Bulgari  is an Italian luxury brand known for its jewelry, watches, fragrances, accessories and leather goods.

While the majority of design, production and marketing is overseen and executed by Bvlgari, the company does, at times, partner with other entities. in 2001, the brand formed a joint venture with Group Marriott International to launch its hotel brand, Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts, a collection of properties and resort destinations around the world.

Currently part of the LVMH Group, Bvlgari was founded in Rome in 1884 by Greek silversmith Sotirios Boulgaris (later Italianized to Sotirio Bulgari) as a single jewellery shop that has, over the years, become an international brand. The company has evolved into a big player in the luxury market

The BVLGARI logo was used for the first time in 1934, when its gilded brass letters graced the central doorway of the Via Condotti flagship. In reference to ancient Rome, the “U” was replaced with the letter “V”, and a logo was born. Since then, the trademark is written BVLGARI in the classical Latin alphabet.

From its origins through the 1940s 

The Bulgaris were an ancient silversmithing family from the Epirus region of Greece. In 1881, Sotirios Bulgari moved to Rome and, in 1884, opened his first store on via Sistina 85. In 1905, he unveiled the Via Condotti shop that would become the company’s flagship. In its early years, Bvlgari was known for silver pieces that borrowed elements from Byzantine and Islamic art, combining them with floral motifs. At the time, Paris was the apex of fashion and creativity, and its trends influenced Sotirio’s designs for decades: jewels of the early 20s were characterised by platinum Art Deco settings while those of the 30s featured geometric diamond motifs—sometimes set in combination with coloured gemstones.

The 50s and the 60s: Colour revolution and Dolce Vita

In the 50s, some of Bvlgari best-known clients included Elizabeth Taylor, Anna Magnani, Ingrid Bergman and Gina Lollobrigida as Rome earned a reputation as "Hollywood on the Tiber" with the Cinecittà studios.

At the same time, Bvlgari went to a new style. The post-war boom saw a return to precious materials, particularly white metals covered in diamonds..

The 70s: Eclectic creativity and global expansion

During the 1970s, Bvlgari stores opened in New York, Geneva, Monte Carlo and Paris. This era marks the beginning of the Group’s international expansion, with Gianni as chairman and CEO. A number of new motifs made their debut as well—jewels became recognisable for their angular forms, strong colours, oval elements with cabochons, chains and maxi sautoirs. In 1977, Bvlgari entered the world of horlogerie with the launch of the BVLGARI BVLGARI watch. At the time, Gianni led a complete overhaul of the company, focusing on product design.

The 80s: Prêt-à-porter jewellery

In the early 80s, to oversee all production of Bvlgari watches, Bvlgari Time was founded in Switzerland. In 1984, Paolo and Nicola Bulgari, Giorgio’s sons, became Chairman and Vice-Chairman, respectively, while their nephew, Francesco Trapani, became Chief Executive Officer. In 1985, Gianni resigned as CEO and in 1987, he left the family business after selling his one-third stake in the company to his brothers Nicola and Paolo.

From the 90s to the new millennium

In 1995, Bvlgari pushed ahead with an aggressive programme for growth, becoming listed on the Milan Stock Exchange for the first time. In 1996, the brand launched its first accessories collection, beginning with silk scarves before developing a range of leather accessories and eyewear. In 1999, the brand launched the B.zero1 ring.

The 21st century

The year 2000 was the beginning of an increasingly aggressive period of verticalization for Bvlgari, with the acquisition of the luxury watchmaking brands Daniel Roth and Gérald Genta, followed by the takeover of the jewellery firm Crova and of other companies that specialised in leather goods and watchmaking. The opening of the first Bvlgari Hotel in Milan in 2004 further confirmed the expansion strategy of the brand, and was the result of a joint venture with Luxury Group, a division of Marriot International. In 2009, Bvlgari celebrated its 125th anniversary with a retrospective of the brand’s history, held in Rome at Palazzo delle Esposizioni. That same year, the snake—a motif that appeared in Bvlgari collections from the 1960s—re-emerged as the emblem of the Serpenti collection. In 2011, Bvlgari signed a strategic alliance with LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, the world’s leading luxury group.

Watches

Bvlgari’s watches collections include Octo, BVLGARI BVLGARI, Diagono and Haute Horlogerie creations for men, and LVCEA, Serpenti, Divas’ Dream, BVLGARI BVLGARI, B.zero1 and High Jewellery timepieces for women. It mixes Italian design and Swiss watchmaking. The company's Swiss subsidiary, Bvlgari Haute Horlogerie SA, is responsible for Bvlgari watch production. It was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Neuchâtel. Bvlgari Haute Horlogerie SA employs about 500 people.

Bvlgari relies on a distribution network of about 300 stores.

In 2009, Bvlgari takes action on behalf of disadvantaged children around the world through a partnership with Save the Children. The brand launched a campaign which included the launch of a Save the Children custom-designed jewellery collection, of which a portion of the proceeds went to the charity. As of 2018, Bvlgari’s contribution has totalled 80 million dollars.