A Journey Through 125 Years of History

Known as a brand that has offered the finest Italian style since the 1800s, BVLGARI celebrated its 125th anniversary last year. The brand is supported by celebrities worldwide for its jewelry, luxury watches, leather goods, silk items, and fragrances. The opening event for BVLGARI's retrospective exhibition was held in the central space of the Grand Palais in Paris.

The retrospective will be open to the public from December 10 (Friday) to January 12, 2011, the day after the opening event. This marks the first time a jewelry brand has held such a large-scale retrospective at the Grand Palais. Among the opening guests were notable figures such as Lenny Kravitz, who performed at BVLGARI's charity gala in Rome in November, as well as Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, and Juliette Binoche.



Titled "125 Years of Italian Treasures," this retrospective exhibition allows visitors to revisit the brand's history from its first store opening on Via Sistina in Rome in 1884 to the present day, tracing its most significant eras through over 600 masterpieces of jewelry, watches, mantel clocks, and decorative art. Approximately 100 pieces, including many from private collections and three owned by the Grimaldi family of Monaco, such as Princess Grace's necklace, are being exhibited to the public for the first time.

The narrative, structured in eight chronological sections, begins with a collection of silverware crafted in the late 19th century by the founder, Sotirio Bulgari, a silversmith of Greek origin with originality and keen business acumen. Sotirio, who would lay the foundation for BVLGARI, moved to Rome in 1884 in pursuit of wealth. The pieces presented here are among the few surviving items from BVLGARI's early period, showcasing classical styles from the Ottoman and Byzantine empires. Sotirio's migration from the Epirus region of Greece during the late Ottoman period to Rome, then the capital of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy (established in 1861), allows us to re-experience the major geopolitical shifts that shaped the Mediterranean coastal regions as we know them today.



BVLGARI's collections underwent a rapid transformation during this period, moving from Middle Eastern influences to more contemporary styles. Concurrently, Sotirio began to distance himself from silver, creating pieces using platinum and diamonds. The next section is dedicated to designs from the 1920s and 1930s. The Art Deco diamond series signifies the great success BVLGARI achieved under the leadership of Sotirio's two sons, Giorgio and Constantino.

Following this is the section covering the 1940s and 1950s, a period when BVLGARI's designs were clearly influenced by French jewelry styles. Then comes the section for the 1960s. This decade is considered the most crucial turning point in defining BVLGARI's identity, fostering the distinctive characteristics that would make the brand world-renowned as "quintessentially BVLGARI."

"I always go to BVLGARI. Because visiting BVLGARI is like visiting the most famous contemporary art museum."
– Andy Warhol

These three decades also represented an era of excess and luxury, with anecdotes such as singer Grace Jones wearing multiple necklaces as a "hat," and Tina Turner causing a stir by threatening to cancel a concert if her "lucky charm" – a pair of BVLGARI earrings – couldn't be found.




In addition to jewelry and watches, the exhibition features many previously unseen documents, including design sketches, drawings, and photographs of artists, aristocrats, and celebrities from around the world who have been captivated by BVLGARI's allure since its founding. A section dedicated to the "Dolce Vita" era of Italy showcases portraits and quotes from stars of the time, sketches of jewelry worn by legendary actresses on screen, and materials illustrating the close relationship between BVLGARI and the film industry from the 1940s to the present day. The exhibition highlights numerous BVLGARI jewels worn by iconic actresses such as Anna Magnani, Monica Vitti, Claudia Cardinale, Sophia Loren, Romy Schneider, Ingrid Bergman, Gina Lollobrigida, and Empress Soraya of Persia, as well as other beautiful and world-renowned women.

Elizabeth Taylor's Personal Collection

Particularly symbolic is the personal collection of actress Elizabeth Taylor, exhibited for the first time in France. This section clearly illustrates her relationship with Richard Burton through the numerous BVLGARI jewels he gifted her, as reflected in his many words to his wife at the time.

"The only Italian word she knows is 'BVLGARI'."

"I taught Liz to drink beer, and she taught me about BVLGARI."

These 16 unparalleled personal pieces each tell a story and possess immeasurable value. Particularly noteworthy is the diamond brooch with a central emerald, weighing over 18 carats, gifted by Burton to Taylor upon their engagement in 1962. It is said to be the only piece of jewelry Taylor wished to wear at her first wedding to Burton on March 15, 1964.



"The opportunity to exhibit BVLGARI's grand heritage, comprising precious gems and other objects that celebrate over a century of history, at Paris's Grand Palais is a testament to the 'special connection' that BVLGARI and the city of Paris have shared since the early 20th century. At that time, Paris was already a cosmopolitan city, the 'capital' of decorative arts, and served as a source of inspiration and new techniques for the creative endeavors of my great-grandfather, Sotirio Bulgari, and my grandfather, Giorgio Bulgari. Since then, BVLGARI's design style has evolved with a clear Roman influence, while maintaining its Greek roots. The Paris retrospective follows the exhibition held last year at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome, Italy, to commemorate BVLGARI's 125th anniversary. We invite you to experience 125 years of development and transformation in Italian-style jewelry, and the free, powerful creativity that is uniquely Italian."

Retrospective Exhibition "125 Years of Italian Treasures" – Explore the journey of a brand that has captivated the world with its unwavering brilliance for 125 years.