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There are names that alone encapsulate a vision of luxury, and Bvlgari is one of them. For more than a century, the Roman house has established a style that is instantly recognizable, defined by generous volumes, intense colors, and cabochon-cut gemstones. Vintage Bvlgari jewelry ranks among the most sought-after signed pieces on the secondary market: collectors see in it a first-rate jewelry heritage, while enthusiasts of vintage jewelry find rare creations with a strong visual identity. From the Serpenti bracelet of the 1960s to the Monete necklace of the following decades, each piece carries within it an era and exceptional artisanal craftsmanship. Here is what you need to know about the house, its historic collections, and the value of these collectible jewels on the resale market.

At the origins: Sotirios Voulgaris and the birth of a Roman house

The story begins in 1884 with Sotirios Voulgaris, a Greek silversmith settled in Rome. A visionary, he opened a boutique called the "Old Curiosity Shop" on Via dei Condotti, attracting a cosmopolitan clientele drawn to creations that blend classical influences with fine jewelry craftsmanship. Over the decades, the house specialized in luxury jewelry and freed itself from the traditional codes of European jewelry, then largely dominated by Paris.

The Bvlgari style gradually established itself: abundant 18-carat yellow gold, colored gemstones used generously, and a sense of volume that owes much to Roman architecture. This unique positioning, neither entirely Parisian nor truly Anglo-Saxon, would make Bvlgari a distinct house in the global jewelry landscape.

Bvlgari jewelry and the Dolce Vita: the jeweler of icons

Hollywood on the Tiber and the Via dei Condotti boutique

In the 1950s and 1960s, Rome became the stage for an unprecedented cultural effervescence. Thanks to the Cinecittà studios, the city attracted the greatest international stars and transformed into the world capital of glamour, to the point of being nicknamed "Hollywood on the Tiber." The city then lived to the rhythm of the Dolce Vita: evenings on Via Veneto, spectacular film shoots, highly publicized romances. The Bvlgari boutique on Via dei Condotti found itself at the center of this excitement, frequented by the most famous women of their time.

Among them: Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida. These actresses did not simply wear Bvlgari jewelry, they embodied its spirit. Audrey Hepburn was photographed with a sapphire brooch by the house, and Ingrid Bergman, in the film The Visit (1964), wears a gold parure set with diamonds signed Bvlgari. Bold and free women, who wear the creations of the house with an ease that transforms a jewel into a true signature.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton: the Bvlgari legend

The most emblematic story remains that of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. During the filming of Cleopatra in 1962 in Rome, Elizabeth Taylor discovered the house and never left it. Staying for several months in the Italian capital, she frequented the boutique on Via dei Condotti assiduously. Richard Burton then offered her emerald parures and exceptional diamonds, some of which pieces have become mythical. Burton’s quote alone summarizes this period: “I introduced Liz to beer... and she introduced me to Bvlgari.” With Elizabeth Taylor, Bvlgari definitively entered into legend.

Nancy Reagan: Bvlgari at the summit of power

In the 1970s, Bvlgari went beyond the circle of cinema to establish itself in international political and social spheres. In 1972, the house unveiled a collection nicknamed "Stars and Stripes", which made an impression when Nancy Reagan acquired an iconic ring from the line: a creation set with diamonds, sapphires and rubies in the colors of the American flag, worn on July 4, 1986. This moment symbolizes a turning point: Bvlgari becomes not only the jeweler of stars, but also that of figures of power, and strengthens its international aura.

Vintage Bvlgari jewelry: the iconic collections to know

Over the decades, Bvlgari has built a repertoire of collections that are as many chapters in the history of Italian jewelry. These are the pieces that collectors and experts in signed antique jewelry identify at first glance on the secondary market:

• Monete: launched in the 1960s under the impetus of Nicola Bulgari, passionate about numismatics, this collection integrates genuine ancient Roman coins into pendants, chokers and bracelets in 18-carat yellow gold. The contrast between polished gold and the patina of ancient coins makes it one of the most sought-after collections.

• Bvlgari Bvlgari: born in the 1970s, inspired by the inscriptions of ancient coins, this collection revolutionizes jewelry with its engraved double logo. Declined in necklaces, earrings and bracelets in yellow, white or rose gold, it is one of the most recognizable visual signatures of the house.

• Tubogas: a feat of goldsmithing, the Tubogas motif is a flexible structure made without soldering, inspired by industrial pipes from the beginning of the 20th century. Imposed in the 1970s on necklaces, bracelets and rings in yellow or white gold, it combines comfort, modernity and sophistication.

• Parentesi: inspired by Roman travertine paving stones, this collection from the 1980s introduces modular jewelry. Its elements assemble and can be worn in multiple ways, which makes it one of the most sought-after vintage Bvlgari pieces for their formal modernity.

• Serpenti: without doubt the most iconic collection of the house. The serpent, symbol of rebirth and transformation, has been revisited since the 1940s in wristwatches and then in sensual and sculptural jewelry, from bracelets to rings and pendants.

• Allegra: launched in 2003, this collection is an ode to colored gemstones. Amethyst, citrine, topaz, peridot and tourmaline are assembled in vibrant compositions, illustrating the chromatic mastery of the house.

• Divas' Dream: inspired by ancient Roman mosaics, it takes up a delicate fan-shaped motif and is declined in mother-of-pearl, malachite, lapis lazuli and carnelian, paying tribute to great actresses and timeless elegance.

• B.zero1: launched at the end of the 1990s, inspired by the Colosseum with its spiral lines and architectural design, this collection marks a shift toward a resolutely forward-looking jewelry.

• Spiga: the “wheat ear” motif, introduced in the 1980s, often fully articulated, in yellow gold sometimes enhanced with diamonds. It illustrates a more discreet yet equally sophisticated approach to the Bvlgari jewelry vocabulary, declined in rings, bracelets and necklaces.

The watches of the house extend this creative universe by reinterpreting these same motifs: from the curves of Serpenti to the sculptural suppleness of Tubogas, through Spiga and Bvlgari Bvlgari, each timepiece becomes a jewel in its own right.

Carnelian and colored gemstones: signature of vintage Bvlgari jewelry

Carnelian: a cabochon-cut gemstone

If Bvlgari is recognized for its sense of color, it is largely thanks to its distinctive use of cabochon-cut gemstones. Carnelian holds a prominent place in the history of the house.

Carnelian is a variety of chalcedony, a microcrystalline quartz, whose color ranges from bright orange to reddish-orange depending on the deposits and treatments received. It is mainly extracted in India, Madagascar and Brazil. In gemology, it is distinguished by its opacity and characteristic waxy luster, which only cabochon cutting can fully reveal. Cabochon cutting, unlike faceted cutting, focuses on a smooth and domed surface rather than light refraction: it is the depth and uniformity of color that matter. Enthusiasts of colored gemstones will find this principle in our article on pink sapphire and the padparadscha sapphire, two gems whose value also relies on precise chromatic criteria.

Two criteria allow the quality of a carnelian to be evaluated at first glance: the uniformity of color, as any whitish area reduces its value, and the intensity of the orange. The vast majority of carnelians available on the market have undergone heat treatment to intensify and homogenize the color, a treatment generally accepted in the trade but whose presence must be disclosed. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) publishes reference resources on the evaluation of colored gemstones.

At Bvlgari, carnelian is part of a tradition that dates back to the 1950s. The house has made it a signature color, present in the Divas' Dream, Bvlgari Bvlgari and Serpenti collections, where it is paired with yellow gold in architectural and sensual compositions. This preference is rooted in history: carnelian was one of the most prized stones among lapidaries of ancient Rome, used in intaglios and cameos. By choosing this stone, Bvlgari reconnects with a millennia-old heritage.

Malachite and lapis lazuli: the two other pillars of the Bvlgari palette

Alongside carnelian, two other colored gemstones play a structuring role in the visual identity of vintage Bvlgari jewelry.

Malachite is a hydrothermal mineral with intense green concentric bands. Opaque and endowed with a unique natural pattern, it is cut in cabochon in the Bvlgari Bvlgari and Divas' Dream collections, where its graphic presence is particularly strong.

Lapis lazuli, a metamorphic rock of deep blue punctuated with golden reflections due to the presence of pyrite, completes this chromatic palette. Its intense blue directly evokes the pigments of ancient Roman mosaics, a reference that runs throughout the history of the house. The Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF) provides reference documentation on the identification and certification of gemstones.

These three stones, carnelian, malachite and lapis lazuli, share a common gemological characteristic: their beauty lies in the surface and depth of color, not in light refraction. This particularity allowed Bvlgari to build a jewelry vocabulary that is immediately recognizable, where color becomes the primary language.

High Jewelry Bvlgari: excellence at its peak

True to its spirit, Bvlgari continues to push the limits of creation. In 2024, for its 140th anniversary, the house unveiled the Aeterna collection in Rome. Among the pieces presented, a Serpenti necklace set with diamonds totaling 140 carats illustrates an exceptional level of technical and artistic mastery. This collection demonstrates the continuity between the historical heritage of the house and its contemporary ambition.

Today part of the LVMH group since 2011, Bvlgari continues to expand in jewelry, watchmaking, perfumes, leather goods and accessories. Its essence remains the same: a deeply Roman house, where history dialogues with modernity and where each jewel tells an emotion.

How to identify and estimate vintage Bvlgari jewelry

Authenticity criteria to check

Vintage Bvlgari jewelry can be recognized by several elements. The first is the engraved “Bvlgari” signature on the setting, often accompanied by a serial number. The hallmark “750” for 18-carat gold must be legible and comply with the standards of the country of sale. The quality of the stone setting and the overall finishing of the piece reflect the level of artisanal excellence of the house. The presence of the original case and accompanying documents significantly enhances the value of the piece on the secondary market.

The value of vintage Bvlgari jewelry on the resale market

Vintage Bvlgari jewelry performs well on the secondary market, particularly pieces from the 1960s to the 1980s, whose supply is gradually decreasing. Auction houses such as Christie’s, Sotheby’s or Artcurial regularly include them in their catalogs, and specialized platforms serve as pricing references for both individuals and professionals. The reputation of the house, reinforced by its integration into the LVMH group, helps support their patrimonial value. A signed Bvlgari jewel, in good condition and with its original case, retains strong resale value over time.

Bvlgari, more than a jeweler: a signature

Vintage Bvlgari jewelry is not merely precious objects: they reflect an era, an aesthetic and a craftsmanship that have marked the history of global jewelry. From the Dolce Vita to the most recent collections, the Roman house has built a strong visual vocabulary, recognizable at first glance. For collectors and lovers of prestigious jewelry, these signed pieces represent both a patrimonial investment and a statement of style.

Les Pierres de Julie offers a selection of antique jewelry, vintage jewelry and signed jewelry from major houses. A specialist in vintage Bvlgari jewelry, the boutique offers you a free appraisal: send photos of your jewelry to contact@lespierresdejulie.com. Find us at the Village Suisse, in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, just steps from the Eiffel Tower.