The Legend of Bulgari The Bulgari jewelry dynasty was founded by Greek immigrant Sotirios Voulgaris (Italian: Sotirio Bulgari) in 1884. His sons Constantino and Giorgio opened the family’s second shop in the early years of the 20th century. The firm was known for their creative skills but also the use of the finest and most valuable gems. Bulgari’s know-how in pairing Mediterranean creativity and classic elegance ensured that their fame grew rapidly amongst the world’s elite, including Europe’s nobility, the international high-society and most notably Hollywood’s stars. In fact, many of the most legendary actresses (but also actors) paid regular visits to Bulgari’s flagship store in Rome’s famous via dei Condotti, especially during their extensive stays in Italy’s capital when filming at Cinecittà. Elizabeth Taylor was no exception and it was during the production of Cleopatra in 1962 that she is said to have acquired a snake watch. Photographic proof exists that Elizabeth Taylor was wearing this masterpiece on the set. Made of gold with both the snake’s head and tail set with diamonds, this very piece was offered in the Elizabeth Taylor Collection landmark auction of her Estate at Christie’s in New York in December 2011, fetching US$974,500 against a pre-sale estimate of US$12,000/15,000 – some 65 times its higher estimate! ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND HER SERPENTI WATCH. © BULGARI What appeared in the eyes of a layman to be an astronomical, possibly unreasonable price paid for a piece of memorabilia was recently put into perspective and seen in a very attractive new light, when another Bulgari snake watch, adorned with black enamel and diamonds, was sold in June of this year at a London jewelry auction for £662,500, consequently breaking the magic “one-million dollar barrier” for the first time for a Bulgari snake bracelet watch. In the international auction arena for vintage collector’s watches and timepieces, such intense level of bidding is usually reserved to a handful of superlative watches and timepieces created by the most exclusive and prominent manufacturers such as (in alphabetical order) A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Breguet, Cartier, Patek Philippe, Rolex and Vacheron Constantin. This exclusive club has now welcomed another distinguished member – Bulgari! Since 2010, when Bulgari re-launched the snake watch at the Basel fair as the “Serpenti” line, it continued growing in popularity and has now definitely reached the well-deserved status of a legend. Silver Beginnings The first gallery had silver objects made by Sotirio Bulgari, the founder of Bulgari. Triossi, who also manages Bulgaris archives and its Vintage collection, shared a few historical notes. Only a few artefacts made by Sotirio and his father, Georgis have come down to us. Some were forgotten in the shops vault and found by accident in 1995, she related. In style, these pieces are Neo-Hellenic and are in sync with ornaments made in Greece during the latter half of the 19th century. The dating of these artefacts has been possible thanks to labels written by Sotirios son, Constantino, who was a great connoisseur of silver. Of Platinum and Diamonds Bulgari began diversifying from silver to jewellery around 1915. Around this time, Sotirios son Georgio had joined the business and was heavily inspired by Parisian style, as French designers had begun working with platinum. Stylistically, Bulgaris jewels of this period were very much a reflection of the fashion of their time, Art Deco. Jewels in the 1930s were very opulent in terms of designs and colours and heavily encrusted with diamonds. It was in the 1930s that the Trombino rings were created, and they were one of Bulgaris greatest and long-lasting successes. Haute Joaillerie The post-war boom resulted in a return of jewelry lavishly set with precious gemstones. The high jewelry of these years adopted coloured gemstones but always in association with diamonds. In terms of design, the jewels of 1950s were less geometric and more fluid in form. It was the time when the Made in Italy tag began to emerge and began to draw away from Parisian traditions and carve its unique style. In the 1950s, after obtaining a large parcel of a diamonds of various shapes and colours, Bulgari created an exquisite range of floral sprays that became an absolute rage. Everybody who was anybody had these floral brooches also known as Tremblants as each flower head was mounted on a special spring mechanism, quivering delicately at the slightest of movement. Colour Revolution Another break with Parisian tradition was the generous use of cabochon-cut,coloured stones in prominent positions, which later went on to become one of the key motifs in Bulgari designs-the idea of mixing colours regardless of the value of individual gemstones. Bulgaris key features-colour, rounded shapes, compact symmetrical forms began to emerge around this time. A Modern Interpretation A great success of the 1970s was the Melone bag, an evening bag in form of an oval case. Although the usage of coins in jewellery is ancient, Bulgari can be credited for reintroducing coins in jewellery. Within the brand, the 1990s were characterised by unexpected combinations of materials as well as the introduction of a ready-to-wear concept of jewellery. These were also the years of excess and extravagance. In the 21st century, Bulgari is synonymous with luxury and design and the brand has a network of 250 stores worldwide. The 21st century saw a return to white gold and platinum, but the juxtaposition of vibrant and unusual colours continues to be the brands key trait. This continuity of the Bulgari style in the 2000s gets best represented by a selection of pieces, including a stunning necklace adorned with a Burmese sapphire of more than 321 carats. The serpent motif, a Mediterranean symbol since days of the Egyptian pharaohs and a classic image in jewellery, has been reinterpreted several times by Bulgari over the years. In fact, Bulgari was the first to use this motif in a watch in the 1940s, and the snake continues to inspire new collections of Bulgari watches.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 10:00:37 +0000
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