Bulgari Roma

A "cool" guide to Rome, with an emotional tour of the city's key historical sites and monuments revisited through the inspiration behind Bvlgari's jewelry. Since 1884, the majestic beauty of the Eternal City and its rich archaeological, artistic, and cultural heritage have represented an inexhaustible source of inspiration for Bvlgari. Yesterday as today, Rome's monuments and artistic details are gracefully evoked in the brand's jewelry creations. For example, the design of the iconic B-zero1 ring was inspired by the Colosseum, the ultimate symbol of the city, and likewise the recurrent octagonal geometries watch dial refers to the coffered ceiling of the Basilica of Maxentius. This handy, pocket-sized volume takes us on an unprecedented historical, artistic, and emotional tour of the city. In addition to an actual guide to the monuments, the narration is enriched by short stories by some of the best-known Roman authors from the world of contemporary Italian literature, inspired by the most iconic locations in the city. The book is further enhanced by contributions from figures linked to the city by birth or by adoption, including renowned names from fashion, cinema, sport, and music. The Bvlgari jewelry and the places in Rome that inspired it are photographed in stunning images with artistic direction by Jan Králícek.

The Wristwatch Annual has become a classic for aficionados of fine watchmaking. It’s a one-stop shop for watch buying, offering complete specs and prices on over 1,400 models by more than 130 international brands, while also tracking the latest developments in the watch industry. In addition to the extensive A–Z section, which includes many new entries, senior editor Marton Radkai presents editorial features that take a closer look at a number of exciting American brands on the market today. Presenting a wide range of wristwatches, with exquisite color photographs and complete specifications for each watch, Wristwatch Annual provides collectors with a wealth of information close at hand. The book is arranged alphabetically by producer—within each producer’s section is a brief history of the brand (with contact information)—and specifications and materials for each watch, including price, movement, special features, complications, case, dial, band, and variations. Also included are a glossary and a guide to watch maintenance. The clear photography, structured layout, and lively writing also makes this book a pleasure to read or just browse. This year’s edition features updated and expanded content, focusing on new American brands.

This volume catalogues more than 400 decorative objects in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, including painted enamels, snuffboxes, porcelain, pottery, ceramics, jewellery, furniture, cast metal, and textiles from throughout Europe and Asia, with the majority dating from the late seventh century to the 20th century.

How the fashion industry has contributed to religious change From cross necklaces to fashion designs inspired by nuns’ habits, how have fashion sources interpreted Christianity? And how, in turn, have these interpretations shaped conceptions of religion in the United States? Religion in Vogue explores the intertwined history of Christianity and the fashion industry. Using a diverse range of fashion sources, including designs, jewelry, articles in fashion magazines, and advertisements, Lynn S. Neal demonstrates how in the second half of the twentieth century the modern fashion industry created an aestheticized Christianity, transforming it into a consumer product. The fashion industry socialized consumers to see religion as fashionable and as a beautiful lifestyle accessory—something to be displayed, consumed, and experienced as an expression of personal identity and taste. Religion was something to be embraced and shown off by those who were sophisticated and stylish, and not solely the domain of the politically conservative. Neal ultimately concludes that, through aestheticizing Christianity, the fashion industry has offered Americans a means of blending traditional elements of religion—such as ritual practice, miraculous events, and theological concepts—with modern culture, revealing a new dimension to the personal experience of religion.

A magnificent book on Bulgari's luxury line of fragrances exploring the intimate bonds that connect Rome, the gem roads, and the world of perfumes. This stunning luxury book--a kind of precious atlas of fragrances--traces the origins of Bulgari's precious perfumes back to the ancient gems and spice trails and to Bulgari's fine jewelry tradition, which is deeply rooted in Roman tradition. The fragrance range Le Gemme, developed by the greatest international master perfumers, is an expression of the DNA of the company and, like Bulgari jewels and watches, are worn by men and women who recognize the exclusive, refined, and colorful world of the Roman dolce vita lifestyle. Bulgari's muses have always been, and still are today, the most elegant women on the planet; noblewomen, princesses, actresses, and singers: from Sophia Loren to Liz Taylor, from Claudia Cardinale to Anna Magnani, from Sharon Stone to Nicole Kidman and Carla Bruni. An exclusive journey into the world of colors, jewelry, and fragrances, this elegant book tells a story that intertwines colored gems, precious essences, and the contemporary alchemies of the most famous "noses" in the world.

An in-depth look at the exquisite metal sculpture of the Roman baroque Roman baroque sculpture is usually thought of in terms of large-scale statues in marble and bronze, tombs, or portrait busts. Smaller bronze statuettes are often overlooked, and the extensive production of sculptural silver—much of which is now lost but can be studied from drawings—is frequently omitted from the histories of art. In this book, Jennifer Montagu enriches our understanding of the sculpture of the period by investigating the bronzes that adorn the great tabernacles of Roman churches; gilded silver, both secular and ecclesiastical; elaborately embossed display dishes; and the production of medals. Concentrating on selected pieces by such master sculptors as Bernini and leading metal-workers such as Giovanni Giardini, Montagu examines the often tortuous relationship between patrons and artists and elucidates the relationship between those who provided the drawings or models and the craftsmen who executed the finished sculptures.

-Compiled with full access to Bulgari's archives A jewel is more than an arrangement of precious stones - it is a story. This is the principle on which Vincent Meylan, author of Christie's: The Jewellery Archives Revealed, Boucheron: The Secret Archives, Van Cleef & Arpels: Treasures and Legends, and Mellerio: Jewellers to the Queens of Europe, has written his latest book. Now, with unparalleled access to the Bulgari archives, Meylan guides us on an intimate journey through the lives of the clients, both famous and infamous, who have given this pre-eminent Mediterranean jeweler their patronage. Paris may be the traditional home of the jeweller elite, but Bulgari embraces its Roman origins. From their early creations, inspired by Byzantine and Islamic architecture, to designs like the Trombino ring and Serpenti bracelets, which are still relevant today, Bulgari gracefully navigates the line between contemporary and timeless. Their client roster reflects their prestige. Nobility and celebrity intermingle; the Countess di Frasso shopped at Bulgari with her Hollywood superstar-beau, Gary Cooper, as did the Infanta Beatriz of Spain and Princess Maria José of Belgium. Richard Burton wooed Elizabeth Taylor with glittering Bulgari jewels, while the decadent marriage of Tyrone Power and Linda Christian featured Bulgari wedding rings. But these jewels tell tales of many genres, not just romance: from exiled Iranian Shahs to Count Cini of Monselice, held for ransom by the SS and released in exchange for Bulgari jewels. Each story is retold with Vincent Meylan's characteristic verve, embellished with original pictures from the archives. Chapters are dedicated to wealthy customers, but also to the stones themselves, tracing the evolution of this iconic Roman company through history, and the development of their jewelry from mine, to workshop, to model.