Bvlgari Gold Burma Ruby Sapphire And Diamond Ring

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.

Antique and vintage cluster rings are timeless accessories. While they might have been considered more popular in certain eras than in others, they’re versatile and belong in any jewelry box.

Featuring a diamond or other central gemstone surrounded by smaller stones, the cluster rings’ distinguished look makes them a popular choice for engagement rings or, for a fancy night out, an accent piece for jewelry lovers everywhere.

The style of cluster rings has changed over time even if the defining attributes have remained intact.

Georgian-era jewelry — named for the monarchies of the four King Georges — features cluster rings that are often characterized by a grouping of central stones into rose-like shapes. (The stones are set off by the setting’s blackened metal.) Diamonds came into fashion during the late Victorian period, and late Victorian cluster rings were most often set in yellow gold. Jewelers of the Art Deco period embraced geometric shapes, and Art Deco cluster rings feature emeralds, sapphires and other colorful stones.

Cluster rings for future brides have been in and out of the spotlight, but cluster-style engagement rings have been experiencing a consistent revival of sorts since at least 2011, when Kate Middleton began wearing Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond ring, which was made by Garrard in the 1980s. For your special day, whether you prefer vintage engagement rings or contemporary pieces, a cluster ring can deliver some sparkle if a diamond solitaire is out of your budget. (See our engagement ring buying guide for insight and expert tips to help you find the perfect ring.)

On 1stDibs, find many ruby cluster rings, gold cluster rings and an extraordinary range of other antique and vintage rings today.