Greek silversmith Sotirios Voulgaris arrived in Rome in 1881 and set up his own shop there in 1884, calling it Bulgari, an Italianization of his last name (in the brand's logo, it's styled BVLGARI, using the classical Latin alphabet in a nod to ancient Roman culture). In 1905, he opened the company’s flagship boutique on Rome’s Via dei Condotti. Since then, Bulgari has looked to Rome as a source of reference for its fanciful and decidedly romantic designs for necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other accessories.
Although the iconic jewelry house found success with its silverwork and Art Deco designs, popular through the 1920s, Bulgari’s signature style — bold, often using yellow gold embellished with big colorful gemstones — began to emerge when Sotirios’s sons inherited the business, in 1932.
The brand truly hit its stride in the dolce vita era of the 1950s and ’60s, when the founder’s grandsons Paolo, Gianni and Nicola Bulgari decisively departed from demure traditional styles to develop the house’s exuberant multi-gem looks, attracting celebrity collectors like Elizabeth Taylor.
In the 1940s, Bulgari debuted perhaps its most famous design, the Serpenti bracelet watch. The piece’s snakelike coils were made possible by the tubogas jewelry technique, which links a flexible series of thin horizontal bands. Both the sleek, modern tubogas construction and the sinuous snake motif continue to be synonymous with the Bulgari brand.
On 1stDibs, the collection of vintage Bulgari jewelry includes rings, pendant necklaces, watches and other accessories.
Rare Vintage Bvlgari Alveare Parentesi 18k Yellow Gold Steel Clip Hoop Earrings
By Bulgari
Located in Birmingham, GB
Rare Vintage Bvlgari Alveare Parentesi 18k Yellow Gold & Stainless Steel Hoop Earrings. Beautiful earrings from the highly prized Bvlgari 'Alveare' line. A rare and sought after ext...
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Steel
Vintage Bvlgari Bulgari B.Zero1 18 Karat White Gold Hoop Stud Earrings with Box
By Bulgari
Located in Birmingham, GB
Vintage Bvlgari B.Zero1 18k White Gold Hoop Earrings. A pair of 18k white gold earring hoops from the Bvlgari B.zero1 collection. The earrings measure 17 x 9mm and feature a lever-...
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
Bvlgari Bulgari Tubogas 18k Yellow Gold Steel Twist Bangle Bracelet Cuff
By Bulgari
Located in Birmingham, GB
Rare Vintage Bvlgari Parentesi Tubogas Bracelet Twist Cuff 18k Yellow Gold & Stainless Steel. Stunning Bvlgari bracelet cuff with signature Tubogas style. 18k yellow gold and st...
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Steel
Rare Vintage Bvlgari Alveare Parentesi 18k Yellow Gold & Steel Spring Snake Ring
By Bulgari
Located in Birmingham, GB
Very Rare Vintage Bvlgari Alveare 18k Yellow Gold & Steel Spring Snake Ring. A beautiful vintage mixed metal gold and steel Bvlgari Alveare ring with flex...
Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold, Mixed Metal
Rare Vintage Bvlgari Doppio Curoe Blue Sapphire & Diamond 18k Gold Bypass Ring
By Bulgari
Located in Birmingham, GB
Rare Vintage Bvlgari Doppio Curoe Blue Sapphire & Diamond 18k Yellow Gold Bypass Ring. The rare Bvlgari bypass ring from the iconic Doppio Curoe r...
Diamond, White Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rare Vintage Van Cleef & Arpels Mini Cross Diamond 18K Yellow Gold Earring Studs
By Van Cleef & Arpels
Located in Birmingham, GB
Rare Vintage Van Cleef & Arpels Miniature Diamond Cross 18k Yellow Gold Earring Studs. Classic diamond-set mini cross earrings studs by Van Cleef & Arpels. Each cross is set with x...
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Bvlgari 18k Yellow Gold Spiga Hoop Earrings
By Bulgari
Located in Great Neck Plaza, NY
Vintage Bvlgari Spiga hoop earrings crafted in 18k yellow gold. They showcase the woven Spiga pattern inspired by ancient Roman wheat, highlighting Italian craftsmanship, a classic s...
18k Gold
Bulgari 18 Karat Yellow Gold Vintage Parentesi J-Hoop Ear-Clip Earrings
By Bulgari
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Designed as fluted j-hoop forms featuring geometric motif Comprised of fitted 'Parentesi' forms With high polish finish Completed by hinged omega backs Stamped with Italian assay mar...
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Bvlgari 18k Yellow Gold & Steel Tubogas Pyramid Hoop Earrings
By Bulgari
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
A pair of Bvlgari Tubogas earrings crafted in stainless steel with 18k yellow gold accents. The Tubogas construction, a signature Bvlgari technique, uses interlocking steel links tha...
Gold, 18k Gold, Steel
Bvlgari Bulgari Gold Earrings 18k Spiga Collection Clip-On
By Bulgari
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
A pair of Bulgari Spiga huggie earrings, crafted in 18k gold and feature the iconic chevron pattern that defines the Spiga collection. The woven design is inspired by wheat stalks, g...
Gold, 18k Gold
Bulgari 18K Yellow Gold Vintage Hoop Earrings, Italy, Circa 1989
By Bulgari
Located in Malmö, Skåne län
Vintage BVLGARI 18 karat gold hoop earrings made 1989. You know a pair of hoops are well made when they are purposely adjusted for left/r...
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
BULGARI Tubogas Two-Row Hoop Earrings
By Bulgari
Located in New York, NY
These earrings are a testament to the brand’s signature engineering and aesthetic innovation. The Tubogas technique, a hallmark of Bulgari since the 1940s, involves wrapping interloc...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Jewelry historian Vanessa Cron combed 1stDibs and selected some dazzling pieces with timeless appeal.
From Elizabeth Taylor to Zendaya, the Serpenti has been the accessory of choice for generations of it girls.
