Editor’s Note
This article previews “Bulgari Kaleidoscope,” a landmark exhibition opening in Tokyo in 2025. It represents the brand’s largest showcase in Japan, promising a vibrant exploration of color and craftsmanship.
The Roman high jeweler, Bulgari, in collaboration with The National Art Center, Tokyo (NACT), will present “Bulgari Kaleidoscope: Color, Culture, Craftsmanship.” Held under the patronage of the Embassy of Italy in Japan, this exhibition marks the first major Bulgari exhibition in Japan in a decade and will be the largest ever staged in the country. From September 17 to December 15, 2025, the exhibition will take visitors on a vibrant journey through a kaleidoscope of color, showcasing approximately 350 masterpieces from jewelry to contemporary art.
The exhibition title “Kaleidoscope,” derived from the Greek words for “beautiful” (kalos) and “form” (eidos), symbolizes a dynamic, ever-changing journey through a world where beauty and creativity harmonize. Featuring around 350 masterpieces of color selected from the Bulgari Heritage Collection and precious private collections, the exhibition traces the Maison’s history from its origins to the present day. It highlights the deep connection between Italy and Japan, celebrating their shared passion for art, design, and rich cultural heritage. The exhibition is further enriched by works from three contemporary female artists—Lara Favaretto, Mariko Mori, and Akiko Nakayama—each presenting pieces based on their reflections on color, adding deeper emotional hues.
— Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of the Bulgari Group
— Gianluigi Benedetti, Ambassador of Italy to Japan
Bulgari can be considered the only high jeweler to have transformed color into a distinct art form by creating truly polychromatic jewelry masterpieces. The Maison’s history is deeply intertwined with the bold use of colorful gemstones, which remains a primary source of inspiration for Bulgari’s high jewelry today. While the early silverwork by founder Sotirio Bulgari showed a strong interest in color, the true revolution occurred in the 20th century. In the 1950s, Bulgari pioneered bold combinations of yellow gold with sapphires, rubies, and emeralds, paired with diamonds. It also incorporated stones once considered semi-precious, such as amethyst, citrine, and turquoise, appreciating their vibrant hues and aesthetic potential, expressing their color intensity through Bulgari’s signature cabochon cut. This audacious approach to color became a hallmark of the Bulgari style, solidifying the Maison’s reputation as “the magician of colored stones.”
— Gislain Aucremanne, Bulgari Heritage Curator Director and curator of the exhibition
The exhibition explores Bulgari’s color revolution through three chapters. Chapter 1: The Science of Color approaches the effects of color scientifically, revealing color interactions through a selection of iconic jewelry. Chapter 2: The Symbolism of Color delves into the cultural and symbolic aspects of color, examining how meaning and emotion can be conveyed through color choices. Chapter 3: The Power of Light focuses on the role of light in our perception of color, observing how it interacts with reflective materials like silver and gold.
Color has long been one of the most powerful inspirations in art. This exhibition highlights the shared passion for color in high jewelry and fine art through Bulgari’s bold, colorful designs, which have influenced artists across various fields. The three invited female artists—Lara Favaretto, Mariko Mori, and Akiko Nakayama—each enrich this dialogue with new works, deepening the exhibition’s exploration of color as a force of transformation and perception.
The exhibition’s scenography is a collaboration between Bulgari, the Japanese architectural unit SANAA (led by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa), and the Italian design unit Formafantasma, highlighting the shared passion for art and design between Japan and Italy. The design concept, inspired by the mosaic patterns of the ancient Baths of Caracalla, reflects Bulgari’s cultural heritage through curvilinear forms, refined translucent materials, and color effects, guiding visitors on a sensory journey through the world of color. Formafantasma has also designed special freestanding display cases for the masterpieces from the Bulgari Heritage Collection.
— SANAA