From the snippets I’ve been looking at, it’s clear Bulgari’s got this rep for being, well, bougie. I mean, “glamorous gemstone jewelry, luxury watches…” Yeah, okay. But that’s kinda the point, isn’t it? It’s supposed to be fancy. But what *makes* it fancy? I think it’s gotta be more than just throwing some expensive rocks together.
See, they keep talking about “artisanal expertise.” And that’s where the handmade aspect *really* comes in, I reckon. You can’t just stick diamonds on something and call it artisanal, can you? It’s gotta be, like, carefully crafted, right? The kind of thing where a real human *actually* put their heart (and probably a magnifying glass) into it. Think about those Serpenti pieces – the snakes. They look incredibly intricate. You can’t automate *that*, surely? Well, you *could*, but where’s the soul?
And then there’s the “bold experimentation” part. I’m picturing some Italian dude with amazing hair, totally going against the grain, trying out new designs, like, “Eh, let’s see if we can get away with this!” And sometimes it probably works, and sometimes it’s a total flop. But that’s what makes it exciting, right? It’s not just following a template. You’re taking a risk. I mean, some of the designs are kinda wild. Not my usual thing, personally. But I appreciate the audacity.
Also, the “innovative industrial design” bit? That sounds kinda contradictory to “handmade,” but I guess it means they’re using, like, fancy tools and techniques to *help* the artisans, not replace them. Which makes sense. You wouldn’t want someone carving a snake scale by hand with a rusty nail, would you? (Okay, maybe you would, but that’s a whole different aesthetic).