necklace or sautoir, these pieces reimagine an object of combat as a jewel of empowerment, turning strength into an act of freedom.

As I left our meeting, I couldn’t help thinking how fitting NTERDI’s name truly is. Mr. M has created a brand that challenges convention with every piece. In an industry driven by ambition and innovation, NTERDI stands apart—a house that turns the forbidden into freedom and makes individuality its signature.