Sotirio Bulgari founded Bulgari in Rome in 1884. He was inspired by his Greek heritage and the city of Rome. Many of the brand’s collections today are still influenced by Greek & Roman history, architecture and culture.
Due to Bulgari’s very distinct style, their jewelry is easily recognizable making it very trendy. One of their most recognizable collections is the Serpenti. The central motif of this collection is the snake, which symbolizes rebirth and transformation. They began making serpent jewelry in the 1940’s using a technique called Tubogas, which was inspired by an ancient Roman technique to make jewelry. This technique was perfect for wrapping jewelry around the arm. They utilized it in watches, using this technique for the band and a watch face where the head of the snake would be.
Their watches became so popular that in the late 1970’s the brand decided to build a factory in Switzerland with the sole purpose of manufacturing watches. Prior to this, Jaegar-LeCoultre and Vacheron Constantin made the majority of the brand’s watch movements. The brand has been making and reinventing this watch ever since!
Once they had their own watch factory, they began adding their name to the bezel of the watch. They wanted a uniformed look so they put it on there twice, wrapping it completely around the bezel. Thus the “Bulgari-Bulgari” Tubogas style was born. Its’ popularity skyrocketed in the 80’s and 90’s.
Already have Bulgari jewelry?
Capetown Capital Lenders is always looking to acquire designer pieces, and could pay as much as $6,000 for a similar Bulgari watch in excellent condition. We’re also interested in buying jewelry from other designers like David Yurman, Cartier, and Tiffany & Co.
Interested in selling your designer jewelry or using it for an asset-based loan? Start the process online by filling out one of our simple SELL or LOAN forms on our website. Or stop by our Atlanta location today.