Collection: Vintage Bulgari Jewelry

Bulgari is famous for strong, modern designs featuring industrial motifs, polished metallics, and the distinctive use of ancient coins. Founded in 1884, the Italian jewelry house creates iconic, instantly recognizable pieces such as the bold gold Serpenti and Monette collections. Bulgari balances bold, architectural styles with vibrant gemstones in both dramatic and pastel tones, establishing the brand as an international luxury powerhouse. The dazzling, colorful gems that make Bulgari pieces instantly recognizable inspired Ruchard Burton to remark, “The only Italian Elizabeth Taylor knows is Bulgari.”

The renowned Italian jewelry house Bulgari was founded in Rome in 1884 by the Greek silversmith, Sotirio Bulgari, and has held sway as an international powerhouse for over a century. The outbreak of WWII compelled Bulgari, now spelled Bvlgari with a V to reinforce its ancient Roman design inspiration, to move from the use of platinum and diamonds to the now familiar 18k yellow gold pieces that so define the current Bvlgari look. Drawing inspiration from Renaissance Italian goldsmithing and classical Greek and Roman design, the Bvlgari firm creates iconic pieces known for bold gold work, industrial motifs of bolts and chains, polished metallics, and the distinctive use of mounted ancient coins and colored stones. Bvlgari designs from the 1940s, such as the Serpenti and Tubogas collections, followed by multi-colored cabochon ruby, sapphire and emerald set creations from the 1960s to the present day are instantly recognizable. Worn by legendary figures including Italian aristocrats, and made famous by celebrities such as Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn, the Bulgari brand is beloved by an international clientele of sophisticated collectors today.

Authenticating jewelry requires nuanced expertise. Many thousands of pieces of jewelry from every era and every maker have passed through our hands for over 40 years. This familiarity enables us to know what a piece should look and feel like, if it has the expected quality of material and workmanship, if the metal and makers marks are correct and if the expected signature is authentic.

As a first step, we look at the front and back of every bracelet, ring or brooch, turning it over in our hands to see that the workmanship on the reverse is as fine as the detail on the front. Using a loupe, the jeweler’s essential tool, we look carefully at many different touch points, some of which include examining the precision with which diamonds are mounted in their settings, the manner in which gold or platinum links are connected to each other, the fineness of the material, the quality of the azuring - a difficult and refined aspect of metalwork and lastly, the flawlessness of the polish.

If we have any doubts whatsoever as to authenticity, we submit the piece to the relevant firm, be it Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Verdura, David Webb and others. We also request the original bill of sale, box and papers for those items most commonly faked such as Cartier Love brackets and VCA Alhambra pieces. And just as banks know their customers, we, too, ensure we know enough about our clients to assure ourselves of their ownership and provenance.

Our team of GIA-certified jewelry experts has such a well-regarded reputation in the international jewelry industry that we are frequently called upon to advise auction houses, appraisers and other dealers in matters of authenticity and value.