Magnificent Masterpieces
From behind her iconic gem table in Bulgari’s headquarters in Rome, creative director Lucia Silvestri gives us insight on the journey of creating the Magnifica high jewellery collection, which has been more than a year in the making
Lucia Silvestri’s favourite pieces from Bulgari’s high jewellery collection
"T“T his is how I normally start the day,” says Lucia Silvestri as she pours out a small cloth bag of sparkling jewels onto her gem table. Using her hands, she shapes them into a mound resembling a necklace, before selecting a piece from her cache of larger, exquisite gemstones from all around the world to place in the middle.
“It always starts with the gems— even before the design,” she says, revealing the creative process behind all her jewellery creations, including the latest Magnifica high jewellery collection.
In the early stages of conceptualising Magnifica last year, Silvestri was faced with the challenge of sourcing the prominent gemstones that Bulgari has become known for at the height of a pandemic.
Unable to travel, the selection process for some of the beautiful gemstones in this high jewellery collection took much longer than normal. “We couldn’t work with videos and pictures. Instead, we received the stones in Rome and made the selection here,” she explains, before revealing a selection process that underscores her expertise in gemstones, honed in her years training under the master Paolo Bulgari himself.
“I touch the parcel of the stone without seeing it. I can feel straight away whether the cut of the stone is beautiful. And if I open the parcel and the stone is as beautiful as the cut and I can feel its energy, I say ‘bonjourno,’” she shares.
“But I also have to be able to use it. One of the biggest lessons I learned from Mr Bulgari is to buy a stone, not because it is beautiful, but because you can use it.”
However, there is a silver lining to being grounded in Rome for Silvestri. She recalls the ‘charge of creativity’ that flowed through the Bulgari headquarters during the pandemic. “I could work really closely with the artisans in Rome and follow the process from
beginning to end. We wanted to emphasise the quality of the gems and our craftsmanship.”
And thus, Bulgari’s Magnifica High Jewellery collection was born. A stunning collection of 350 masterpieces of exquisite jewellery and high-end watches, with over 60 designs crossing into the multimillion threshold, Magnifica is a tribute to powerful women in the world across time, a natural decision considering her team of designers solely comprises of women.
From the Art Deco artist Tamara de Lempicka and the Maharani of Indore to the modern voices of visionary architect Zaha Hadid and Chinese writer Eileen Chang, the inspiration for Bulgari’s latest collection spans decades, birthing magnificent masterpieces that continue to push the boundaries of jewellery design and craftsmanship while channelling the spirit of eras past.
Silvestri proceeds to share the stories behind some of her favourite pieces from the collection.
IMPERIAL SPINEL NECKLACE
At 131.21 carats, this extraordinary gemstone at the heart of this necklace is the fourth largest spinel in the world. Silvestri recalls seeing the stone for the first time, “I received a call about this jewel from a collector. At such a huge size, I was expecting not-so-great quality but when I finally saw the pictures and video, I was shocked. It was really one-ofa-kind; red but not really red, with a hint of orange. It was like there was a fire burning inside.”
“It may be the fourth largest in the world but I would say it’s number one in terms of quality,” she concludes.
In terms of the design, the creative director was adamant on sharing the beauty of this stone. “We had so many ideas to mount the stone but in the end, we decided to let it sit on its own in the centre to emphasise its beauty, size, colour and clarity.”
Indeed, this precious jewel from Tagikistan is set proudly in the middle of this intricate creation of cascading diamonds and emerald beads to complete this showstealing Imperial Spinel necklace.
MEDITERRANEAN QUEEN NECKLACE
This necklace features five substantial oval cushion-cut Paraiba tourmalines, with a total weight of 500 carats, connected by a sumptuous design of cabochon emeralds and diamonds. “They were unique, full of happiness and energy,” says Silvestri about the glowing aqua hue of the extraordinary and incredibly rare Paraiba tourmalines in this piece. “Bulgari always dares to use huge stones,” she says.
But how much is too much? She only laughs and repeats the tagline of Bulgari’s campaign last year: “Mai Troppo,” which translates to “never too much” in English.
FLUID TANZANITE NECKLACE
Several pieces in this collection are dedicated to renowned British-iraqi architect, artist and designer, Zaha Hadid. Silvestri had previously met the visionary figure to reinvent Bulgari’s iconic B.zero 1 with a structurally intricate design, inspired by the Colosseum in Rome. “It was an incredible meeting. I was so impressed by her personality and
charisma and I’m proud to dedicate some of the pieces to her,” she says.
In the Fluid Tanzanite high jewellery creation, Bulgari’s ultimate icon, the tubogas, is encrusted with pavé-set diamonds, incorporating a Hadid-inspired design of curves and irregular geometry. Tying together this fusion of both styles is a deep blue tanzanite weighing 77.88 carats in the centre.
Another design that Silvestri said was inspired by Hadid’s architectural designs is a diamondencrusted gold choker with a coin of Roman Emperor Nero, set in an octagonal bezel, at its heart—a piece that she has been spotted wearing frequently on social media.
“You can see the combination of Bulgari’s house style with Hadid’s, especially the idea of incorporating curves into geometry,” she says of the Monete Weave design.
She demonstrates the necklace’s surprising flexibility as she fastens the piece on herself, adding, “I’m very lucky because
I get to try everything on!”
FLOWER FANTASY NECKLACE
In a spectacular reimagining of the Bulgari Divas’ Dream pendant, Silvestri draws inspiration from Chinese bamboo plants in the Flower Fantasy necklace.
The recognisable curved shape is enriched with malachite and chrysoprase leaves surrounding a 29.77 cabochon rubelite, described by Silvestri as a beautiful lens into a whole world. “When I look at it, I can see the lakes and the leaves blowing in the wind.”
And true to Bulgari’s penchant for hiding secret surprises in its high jewellery pieces, part of the chain in the Flower Fantasy necklace can be detached to become a bracelet. An awe-inspiring creation, it is no wonder that this masterpiece was matched with the incomparable actress and muse Zendaya in Bulgari’s Magnifica campaign.
BULGARI RUBY METAMORPHOSIS NECKLACE
With convertible and detachable elements, this Bulgari Ruby Metamorphosis can be worn in at least nine different styles to enhance the beauty of its central 10.02-carat antique cushioncut Mozambique ruby.
This masterpiece also features a glittering tassel of baguette diamonds and cabochon rubies with a fluid movement—a testament to the unparalleled craftsmanship at the Bulgari studios.
Silvestri agrees that this technical marvel has elevated the house’s jewellery-making to new heights, a positive result from the ‘charge of creativity’ among her artisans and herself brought on by the pandemic.
“We want to continue building on this,” she says, bringing great hope that her new jewellery collection—which she has already started working on— will be just as revolutionary as the Bulgari Magnifica.