Sketching ’Serpenti’: Bulgari’s 2016 high jewellery collection
Bulgari’s audacious volumes and daring use of vibrant gem combinations is legendary. These sketches of the house’s 2016 high jewellery 'Serpenti' collection, designed by creative director Lucia Silvestri, re-imagine the Italian brand’s reptilian icon, which dates back to ancient Greek and Roman mythology.
This statement necklace, titled the ‘Serpenti Queen of the Nile’ (pictured right), traces the serpent motif back to Cleopatra’s day and is liberally studded with 12 marquise cut diamonds (9.54 carats), 28 round, pear and marquise shaped emeralds (35.42 carats), and finished with round and pavé diamonds totalling 11.03 carats.
Writer: Katrina Israel;
The Roman jeweller’s white gold ‘Serpenti Seduttori’ necklace is inlaid with piercing ruby eyes, brilliant sapphires and baguette diamonds. Bulgari’s signature modular hexagonal motif paves the serpent’s cranium, recalling the reptile’s tactile scales
An oval-cut 13.55 carat sapphire crowns the snake’s majestic head, while the pendant itself has an ergonomic curve that enables it to sit perfectly flush with the skin. The necklace has then been studded with 24.59 carats of baguette and pavé diamonds that glitter from top to tail
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, and written extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys meeting artists and designers, viewing exhibitions and conducting interviews on her frequent travels.
-
Feel at home at Auberge, Château La Coste's new inn for culture lovers
Auberge La Coste sits at the heart of the art-filled estate, minutes away from the joyful town of Aix-en-Provence
By Harriet Thorpe Published
-
This Nova Lima apartment is a Brazilian family oasis with striking Minas Gerais views
A Nova Lima apartment designed by Jacobsen Arquitetura celebrates its long, natural Minas Gerais vistas
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Commune’s sustainable personal care products look ‘quite unlike anything else’
Commune’s Somerset-made products stand out in the sustainable skincare crowd. Madeleine Rothery speaks with the brand’s co-founders Kate Neal and Rémi Paringaux
By Madeleine Rothery Published
-
Order of the day: Pomellato’s high jewellery takes us from dawn to dusk
Pomellato’s new high jewellery collection, La Gioia, tells the story of a day in precious stones
By Hannah Silver Last updated
-
Napoléon to Picasso: Assouline brings Chaumet's storied archive to life
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Gold and other offerings: how Yves Saint Laurent reinvented the humble accessory
By Laura Hawkins Last updated
-
Hidden gem: New York’s secret art jeweller uncovered
By Caragh McKay Last updated
-
Fantastic fusion: Van Cleef & Arpels’ homage to the beauty of art and science
By Caragh McKay Last updated
-
Creative instincts: Assouline uncovers the rich history of H Stern
By Caragh McKay Last updated
-
Oceana: inspecting the natural beauty of Tiffany & Co.'s 2016 Blue Book Collection
By Pei-Ru Keh Last updated
-
Exceptionally crafted books from the world's top jewellery houses
By Hannah Silver Last updated