For its yearly brand event and the introduction of its new High-Jewelry and High-End Watch collection, Mediterranea, Bulgari has selected Venice. The Serenissima was chosen as a tribute to the city’s function as a protector of Byzantine culture and as a representation of cultural openness that unites disparate universes and sources of inspiration. Over the years, Venice acted as a hub for influences from the Mediterranean, providing a privileged setting for a wide range of interactions and exchanges that perfectly capture the eclectic spirit of the collection.
The collection, which translates multifarious proposals gathered over the course of time and space, is a kaleidoscope of ground-breaking jewelry designs that were born from ambitious innovation and superb craftsmanship. With Mediterranea, Bulgari presents the peak of High-Jewelry while imagining a journey over the Mediterranean Sea, the distinctive site of the birth of civilization and an endless source of inspiration for a variety of arts, customs, and crafts.
“With Mediterranea, Bulgari unveils its new high jewelry and high-end watches collections by embarking on an epic and immersive journey that starts from Rome, the eternal city and permanent source of creative inspiration for Bulgari, to Venice, the major crossroad of Mediterranean influences where the Roman-Byzantine Empire fused with the Roman Western Empire to give birth to inclusive and unrivaled arts and architecture. With great honor, we celebrate the vision of the founder Sotirio Bulgari with magnificent creations that represent the pinnacle of Bulgari’s identity made of audacious creativity and exceptional craftsmanship. Offering to our guests the most extraordinary locations of the City together with pioneering AI-driven interactive experiences further enhancing the beauty and emotions created by the 2023 collection establishing a new milestone in extraordinary goldsmithing and gems expertise.” — Jean-Christophe Babin, President/General Director of Bulgari.
The three universes of Mediterranea are referred to as “Southern Radiance,” “Roman Splendor,” and “East Meets West,” and each one represents a particular constellation of images, environments, and sources of inspiration.
Southern Radiance, the first word in the collection, captures the vivacious atmosphere of Southern Italy. The sculptures are inspired by elaborate architecture, rich gardens, and sun-kissed coasts. The 15.13-carat cushion sapphire in the center of the Mediterranean Muse necklace, which has hypnotic blue tones throughout, resembles the rhythmic motion of waves. A stunning 66.88-carat Ceylon sapphire is encircled by a lace-like design of diamonds and transparent sapphires in the platinum Southern Sapphire necklace.
The Eternal City serves as a significant inspiration for the Roman Splendor universe. The 68.88-carat emerald in the Roman Esedra sautoir and the spectacular 218.53-carat emerald in the Muse of Rome necklace both represent the city’s timeless splendor. The Ara Pacis reliefs serve as a source of inspiration for the Acanthus Emerald necklace, a work of art with eternal beauty.
In breathtaking pieces like the Mediterranean Sapphire Serpenti necklace, which combines sapphires and diamonds in a sinuous platinum body, the Mediterranea line also features the recognizable snake design. With its voluminous emerald droplets, the Baroque Serpenti necklace honors the snake’s fortitude and empowerment.
Rome and Venice have been erecting bridges between seemingly disparate worlds along the “roads” of the Mediterranean Sea due to their shared desire for distant and fascinating cultures. Beginning with the Oriental Fantasy necklace, East Meets West is a celebration of this mix of cultures. The earthy tones of Northern African spice markets are evoked by the pairing of nine mandarin garnets totaling over 90 carats with brilliant citrines in this ring, while the combination of mother-of-pearl and black onyx is reminiscent of the geometric henna tattoos that Asian women sport.
| All photos courtesy of Bulgari
This story originally appeared on Upscalelivingmag
