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Bvlgari History

The Bulgari family descend from a line of Greek silversmiths who started trade in a village of Epirus, where the family founder, Sotirio, produced precious silver objects - over 100 years before Bvlgari sunglasses became a must have fashion item!

The late 19th century saw Sotirio Bulgari move his family and business to Italy, where in 1884 he opened his first shop on the via Sistina, in Rome.

In 1905, Bulgari and his sons, Costantino and Giorgio, opened a shop in via Condotti, which to this day is the Bvlgari flagship store.

In the early 1900s, the sons developed a passion and expertise in precious stones, as well as jewels and watches, and gradually took over Sotiro's involvement in the business.

During the World War II, Costantino Bulgari and his wife, Laura Bulgari, secreted three Jewish women in their Roman home. The women were strangers to them, but the Bulgaris hid them out of outrage against the raid of the Roman ghetto in October 1943. Years later, On 31 December, 2003, Constantino and Laura were awarded the title of Righteous among the Nations at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, Israel.

The period immediately following World War II marks an important change in Bvlgari's history. It was a pivotal point for the Company, moving from the strict rules of French goldsmiths, and creating its own unique style.

The current designs are heavily inspired by Greek and Roman culture, Italian Renaissance, and the 19th century Roman school of goldsmiths.

The international expansion of Bvlgari started in the 1970's with the opening of stores in New York, Paris, Geneva, and Monte Carlo.

On July 17th ,1995 the Holding Company Bulgari S.p.A. was listed on the Milan Stock Exchange.