Giorgio Bulgari makes his mark in High Jewelry with Giorgio B. It clearly runs in the family…

By Sandrine Merle.

In 2023, the world discovered the name Giorgio B. when Sharon Stone appeared wearing his earrings at the Oscars. Beautiful gigantic palm-shaped earrings, which became his signature and could be found (along with rings and necklaces from the same collection) in boutiques like Dover Street Market. “It is the reinterpretation of a palm discovered in a 19th-century book,” explains founder Giorgio Bulgari. Today, however, the success of this collection tends to overshadow Giorgio Bulgari’s specialty: the one-off piece.

The Bulgari Legacy

Giorgio Bulgari signs his jewelry Giorgio B. because yes, he belongs to the Bulgari family, a house of Italian origin now owned by the LVMH group. He represents the fourth generation of this dynasty: he is the great-grandson of the founder, Sotirio. He was immersed in this world at a young age because his father, Gianni, co-managed the brand until the end of the 1970s with his cousin Marina Bulgari (who, a few years later, founded the brand Marina B.). It was Gianni who, in the 1970s, triggered internationalization by opening boutiques in New York, Paris, etc.

The Art of the One-off

In 2003, after a few years in finance in New York, Giorgio joined his father (who had left Bulgari) in the watch company founded by the latter: Enigma. He then became the artistic director of Marina B. Just 5 years ago, in 2017, he decided to launch his own house based on the creation of unique pieces, special orders for particular clients. They are his specialty, the essence of his craft. “I enjoy these numerous exchanges with each of them, especially around the history of art and the search for the stone. It’s like to a real journey that can sometimes last over a year…” In this, he reconnects with the way his grandfather worked in the 40s-50s.

A Typically Italian Style

His unique pieces, with no price constraints, are emblematic of his very Italian style. Giorgio B. jewelry is imposing, massive, and rounded. No frills disturb the taut lines and perfectly sleek shapes. The stone is held in tension between two lamellar gold leaflets. And Giorgio uses almost exclusively rose gold. In the purest Italian style, he plays with textures, brushed vs. polished mirror. And he loves new materials generally reserved for art, like bronze. As it patinates, the metal reinforces the unique character of the design and the stones. Heritage isn’t everything – Giorgio Bulgari’s creativity is highly personal.