The golden hour in Milan possesses a specific, industrious luster, a sharp contrast to the sun-drenched, ancient echoes of Rome. It was within this northern Italian metropolis—a city Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari, describes as the fastest-growing hub in Europe—that the Roman jeweler chose to unveil its most ambitious high jewelry collection to date: "Eclettica." The choice of venue was a deliberate pivot from the brand’s traditional Roman backdrop, signaling a strategic embrace of Milan’s unique intersection of wealth, modernity, and diverse cultural influences. The event was not merely a product launch but a multi-sensory manifesto of "artmanship"—a term coined by the house to describe the seamless fusion of avant-garde artistic vision and peerless technical craftsmanship.
The atmosphere was electric long before the first diamond-encrusted model took to the runway. The festivities commenced with an intimate dinner at the iconic Villa Necchi Campiglio, a masterpiece of 1930s rationalism, before moving to the 17th-century grandeur of Villa Arconati. The guest list read like a global "Who’s Who" of cinema, music, and influence. Anne Hathaway, radiant in jewels that caught the flickering candlelight, was joined by pop sensation Dua Lipa and the enigmatic Jake Gyllenhaal. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, fresh from showcasing the collection’s highlights at the Academy Awards, shared the floor with Asian cinema icons Liu Yifei and Kim Ji Won. Surrounded by high-spending "VICs" (Very Important Clients) whose own personal collections often rivaled the displays, the evening served as a powerful reminder of Bulgari’s gravitational pull in the world of ultra-luxury.
Jean-Christophe Babin, speaking on the decision to host the event in Milan, noted that the city’s current trajectory makes it the ideal stage for the concept of eclecticism. "Milan attracts the most diversified groups of people," Babin remarked, emphasizing that the city’s ability to blend historical art with cutting-edge fashion mirrors the "Eclettica" collection’s spirit. Furthermore, the timing of the event marked a significant shift in the industry calendar. Traditionally, high jewelry houses have premiered their annual collections in May. However, Bulgari opted for a March debut, carving out a strategic window between the international fashion weeks and the heavy-hitting schedule of Watches and Wonders in Geneva and the various Cruise collections in early summer. This move was designed to give global clients a dedicated moment of focus, sparing them the fatigue of an overcrowded May itinerary.
The pressure to meet this accelerated timeline fell squarely on the shoulders of Bulgari’s master artisans. Completing a 150-piece collection two months ahead of the usual schedule required an Herculean effort, yet the results displayed no signs of haste. At the core of "Eclettica" are nine "Capolavori"—masterpieces that represent the pinnacle of the brand’s creative output. The collection also features 15 transformable pieces, designed to meet the modern client’s desire for versatility, and over 50 "millionaire jewels," a category reserved for items of exceptional rarity and investment value.
Lucia Silvestri, Bulgari’s Jewelry Creative Director, described the creative process as a dialogue between different disciplines. "I was guided by sculpture, painting, and architecture," Silvestri explained. For her, sculpture dictates the three-dimensional volume and the interplay of shadow; painting provides a chromatic vocabulary where gemstones serve as strokes of pigment; and architecture lends the necessary rhythm and proportion. Yet, despite these lofty inspirations, Silvestri insists that the process always begins with the stone itself.
Nowhere was this "stone-first" philosophy more evident than in the "Secret Garden" necklace. The piece centers on a 26.65-carat Padparadscha sapphire from Sri Lanka, a gem of such rarity that Silvestri admitted to pursuing it for years. The stone possesses a unique pink-orange hue that mimics the delicate blush of a lotus flower, appearing almost incandescent under direct light. Silvestri paired this singular sapphire with a complex arrangement of baguettes, round-cut diamonds, onyx inlays, and purple sapphires, interspersed with cabochon emeralds. The result is a necklace that feels soft and feminine despite its immense structural complexity—a piece that had notably already been sold to a private collector prior to the public unveiling.
Architectural influences took center stage in the "Emerald Strata" necklace. Drawing inspiration from the verticality of ancient Corinthian columns, the rose gold piece features a fluid, cravat-like silhouette. It is anchored by five sugarloaf-cut Zambian emeralds totaling over 26 carats. Silvestri spent nearly a year sourcing emeralds of matching quality and color to ensure the symmetry of the design. Despite its substantial appearance, the necklace was engineered for comfort, designed to drape with the suppleness of fine silk around the wearer’s neck.
The theme of transformability reached its zenith with the "Seres Scarf" necklace. Inspired by the geometric elegance of Art Deco and the portraits of Tamara de Lempicka, the white gold piece consists of more than 1,180 individual components. It required over 1,600 hours of labor to assemble, resulting in a jewel that wraps around the neck like a woven ribbon of sapphires and emeralds. The centerpiece—a 31.90-carat sugarloaf sapphire from Sri Lanka—is a detachable brooch that can be repositioned or worn independently, offering the "eclectic" versatility that the modern high jewelry client demands.
Similarly, the "Eclectic Embrace" collar paid homage to the Moorish Revival style of the Castle of Sammezzano near Florence. The piece translates complex mosaics and arabesques into a geometric lattice of diamonds, emeralds, and black onyx. At its heart sits a 10.12-carat octagonal Colombian emerald of deep saturation. The collar’s modular construction, involving 180 separate elements, ensures that the bold, architectural design remains remarkably flexible.
Beyond the artistry, Babin provided a candid look at the business climate fueling Bulgari’s expansion. The brand is coming off its "best year ever" in 2025, and early data from 2026 suggests continued momentum. While China remains the brand’s top market, the United States has seen explosive growth, now ranking second globally. Babin credited this success to long-term "seeding" and an enhanced in-store experience led by Hervé Perrot, President of Bulgari North America. By the end of this year, Bulgari expects to operate 35 boutiques across the U.S.
The Middle East also remains a bastion of resilience. Despite regional geopolitical tensions, Babin noted that high-net-worth clients from the area continue to travel for Bulgari events via private aviation. He introduced the concept of "safecations"—a evolution of the pandemic-era "staycation"—where locals frequent luxury hubs like the Bulgari Hotel Dubai as a secure retreat. Looking ahead, the brand is expanding its hospitality footprint with a massive resort and hotel project in Abu Dhabi, alongside continued boutique investments in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Jeddah.
South Korea was another highlight of the business report, described by Babin as a market with an "incredible" passion for luxury jewelry. This enthusiasm has prompted plans for a Bulgari Hotel in Seoul, which Babin characterized as the trendiest city in Asia.
The conversation eventually turned to the rising cost of raw materials, specifically gold. Babin acknowledged that while high jewelry remains a resilient asset class—calling it a "financial pleasure"—the surge in gold prices has inevitably thinned the ranks of entry-level luxury consumers. In response, Bulgari is intensifying its CRM (Customer Relationship Management) efforts, focusing on "clienteling" to provide existing top-tier collectors with new reasons to engage with the brand. Interestingly, the brand is also leaning back into its iconic "B.zero1" collection using ceramics. By substituting the weight of gold with ceramic, Bulgari is able to offer the same aesthetic prestige at a more accessible price point, proving that even at the pinnacle of high jewelry, eclecticism extends to the business model itself.
As the lights dimmed on the Milanese showcase, the "Eclettica" collection left an indelible mark. It was a celebration of what happens when the weight of history meets the velocity of the future—a testament to Bulgari’s ability to remain "unmistakably Roman" while speaking the universal language of global luxury.
