BVLGARI: History of the Brand

When it comes to glamorous jewelry crafted with dynamic techniques, no brand better encapsulates this union than BVLGARI. With their high-end jewelry, luxury timepieces and chic accessories, BVLGARI has been celebrated for over a century by style icons, Italian royals and A-listers.

History of BVLGARI

Founded in 1884 by Sotirois Voulgaris, BVLGARIis one of the oldest Italian jewelry houses. Sotirois Voulgaris immigrated to Italy in 1880 from Greece with only a few cents to his name but was a highly skilled silversmith. He named his brand BVLGARI as it was the phonetic pronunciation of his last name. The jewelry house’s logo is written as BVLGARI as it follows the classic Latin alphabet. Voulgaris created jewelry that honored ancient Roman architecture, mosaics and coins. When looking at where BVLGARI is made, although the headquarters are in Roma, most of the jewelry is actually made in Valenza.

During the 1950’s, BVLGARI rose in popularity among the Italian nobility and American socialites. BVLGARI’s jewelry was frequently used in classic Hollywood movies, such as Roman Holiday, King Kong and Cleopatra, adorning the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Jessica Langue. Of the jewelry house, Andy Warhol once said, “For me, calling at BVLGARI’s shop is like visiting the best exhibition of contemporary art.”

BVLGARI’s edgy Serpenti collection was heavily featured in Florence + the Machine’s music video for “Say My Name.” In this video, singer and style icon Florence Welch is hauntingly dressed as a classic Hollywood Cleopatra and richly adorned in Serpenti rings, bracelets and watches. Other celebrities that love BVLGARI include the likes of Rihanna, Bella Hadid and Zendaya.

BVLGARI’s Jewelry Style

BVLGARI is known for their bold jewelry and daring color combinations. From diamonds, emeralds, pearls, tiger’s eyes and ceramic, BVLGARI’s redefines the limits of luxury jewelry. Voulgaris’ descendants continued the tradition of crafting creative and trendsetting jewelry, as seen in today’s collections that blend classic Roman themes with modern trends.

How to Spot Fake BVLGARI Jewelry

Luxury brands like BVLGARI often have imitation jewelry on the market that can dupe even the most astute of jewelry lovers.

Here are our tips for spotting fake BVLGARI jewelry:

Imitation BVLGARI jewelry will often feel lighter than authentic pieces because they are not made with genuine materials such as 18k gold.
Real BVLGARI will be stamped with the number 750, which stands for 18k gold.
Fake jewelry can have rough, unfinished edges as well as remnants of air bubbles from the casting process.
Authentic rings will have their respective size printed inside the band, fakes will often have a random number printed.
The metal of counterfeit pieces can lose their brilliance over time and become discolored, this is especially prevalent inside rings.
Imitation BVLGARI jewelry can have the brand’s logo misspelled. The proper spelling of the official stamp is BVLGARI, as the traditional Latin alphabet is used in the logo’s spelling.
Authentic BVLGARI jewelry will always have their stamps clearly printed with sharp edges, as opposed to fakes which have sloppy printing and misspellings.
The price of imitation BVLGARI jewelry can be suspiciously low.
Real B. Zero 1 rings are crafted in a spiral with bands that compress and expand when pressed. Fakes are often made of a solid piece of metal with etched groves that do not move.
Authentic Serpenti bracelets are made with individual links that look like scales, allowing the wearer to gently unfurl the coils to wrap it around their wrist. Fakes are often comprised of a solid metal that can only slightly move.
The BVLGARI BVLGARI collection will always have “BVLGARI BVLGARI” printed with even spacing that is separated by two circles.
How to Buy Real BVLGARI Jewelry for the Best Prices

The best way to buy real BVLGARI jewelry is to only purchase from reputable sellers. At myGemma, you can always shop with confidence as all of our jewelry is authenticated by our designer jewelry experts. We are committed to selling real, pre-owned designer jewelry and luxury watches at exceptional prices. Our A+ rating with the BBB and excellent customer reviews demonstrate our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.