Bulgari

Bulgari represents the bold, colorful spirit of Italian design in an industry dominated by Swiss restraint. From a small silver shop in Rome to a global luxury powerhouse, Bulgari has brought Roman audacity to watchmaking—and in recent years, has shattered ultra-thin records that humbled the Swiss establishment.

A Greek Silversmith in Rome (1884)

Sotirios Voulgaris (later Italianized to Bulgari) was a Greek silversmith who immigrated to Italy and opened his first shop in Rome in 1884. Located near the Spanish Steps, the boutique initially sold silver ornaments and antiquities. But Sotirios had larger ambitions.

By 1905, with his sons Constantino and Giorgio, Bulgari had transformed into a jewelry house. The flagship store on Via Condotti became a Roman landmark, attracting aristocrats, industrialists, and eventually Hollywood royalty.

The Roman Style

While French jewelers favored delicate, ornate designs, Bulgari developed a distinctly Italian aesthetic: bold, colorful, and unapologetically glamorous. Inspiration came from Roman and Greek antiquity, Renaissance art, and the Mediterranean palette.

Bulgari pioneered the use of cabochon-cut colored gemstones—smooth, rounded stones rather than faceted—in unexpected combinations: amethyst with turquoise, coral with emerald. This chromatic boldness became the house's signature.

Hollywood on the Tiber (1950s-60s)

When Hollywood descended on Rome's Cinecittà studios in the 1950s, stars discovered Bulgari. Elizabeth Taylor became the brand's most famous devotee, often visiting Via Condotti between takes. Richard Burton famously said she knew Bulgari's Rome store better than he knew the back of his hand.

The emerald and diamond suite Burton gave Taylor included a necklace that sold for over $6 million in 2011. This celebrity association—amplified by paparazzi on the Via Veneto—established Bulgari as the jeweler of La Dolce Vita.

Entering Watchmaking (1940s-1970s)

Bulgari began incorporating watches into its jewelry designs in the 1940s, initially using movements from Swiss suppliers. The Serpenti bracelet watch—a coiled snake design wrapping the wrist—became an icon, worn by Elizabeth Taylor in "Cleopatra" (1963).

In 1977, Bulgari launched Bulgari Bulgari—a unisex watch with the brand name engraved twice on the bezel. This bold branding (almost unheard of at the time) created an instantly recognizable design that remains in production today.

Serious Watchmaking (2000s)

In 2000, Bulgari acquired Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth—two prestigious Swiss brands known for complicated movements. This brought serious horological expertise in-house and signaled Bulgari's ambition beyond jewelry watches.

The Octo, designed by Genta before his death, launched in 2012 with its distinctive 110-facet case inspired by Rome's Basilica of Maxentius. It positioned Bulgari as a serious men's watchmaker, not merely a jewelry house making watches.

The Octo Finissimo Revolution

Beginning in 2014, Bulgari embarked on a campaign to dominate ultra-thin watchmaking—and succeeded beyond anyone's expectations:

• 2014: Octo Finissimo Tourbillon—thinnest tourbillon (5mm)
• 2016: Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater—thinnest minute repeater (6.85mm)
• 2017: Octo Finissimo Automatic—thinnest automatic (5.15mm)
• 2018: Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic—thinnest automatic tourbillon (3.95mm)
• 2019: Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic—thinnest chronograph (6.9mm)
• 2020: Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar—thinnest perpetual calendar (5.8mm)
• 2021: Octo Finissimo Ultra—thinnest mechanical watch ever (1.80mm)

Eight world records in eight years. The Swiss establishment, accustomed to owning ultra-thin records, was stunned.

Under LVMH (2011-Present)

LVMH's acquisition in 2011 provided resources to accelerate Bulgari's watchmaking ambitions. A new manufacture in Le Sentier (Switzerland's Vallée de Joux) now produces sophisticated movements, while design and jewelry production remain in Italy.

This dual identity—Swiss movement technology with Italian design—distinguishes Bulgari from both pure Swiss manufactures and fashion brands with licensed watches.

Today's Bulgari

Bulgari's watch collections span jewelry pieces (Serpenti, Divas' Dream, Lvcea) and serious horology (Octo, Octo Finissimo). The brand successfully bridges two worlds: glamorous gem-set watches for the red carpet and technically accomplished movements that impress collectors.

From a Greek immigrant's silver shop to world record-holder for thin watches, Bulgari proves that Italian audacity can compete with—and occasionally surpass—Swiss tradition.