Bulgari Diamond Gold Pinkie 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.

Walking past number eight of Via Bogino, Palazzo Balbo di Vinadio, a baroque building built in 1690 in Torino, Italy, you would little suspect that its grand façade conceals a 3300 sq ft. chic gallery that more than a shop resembles to a 18th century noble town house containing a remarkable collection of design jewelry, antique silver and objet d'art. This is Jona today, the story of a passion which started back in 1961 when Giorgio Jona, enthusiast, passionate collector of antiques decided to leave the stock exchange career to start his own business, dealing in antique silver, antique oriental art and gemstones for the creation of fine jewelry. The company has grown since then, also thanks to the shared passion for the business by Giorgio's son, Alex who felt the need to create jewelry which may be worn in every occasion. Today Jona is home to designers and support staff with the clear ambition to keep on growing. Alex travels the world to discover extraordinary precious stones, pearls and diamonds with which he personally designs exquisite pieces of jewelry. Jona jewels stand out, not only for their special design and for the excellent quality of the gemstones, but also for the careful attention given to details during all the manufacturing process. Alex’s passion flows in splendid jewels entirely hand-crafted in the best Italian goldsmith tradition.