Watch Terminology Dictionary

This jewelry brand was founded in 1884 by Sotirio Bulgari (1857-1932). After opening a jewelry store in Rome, he expanded his business to other locations, including St. Moritz, Switzerland. After World War II, he moved away from the strict order of the prevailing French style and developed a unique style inspired by Greek and Roman classicism and the Italian Renaissance. In the 1970s, the brand expanded overseas for the first time. In 70, Francesco Trapani, a member of the founding family, became CEO, and the brand has continued to expand. While known as a high jeweler, Bulgari began to seriously pursue watchmaking in the 84s. In 2000, it acquired Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth, and has since become a watch manufacturer with integrated in-house production, from cases to movements. Representative works include the Bulgari Bulgari and Assioma. The brand is currently owned by the LVMH Group.