About Bulgari

Bulgari (often stylized as BVLGARI) is a name that’s become synonymous with bold design and unmistakable Italian flair. However, its roots go back to a small Greek village. The brand’s founder, Sotirio Boulgaris, was born into a family of silversmiths in the mid-19th century. Trained in traditional techniques, he eventually left Greece and arrived in Rome in the early 1880s. By 1884, he had opened a small shop offering fine silverware, antiques, and decorative objects on Via Sistina.

It wasn’t until 1905, with the launch of the store at 10 Via Condotti that the business began its evolution into a jewelry house. That location still stands as Bulgari’s flagship boutique, a hub for collectors and visitors alike. Sotirio’s sons, Costantino and Giorgio, later joined the business. Costantino brought academic rigor and documented Italy’s silversmithing traditions, while Giorgio expanded the design language, sourcing colored gemstones and introducing a new level of creativity to the brand’s aesthetic.

Bulgari’s style began to truly take shape in the postwar years, and by the 1960s, it had developed what’s now considered its signature look: bold, architectural lines, classical Roman motifs, and an emphasis on richly colored cabochon stones. It was also during this decade that the brand became an international name, thanks in part to high-profile clients like Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren, who were often seen wearing Bulgari pieces on and off screen.

Through the 1980s and '90s, Bulgari pushed its boundaries further by launching watches and expanding globally. The brand started cultivating a distinctive design identity rooted in geometry, volume, and a Roman sensibility.

In 2011, Bulgari joined the LVMH Group, aligning itself with other heritage luxury brands. Today, Bulgari is a full-fledged luxury house offering not just fine jewelry and watches, but also fragrances, leather accessories, and hospitality experiences through its growing line of Bulgari Hotels and Resorts. What started as a single silversmith’s shop is now a global name, with a legacy that continues to evolve while staying grounded in its Roman roots.