Editor’s Note
This excerpt offers a glimpse into the creative journey of Lucia Silvestri, Bulgari’s Creative Director, whose four-decade expertise in gemology and stone selection is the focus of an upcoming documentary.
Amidst a myriad of stars, Lucia Silvestri, the true star of the film, orchestrates the conception of the collection from Rome to Jaipur, selecting the precious stones that will shine on the high jewelry creations. The real star of this “docufilm” produced by Terminal 9 Studios is Lucia Silvestri. Having been with the house for 40 years, starting in the gemology department before taking on the delicate responsibility of purchasing precious stones, Bvlgari’s creative director learned directly from the Bvlgari brothers at a time when the jeweler had only 5 boutiques worldwide.
A first step, before the jewel was incorporated into an extraordinary necklace:
A century later, the process continues to prove its relevance: only the scale of the means involved has evolved. Jewelry and high jewelry are now an integral part of the luxury industry, constituting its most dynamic segment for about a decade. In this industry, the Roman jeweler Bvlgari carves out a prominent place. Under the presidency of Jean-Christophe Babin, revenue has soared to stratospheric heights. Inaugurated five years ago, the house’s jewelry manufacturing facility, already of considerable size, will expand significantly: located in Valenza, a center of excellence for goldsmithing since the Renaissance, this Manifattura, already the largest jewelry production site in Europe, will benefit from an extension of nearly 17,500 m² that will welcome 650 new master artisans by 2028.
Connecting the two buildings, a training center developed in collaboration with the Tari Design School will offer a path to professionalization and ensure job opportunities for future Italian goldsmiths. The goal: to double production capacity within the next 6 years.
To these significant industrial investments corresponds ambitious communication: unveiled on September 13th, available on Prime Video in nearly 100 countries and on Canal+, the program “Inside the Dream” constitutes an unprecedented exercise. This 58-minute feature showcases a myriad of celebrities – American actress Zendaya, influencer Chiara Ferragni, singer Lisa from the group Blackpink, model Lily Aldridge, and Indian actress Priyanka Chopra-Jonas – who will ensure a considerable audience for this immersion into the behind-the-scenes creation of a high jewelry collection.
As an essential player in the jewelry market, the Italian house Bulgari combines significant industrial investments with ambitious communication. The jewelry manufacturing facility created 5 years ago in Valenza will host a 17,500 m² extension that will welcome 650 new master artisans by 2028. Goal: to double production capacity.
