The snake is one of the most enduring jewellery motifs. Slender, gold snake bracelets wound their way around the wrists of Ancient Greek and Roman women and since then, serpents have remained a favourite motif for jewellers around the world. Seasonally shedding their skin, the simple silhouette of Bulgari's snake has evolved over the decades to capture the spirit of each era.
Discover more about the history of Bulgari's style here.
This year, Bulgari celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Serpenti with new jewellery and watch designs while sharing some of the most compelling images of snake watches and jewellery.
Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of the Bulgari Group, says: “For 75 years Bulgari has shown its audacious creativity, ingenious craftsmanship and modern spirit through its emblematic Serpenti creations inspired by the jewels of Cleopatra, in a Rome of more than 2000 years ago. They convey endless tales, artistry and empowerment. It expanded the boundaries of jewellery, reflecting the spirit of confident women and entering the world of art through exciting creative collaborations. It was and is the ultimate Bulgari icon of endless metamorphosis.”
Read more about the history of Bulgari's Serpenti watches.
Snakes symbolise infinity, rebirth, and fidelity and have mesmerised women from Cleopatra to Elizabeth Taylor, in a never-ending tale of constant metamorphosis.
One of the most famous snakes is the Bulgari Serpenti that first appeared in the Roman jeweller’s showcases in the 1950’s. The Tubogas bracelet, named for the utilitarian gas pipe, is in the style pioneered in the Art Deco epoch of elevating industrial designs to jewellery status.
Since the first Tubogas bracelet at Bulgari, the Serpenti has become an icon of the house for both jewellery and watch designs. Over the last seven decades, the Serpenti has been decorated with opulent enamel scales, gleaming gemstone eyes and dazzling diamond settings. The flexible tubular bracelet that coils around the wrist has evolved inspiring Bulgari’s designers to ever more audacious watch and jewellery designs.
This year, the Mediterranea Serpenti Misteriosi Pallini high jewellery watch is set with shimmering diamonds, emeralds and, aquamarines. A dial is concealed in the jaws of the snake and its body wraps twice around the wrist. Another key anniversary launch is Serpenti 75th anniversary set of a bracelet, earrings and necklace in rose gold and diamonds. The small rose gold beads, or pallini, form the flexible body of the serpent while the head and tail are set with diamonds. Slinky and seductive, the Serpenti 75th anniversary jewels are alive with movement thanks to the articulated structure of the body and the pallini that tremble with every move. The Serpenti Viper with its cutting-edge minimalism joins in the anniversary celebrations with new versions in rose, yellow or white gold set with diamonds.
The Serpenti by Refik Anadol exhibition at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid takes on a global context under the Serpenti Factory banner that has forged collaborations with leading artists of global stature alongside local artists in key cities to which the project will travel.
