bitebookreview in the clasp by the great was reminiscent of a trend dating director Luchino Visconti for back to 1920s-1930s that were whom he played the leading stylistically compatible with maxi role in Rocco and His Brothers. As dresses of the time. Examples of the years rolled into the 1960s, this exquisite design were majestic women were modelling an antique emeralds that once belonged array of exquisite Bulgari jewellery to the Mughal family dynasty given new accessories. In 1962, Elizabeth Taylor life in long, multi-coloured and eccentric who played Cleopatra chose Bulgari’s sautoirs. Iconic contemporary artist Andy sumptuous watch-bracelet in the form Warhol himself said of the renowned brand, of a serpent in yellow gold, platinum and “I always visit Bulgari because it is the most diamonds with emeralds for the eyes in important Museum of Contemporary Art.” honour of her character. In the filmThe Visit Bulgari’s expansion abroad saw by Bernhard Wicki with Anthony Quinn, boutiques opening in Cannes, Monte Carlo actress Ingrid Bergman wore one of the and New York in the 1970s. Their contact eight splendid parures in yellow gold and with the American artistic elite and the diamonds with a palmetto motif. Pop Art movement also saw a reciprocal Bulgari Portfolio features some of the most creative exchange, where they adopted a famous beauties who wore Bulgari with more informal and carefree conception of pride such as royalty Countess Paola Senni, jewellery whilst moving gracefully between Princess Colonna and former Empress of the abstract and the figurative with a bold Persia, Her Imperial Highness Soraya, and and uninhibited style. During this era the actresses Romy Schneider, Bette Davis, jewellery featured stylised geometric Anna Magnani, Claudia Cardinale, Monica motifs like the Egyptian lotus flower which Vitti, Veruschka von Lehndorff and Anita had already been utilised by Bulgari in a pair Ekberg who famously declared, “For me of Art Déco onyx and diamond earrings Dolce Vita is Roma, and Roma means back in the 1930s. The use of mother-of- Bulgari.” Following the scandalous and pearl and large cabochon emeralds were tempestuous love affair between Elizabeth inspired by India and Japan. The 1990s saw Taylor and Richard Burton that started on the trend of Tubogas (two flexible ribbons the set of Cleopatra in 1961, Burton chose of gold braided in a way that does not a Bulgari brooch that featured a 23.44 carat step-cut Colombian emerald with a matching 7.4 carat emerald ring framed by teardrop diamonds for their engagement in 1962. For their wedding two years later, Burton commissioned the Roman jeweller to create a necklace with sixteen octagonal 60.5 carat Colombian emeralds of which the brooch became the central pendant. Described by Connaissance des Arts in December 1963 as “a Bulgari jewel is as unmistakable as a Chanel dress”, Bulgari masterpieces have graced the neck, wrists and ears of many glamorous women throughout the 1950s and 1960s. In the latter era, the third generation of Bulgari – Nicola, Paolo and Gianni – steered the brand away from the dictates of the French way of jewellery-making into the direction of their Mediterranean roots, taking inspiration from the iconography of ancient Rome such as the lion motif and making the cabochon cut their trademark. Through their exploration, multiple cabochons were now appearing in the same jewel in bold combinations of different sizes and colours rather than the traditionally limited role of solitaire that were surrounded by diamonds. The Mediterranean opulence thus became the maison’s signature style. In later years, the Bulgari brand embraced the art of jewellery-making through polychromy, a gorgeous composite of sapphires, rubies and emeralds with the adoption of other coloured stones such as citrine and amethyst. In the 1970s, jewellery became more wearable and versatile with longer necklaces that were sautoirs designed around spectacular pendants that could be transformed into brooches. This