History of Bvlgari
Bulgari is an Italian luxury house founded in 1884 by Greek silversmith Sotirio Bulgari in Epirus, Greece, as a single jewelry shop. Globally renowned for its creativity and excellence, Bulgari is one of the leading brands in its sector and has strong leadership positions in the jewelry and watch segments.
From the company’s foundation in 1884 until the 1970s, Bulgari developed as a luxury brand in jewelry, famous for its precious metal wearables, angular shapes, vibrant colors, and oval elements with their cabochon cut (gemstone) innovation. Bulgari launched its first bracelet watch in the 1940s, called ‘Serpenti Bracelet watches.’ In 1977, Gianni Bulgari (grandson of Sotirio Bulgari) introduced the BVLGARI BVLGARI watch, which marked the brand’s official entry into the world of horology.
For the production of Bulgari watches, Bulgari established its Swiss subsidiary company Bulgari Haute Horlogerie SA in 1980. Following the establishment of Bulgari Haute Horlogerie SA, Bulgari watches quickly gained popularity for their high jewelry luxury timepieces and combination of Italian designs and Swiss watchmaking.
The Bulgari Group acquired many luxury watchmaking brands specializing in watchmaking in the twenty-first century, including Daniel Roth and Gérald Genta. In 2011, the Bulgari family joined with LVMH to strengthen the development of the Bulgari Group in keeping with its history, values, craftsmanship, identity, and long-term goals.