Bulgari

The Serpenti is one of Bulgari's most enduring icons, and its sinuous snake motif has stayed desirable across decades because the house does not chase fast-moving trends. Pieces tend to hold their value well on the secondary market, which adds to the appeal beyond simple beauty. If you want a recognisable design with staying power, the Serpenti is a strong choice.

The B.zero1, introduced in 1999, was a genuine break with fine-jewellery convention: a multi-band spiral ring inspired by the architecture of the Colosseum. It is built with Bulgari's craftsmanship in 18K gold and remains one of the most actively traded designs on the pre-owned luxury market. You are paying for radical, instantly recognisable design backed by real material quality.

Both are titans of luxury jewellery, but their personalities differ sharply. Bulgari, founded in Rome, is known for loud, vibrant, Roman-inspired pieces like the Serpenti, while Cartier leans cleaner and more restrained. Choose Bulgari if you want something bold and artsy with Mediterranean colour; choose Cartier for understated refinement.

The Serpenti is Bulgari's signature snake motif, and the house introduced Serpenti bracelet-watches as the 1940s drew to a close. The coiling-serpent form became synonymous with the brand and has been reinterpreted continually ever since. It is the clearest example of Bulgari turning a single idea into a lasting house signature.

Bulgari was founded in 1884 in Rome by the silversmith Sotirios Voulgaris, and the company is still headquartered in Rome today. He had moved to Rome with his family in the early 1880s after beginning his career at his family's shop in Ottoman Epirus. That Roman foundation is central to the brand's bold, classical identity.

The trademark is written BVLGARI in the classical Latin alphabet, derived from the founder's surname, Sotirios Voulgaris. The stylised form was first used in 1934 on the gilded letters above the Via Condotti flagship doorway, with the U replaced by a V as a nod to ancient Rome. It is one of the most distinctive wordmarks in luxury.

Bulgari was acquired by the French conglomerate LVMH in 2011 and now operates as one of its subsidiaries. The current chairman, Paolo Bulgari, descends directly from the founding family. So while ownership sits within LVMH, the Bulgari name still runs through the family line.

Bulgari's flagship is on Via Condotti in Rome, the shop Sotirio Voulgaris unveiled in 1905 that would become the company's home address. It is also where the famous BVLGARI lettering first appeared in 1934. The street remains synonymous with the house's identity.

In its early years Bulgari was known for silver pieces that borrowed from Byzantine and Islamic art, combined with floral motifs. By the 1920s and '30s the designs reflected Parisian influence, with platinum Art Deco settings and geometric diamond motifs. One notable early piece was the Trombino, a small trumpet-shaped ring.

In the 1950s, when Rome was nicknamed "Hollywood on the Tiber," Bulgari counted Elizabeth Taylor, Anna Magnani, Ingrid Bergman and Gina Lollobrigida among its best-known clients. That glamorous mid-century clientele helped cement the brand's cinematic, Dolce Vita aura. The connection between Bulgari and screen icons has been part of its story ever since.

Yes. Bulgari is known for jewellery, watches, fragrances, accessories and leather goods, and it has extended well beyond the jewellery case. In 2001 it formed a joint venture with Marriott International to launch Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, a collection of luxury properties around the world. The house has become a full luxury lifestyle brand.