Vintage Tubogas Necklace 18k Gold Estate Jewelry

The Tubogas style draws its inspiration from gas pipes, a design concept that Bulgari embraced in the 1940s with the help of designer Carlo Weingrill. As the name suggests, Tubogas is flexible and can be adapted to various jewelry pieces, from rings to watches. The technique, originally a 19th-century plumbing process, involves wrapping metal in tight coils around a rod, then removing the rod to create a hollow chain. This technique gained traction among French jewelers in the 1940s and became a signature element for Bulgari, thanks to its collaboration with Weingrill. One of the most notable applications of Tubogas was in Bulgari's Serpenti watch collection, where the coiled design mimicked a snake, a powerful symbol in ancient Roman culture.