Bulgari 18k Yellow Gold Tubogas Watch with Black Dial

Greek silversmith Sotirios Voulgaris arrived in Rome in 1881 and set up his own shop there in 1884, calling it Bulgari, an Italianization of his last name (in the brand's logo, it's styled BVLGARI, using the classical Latin alphabet in a nod to ancient Roman culture). In 1905, he opened the company’s flagship boutique on Rome’s Via dei Condotti. Since then, Bulgari has looked to Rome as a source of reference for its fanciful and decidedly romantic designs for necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other accessories.

Although the iconic jewelry house found success with its silverwork and Art Deco designs, popular through the 1920s, Bulgari’s signature style — bold, often using yellow gold embellished with big colorful gemstones — began to emerge when Sotirios’s sons inherited the business, in 1932.

The brand truly hit its stride in the dolce vita era of the 1950s and ’60s, when the founder’s grandsons Paolo, Gianni and Nicola Bulgari decisively departed from demure traditional styles to develop the house’s exuberant multi-gem looks, attracting celebrity collectors like Elizabeth Taylor.

In the 1940s, Bulgari debuted perhaps its most famous design, the Serpenti bracelet watch. The piece’s snakelike coils were made possible by the tubogas jewelry technique, which links a flexible series of thin horizontal bands. Both the sleek, modern tubogas construction and the sinuous snake motif continue to be synonymous with the Bulgari brand. 

On 1stDibs, the collection of vintage Bulgari jewelry includes rings, pendant necklaces, watches and other accessories.

THEVAULT15 is a London-based fine jewellery company under the creative direction of Caroline Ost. From its atelier in Germany, it brings bold, handmade collections to the modern individual, empowering them to breeze through life with effortless elegance. Crafted exclusively from 18K fair-trade gold, Ost presents unexpected proportions and exquisite details steeped in symbolism. In an ode to the continuity of life and concept of eternity, THEVAULT15 weaves signature 'diamond orbs' throughout its collection. Catching the light at every turn, these innovative creations are refreshingly accompanied by interpretations of rare gemstones and Tahiti pearls, hand-chosen for their quality, balance, and radiance. Born from the vision of a vault brimming with beautiful objects and keepsake creations, Caroline takes inspiration from a melting pot of world cultures and artisan techniques, which is then overlaid with contemporary design direction for an aesthetic that is as playful as it is unique. For Ost "THEVAULT15 seeks to discover new ways of expressing the infinite beauty of nature, while serving daring and independent spirits with timeless pieces that speak to who they are."