From its origins through the 1940s The Voulgaris were a silversmithing family from the Ottoman-ruled village of
Paramythia,
Epirus (now part of Greece). Whether or not they share the same paternal line with the
Voulgaris family of
Corfu is unclear, but Count Stefanos Voulgaris denied that the two are genealogically related. in the 16th century testament of the family, becoming such by taking refugee in the
Venetian island Corfu. The founder of the Bulgari brand was
Sotirios Voulgaris (), who was born in
Paramythia, in March 1857; he originated from the
Aromanian village of
Kalarrytes, which was the largest center for
silversmithing in the
Balkans. He was one of eleven children of Georgios Voulgaris (1823–1889) and his
Vlachophone Greek mother Eleni Strouggari. In 1881, Sotirios and his family moved to
Rome, where in 1884 he opened his second jewellery store on via Sistina 85 (their first shop in
Naples closed after burglaries). In 1905, he unveiled the
Via Condotti shop that would become the company's flagship.
1950s and 1960s: Colour revolution and Dolce Vita In the 1950s, some of Bulgari's best-known clients included
Elizabeth Taylor,
Anna Magnani,
Ingrid Bergman and
Gina Lollobrigida as Rome earned a reputation as "
Hollywood on the Tiber" with the
Cinecittà studios. At the same time, Bulgari went to a new style. The
post-war boom saw a return to precious materials, particularly white metals covered in diamonds. In the 1950s, Bulgari launched its first floral brooches—called
en tremblant because of their trembling diamond corollas. At the end of the 1950s, Bulgari began to establish its motifs, introducing structured, symmetrical shapes in yellow gold set with brilliant gems—chosen for their colour rather than intrinsic value. Among these multi-hued jewels,
cabochon cuts were another innovation. These new pieces were a significant departure from classical Parisian design. As one of the pioneers in using vibrant colored gemstones, Bulgari further demonstrated its craftsmanship in the 1960s with intricate designs like the Serpenti collection, where colorful enamel and stones, including rubies and diamonds, were meticulously fitted into the serpent's scales to create a vibrant and detailed finish. ,
Azerbaijan After Giorgio's death in 1966, his son
Gianni led the company as co-chief executive with his cousin Marina. Designer and heir to the jewelry legacy, Marina Bulgari, also known as Marina B, died on 14 February 2024 in Rome, at the age of 93.
1970s: Eclectic creativity and global expansion During the 1970s, Bulgari stores opened in
New York,
Geneva,
Monte Carlo and
Paris. This era marks the beginning of the Group's international expansion, with
Gianni as chairman and CEO. A number of new motifs made their debut as well—jewels became recognisable for their angular forms, strong colours, oval elements with
cabochons, chains and maxi sautoirs, while the predominant use of yellow gold made precious pieces feel all the more wearable, and became known as a Bulgari trademark. In 1977, Bulgari entered the world of horlogerie with the launch of the
BVLGARI BVLGARI watch.
At the time, Gianni led a complete overhaul of the company, focusing on product design.
1980s: Prêt-à-porter jewellery In the early 1980s, to oversee all production of Bulgari watches, Bulgari Time was founded in
Switzerland. In 1984,
Paolo and
Nicola Bulgari, Giorgio's sons, became chairman and vice-chairman, respectively, while their nephew,
Francesco Trapani, became chief executive officer. followed by the takeover of the jewellery firm Crova and of other companies that specialised in leather goods and watchmaking. The opening of the first Bulgari Hotel in
Milan in 2004 further confirmed the expansion strategy of the brand, and was the result of a joint venture with Luxury Group, a division of
Marriott International. In 2009, Bulgari celebrated its 125th anniversary with a retrospective of the brand's history, held in Rome at
Palazzo delle Esposizioni. That same year, the snake—a motif that appeared in Bulgari collections from the 1960s—re-emerged as the emblem of the
Serpenti collection. In 2011, Bulgari signed a strategic alliance with
LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, the world's leading luxury group. The agreement was based on a stock transfer of the Bulgari family's shares in Bulgari S.p.A. to LVMH, an all-share deal for €4.3 billion ($6.0 billion). Under the deal, the Bulgari family sold their 50.4 per cent controlling stake in exchange for 3 per cent of
LVMH, thereby becoming the second-biggest family shareholder behind the
Arnaults in LVMH. The takeover doubled the size of LVMH's watches and jewellery unit, which at the time of the acquisition included
Tag Heuer timepieces and
De Beers diamond necklaces. The acquisition concluded on 4 October 2011 as Bulgari was delisted from the
Borsa Italiana. In 2014, Bulgari celebrated the 130th anniversary of the brand. To mark the occasion, the shop at
Via Condotti 10 was "reimagined" by the architect
Peter Marino, and reopened. On the same day, the brand donated €1.5 million to the city of
Rome for the restoration of the
Spanish Steps. A few months after the Grand Opening, the
DOMVS was inaugurated in the redesigned Bulgari boutique, creating a gallery space to house of Bulgari's Heritage Collection. In 2017, Bulgari opened a new jewellery manufacturing headquarters in
Valenza. The largest in Europe, with a total area of , the Manufacture has been given a Gold
LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification for sustainability in its design. The facility was built over the former home of the first goldsmith in Valenza,
Francesco Caramora. The buildings follow the model of a Roman
domus, and are built around a central courtyard. In March 2024, the Bvlgari jewellery house officialized and announced the creation of the Fondazione Bvlgari, an institution that is an extension of the brand's founding values, particularly its commitment to safeguarding historical heritage. == Products ==