Bulgari Celebrates 130 Years

ICONIC RETAILER

MARKS A CENTURY-

PLUS OF GLITTERING

GOODNESS WITH

NEW COLLECTIONS 

AND A REFURBISHED

FLAGSHIP STORE

Throughout its history, the Bulgari brand has incorporated the Greco Roman heritage of its founder, Greek immigrant to Rome Sotirio Bulgari, and drawn the rich and famous to its door. The flagship store in Rome has been the site of movie scenes, a shopping destination for vacationers and a favorite of Elizabeth Taylor, among others. Its creations have starred in more than 40 films and walked the red carpets at the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes as well as film festivals from Cannes to Venice. While renowned for its jewelry, the store also offers watches, leather goods, accessories and fragrances.

This year marks 130 years since Bulgari opened his first shop in 1884 at via Sistina 86 on the promenade leading to Piazza Trinitå dei Monti at the top of the Spanish Steps in Rome. Ten years later, in 1894, he opened a second store at via dei Condotti 28, and in 1905, a third and larger one at numbers 10b and 10c of via dei Condotti (left).

The third shop is located at the end of the street that leads to the Spanish Steps, opposite the elegant and fashionable Caffé Grecco, at the heart of the so-called “Tridente” complex of roads, and on one of Rome’s most glamorous shopping streets. The three stores co-existed for years, linked by the Spanish Steps, and for nearly four decades the Spanish Steps played the important role of connecting the shops situated above and below the hill. So central were the travertine steps to the company that in a 1960s advertising campaign it framed the Spanish Steps with a magnificent necklace, set with diamonds and the finest Burmese rubies. Now the steps figure into the brand’s historic celebration.

Top right: The store as it is today. Above, left: The second store opened in 1905.

Left: Ingrid Bergman with her son Robertino and Isotta Ingrid.

THE ICONIC STORE IS CELEBRATING ITS 130TH ANNIVERSARY IN THREE WAYS 

1. To pay tribute to the Spanish Steps, Bulgari if financing the first 21^st century renovation of the iconic monument, allowed by the city of Rome to “adopt” the steps.

2. The look of the via dei Condotti shop has been transformed three times over the years, and the anniversary celebrations start with the reopening of the historic flagship store in via dei Condotti after yet another transformation, a refurbishment by Peter Marino, who is an artist and collector as well as an architect. His goal was to retain the store’s cultural roots and ties with ancient Greece and Rome, while incorporating modernist features and integrating the surrounding spaces into a more homogeneous ensemble.

3. The store also celebrates with three new creations: the Diva Jewelry Collection, the Serpenti Collection and the Musa collection. In addition, many of the existing collections have added new pieces in honor of the 130^th anniversary.

Today the Bulgari brand is known throughout the world. The company opened its store in Scottsdale Fashion Square in 2009. To reach the Scottsdale store, call 480-281-1380.

Right: On the floor of the vestibule, a central red porphyry eight-pointed star inlay is surrounded by cream colored Bottincio marble. The border is grey-red Salomé marble.

3 New Collections

The Musa Collection

The Musa Collection honors the Muses of ancient Greece, nine sisters of legend who ruled over the arts, poetry and music. Bulgari plays on the beauty of the arts to create a bold ensemble of 26 pieces, consisting of rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings that sing with color.

The Diva Collection

Enchanted by the magnetism, charisma and timeless beauty of the diva, Bulgari creates its new Diva pieces to shimmer with sensuality. Sparkling with diamonds, the new Diva diamond creations shine as dazzling renditions of the original.

The Serpenti Collection

The Serpenti Collection merges two of the most iconic symbols of its design: the power and sinuosity of the snake and the contemporary soul of the tubogas. 

Left: After the filming of Cleopatra, Elizabeth Taylor asked Bulgari to create especially for her a Serpenti bracelet that she was wearing on the set of Cleopatria, as the new queen of the Nile. This bracelet is from the new Serpenti Collection. Right: The Serpenti watch is interpreted in three new versions. Each features a hidden watch case in the snake’s head and each incorporates diamonds with turquoise, onyx or coral.

The Ultimate Temptation

For its 130^th anniversary, Bulgari has created the Ultimate Temptation, a one-of-a-kind necklace that is part of the Serpenti Collection and celebrates one of the most iconic signs of the brand: the snake. It features more than 50 carats of diamonds set in a random pattern – 70 diamonds that follow each other along the tail of the snake, leading to a beautiful 12.16 carat drop, which reflects light as the crowning moment of the Ultimate Temptation. With about 100 carats of diamonds overall, the necklace transforms itself from the regularity of its body to the extravagance of its tail, suggesting that new treasures lie under its skin, waiting to be discovered.

PHOTOS COURTESY BULGARI