PALM BEACH, November 14, 2026 — Bulgari opened its new boutique on Worth Avenue this week, marking the occasion with the U.S. debut of its high jewelry collection Eclettica at a historic Addison Mizner estate. The event, hosted by CEO Laura Burdese, underscored the Roman maison’s latest chapter in a story that began more than a century ago on the streets of Rome.
The Story Begins in Ottoman Epirus
The story begins in the village of Paramythia, in what was then Ottoman Epirus, where the Voulgaris family plied a silversmithing trade passed down through generations. Sotirios Voulgaris, born in 1857, learned the craft at his family’s shop before the family moved to Rome in the 1880s. In 1884, he launched his own company on Via Sistina, laying the foundation for a house that would eventually span jewellery, watches, fragrances, accessories and leather goods. The trademark BVLGARI, rendered in the classical Latin alphabet with a “V” in place of the “U,” first appeared on the gilded brass letters of the Via Condotti flagship in 1934, a nod to the ancient city that adopted him.
A Roman Voice in a Parisian World
For decades, Bulgari cultivated a distinct Roman identity — bold, architectural, coloured — setting itself apart from the more delicate French houses that dominated the luxury conversation. That identity crystallised in the 1970s when the maison made an avant-garde move: fusing precious gold with stainless steel. The pairing was a provocation at the time, setting the nobility of gold against the industrial durability of steel. It became a signature language for the brand, anchoring collections like Tubogas and later B.zero1, and it opened the door to further material experimentation. In the 1990s, Bulgari paired porcelain with gold for the Chandra collection; in the 2010s, it turned to ceramic and gold for new iterations of B.zero1.
From Family House to Global Conglomerate
The company remained family-run for generations, expanding its network of stores worldwide while keeping design and production largely in-house. It partnered with Luxottica for eyewear and, in 2001, formed a joint venture with Marriott International to launch Bulgari Hotels & Resorts. Then, in 2011, the French conglomerate LVMH acquired Bulgari, folding the Roman house into the world’s largest luxury group. The acquisition gave Bulgari the backing of a global powerhouse while leaving its creative direction rooted in Rome, where the majority of design and marketing continues to be overseen.
The Golconda Stone That Captured Geneva
At its heart, Bulgari’s reputation still rests on high jewellery and the stones that pass through its ateliers. Earlier this week in Geneva, that reputation found a fresh benchmark. A 24-carat Fancy Intense Pink emerald-cut diamond ring — known as The Bulgari Pink — sold for $14.8 million at Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale. The stone originates from India’s legendary Golconda region, source of the world’s most famed diamonds for over two millennia, and is classified as a Type IIa diamond, a category representing fewer than two percent of natural diamonds worldwide. Acquired in the 1950s and set into a ring at the Roman atelier, the diamond had been hidden from the market for more than seven decades. Christie’s Global Head of Jewellery, Max Fawcett, called it the “Mona Lisa of pink diamonds.”
Palm Beach as a New Stage
Back in Palm Beach, the new 3,538-square-foot boutique sits in a heritage building modelled on a traditional Italian piazza, anchored by four travertine columns and a Serpenti chandelier by Venini. Decorative panels by Milan-based Pictalab marry Floridian ocean views with the maison’s Roman history. “Palm Beach embodies a distinctive spirit of effortless sophistication, making it a natural home for Bulgari,” Burdese said at the opening. “We are proud to share Bulgari’s Roman heritage, contemporary vision and passion for excellence with our clients in Palm Beach.” The boutique showcases a curated mix of high jewelry, watches, handbags and pieces from the Serpenti, Divas’ Dream, Tubogas, B.Zero1 and Octo collections — each a thread in the long arc from a silversmith’s bench in Paramythia to the windows of Worth Avenue.
Sources
- Bulgari
- Bulgari Revives Its Gold and Steel Pairing for Its Signature Collections
- Christie’s Posts Highest Watch Total Ever and Sells Bulgari Pink Diamond for $14 M.
- The ‘Mona Lisa of pink diamonds’ is one of the rarest on Earth — and just sold for $14.6M
- Bulgari’s Eclettica Collection Arrives in the US in Dazzling Fashion
- Bulgari Melds High Jewelry and Palm Beach History
Photo: David Adam Kess (CC BY-SA 4.0)
