The Roman jeweller that made colour, cabochons and snakes its signature.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 15 November 2026
Who founded Bulgari?
Sotirios Voulgaris, a Greek silversmith who settled in Rome and opened his first shop there in 1884. The family moved to Via Condotti in 1905, and the store at No. 10 is still the flagship. The name is written BVLGARI, with a V in the style of classical Latin inscriptions.
What makes Bulgari look like Bulgari?
Colour and volume. While the Paris jewellers prized white diamonds and delicate settings, from the 1950s and 1960s Bulgari mixed rubies, sapphires, emeralds and semi-precious stones in bold combinations, often polished into smooth domed cabochons rather than faceted. It also used ancient Roman coins in jewellery and the flexible “tubogas” gold band.
What is the Serpenti?
The snake that coils through Bulgari’s watches and jewellery, introduced as a bracelet watch in the late 1940s. Elizabeth Taylor wore one while filming Cleopatra in Rome in the early 1960s, and her love of Bulgari, and Richard Burton’s gifts from Via Condotti, made the house famous with Hollywood.
Who owns Bulgari today?
LVMH, which bought it in 2011. Beyond jewellery, Bulgari makes watches, fragrances and leather goods and runs luxury hotels. Its best-known modern design is the B.zero1 ring of 1999, a coiled band inspired by the Colosseum.
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