Bulgari’s story begins in 1884 when Sotirio Bulgari (1857 - 1932) opened a silversmith shop at 85 Via Sistina, Rome. For much of their early history, Bulgari offered silverware and objets d’art, expanding into jewelry in the early 20^th century. At first following the styles of their contemporaries, Bulgari began defining their own distinctive jewelry language in the 1950s and 1960s during Italy’s ‘La Dolce Vita’ era of economic growth and a glamourous celebrity-driven lifestyle.

During this period of style innovation, Bulgari became defined by their use of bold color and voluminous colored gemstone cabochons. Designs became more structured and symmetrical with smooth contours creating an interplay between graphic lines and feminine curves. A mix of semi-precious and precious gemstones emphasized the house’s prioritization of interesting color combinations and compelling visuals.

The jewels by Bulgari included in this assemblage include some of the house’s most iconic lines. Bulgari’s Roman origin is seen in the use of cameos, intaglios, and ancient coins in the ‘Monete’ collection. The legacy of the house’s origin as esteemed metalsmiths is evident in the flexible ‘Parentesi’, ‘Serpenti’, ‘Spiga’ and ‘Tubogas’ designs of hollow gold segments arranged on flexible metal inner bands, first developed in 1955 to effortlessly wrap around the wearer’s wrist.

Bulgari’s evolution in the mid-twentieth century remains present in the house’s modern creations of wearable designs that bridge between elevated day and evening wear.