L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022 www.italoamericano.org 4 MARIELLA RADAELLI NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS B u l g a r i ' s h i g h jewelry collec- t i o n s a r e m a g n i f i c e n t pieces of cultu- r a l s i g n i f i c a n c e . F o r 1 3 7 y e a r s , t h e R o m e - b a s e d luxury house as the master of colored gemstones, dia- monds, and details has crea- ted an instantly recognizable a e s t h e t i c t h a t b r o u g h t sparkle to la dolce vita, Hol- lywood celebrities, and US F i r s t L a d i e s . T h e i c o n i c brand opened its first shop on Via Sistina in Rome in 1884 and today continues to t r a n s c e n d t h e e p h e m e r a l with stunning, audacious d e s i g n s f o r w o m e n w i t h strong personalities. It crafts bold, timeless, yet master- fully modern pieces, mea- ning that style is eternal. I meet Lucia Silvestri, Bulgari's longtime creative director, in Rome. She was 1 8 w h e n t h e B u l g a r i b r o t h e r s p e r c e i v e d h e r t a l e n t . T h e y i m m e d i a t e l y a l l o w e d h e r t o t r a v e l t h e world searching for splen- d i d , r a r e g e m s t o n e s . S h e thus started a journey that l e d h e r i n 2 0 1 3 t o b e t h e h e a d o f c r e a t i o n f o r t h e House. "Bulgari maintains a high level of creative innovation without ever losing its roots a n d D N A , e s p e c i a l l y i n today's world where compe- tition is fierce," says Ms. S i l v e s t r i i n s i d e B u l g a r i ' s h e a d q u a r t e r s o n t h e L u n g o t e v e r e M a r z i o . T h e w i d e - o p e n v i s t a e x t e n d s a c r o s s a n d u p t h e T i b e r R i v e r , p a s t t h e C a s t e l S a n t ' A n g e l o a n d t h e S t . Peter's dome in the Vatican. Ms. Silvestri, how did y o u r l o v e a f f a i r w i t h jewelry begin? I have been fascinated by jewels since childhood, but I never thought I would end up working in this field. I only knew this would be my p a t h t h e f i r s t t i m e I s a w gemstones in Mr. Bulgari's o f f i c e . I f e l t t h e i r e n e r g y right away. It was a lucky coincidence, or maybe it was written in the stars! W h a t k i n d o f c h i l d were you? Is that little girl still alive in you? Part of that girl is still within me- I never let her die. She relives in the pure instinct of joy and emotion that I feel every time I am in f r o n t o f g e m s t o n e s , t r u e gifts of nature. You started working at Bulgari in the gemo- logical department at 18. You were so mesme- rized by the gemstones' c o l o r s , v a r i e t y , a n d energy that you decided to leave your university studies in biology. Do you still feel their vibra- tions? Absolutely! In the years at Bulgari, I have seen the most exquisite gemstones in the world. Each of them is a g i f t o f n a t u r e e m a n a t i n g unique energy. For me, they are authentic sources of joy, inspiration, and beauty. Each precious stone expresses a fascinating and mysterious story. Every type speaks with s y m b o l i s m - i t h a s mythological and even metaphysical meanings. S h o u l d w e c h o o s e a p i e c e o f g e m s t o n e j e w e l r y a c c o r d i n g t o ancient symbols? A l t h o u g h w e t e n d t o attribute specific meanings to certain precious stones, in my opinion, we should s e l e c t a g e m s t o n e j e w e l depending on the emotions it arouses in those who see or wear it. For me, jewels a r e n o t t a l i s m a n s . T h e y have the power to make me feel good. Let's take as an exam- p l e a r u b y r i n g . Originally from India, rubies symbolize bur- ning passion, love, and c o u r a g e . T h e y w e r e s a c r e d t o t h e a n c i e n t Indian culture. Ruby's i n n e r g l o w h i n t s t h a t perhaps it contains an inner magical fire. Is a ruby jewel still a perfect gift to express ardent love? N o d o u b t , r u b i e s s t i l l embody those meanings but considering their current scarcity and rarity, other gemstones -not only the red ones- have taken their place to symbolize love, passion, courage, power, and deter- mination. W h e r e d o y o u f i n d y o u r d e s i g n i n s p i r a - tion? W h e n I c r e a t e f i n e jewelry, my primary source of inspiration are gems, and the city of Rome, which is Bulgari's first muse. Why does the Eternal City remain so inspira- tional for Bulgari? Without Rome, you can- not explain Bulgari, which comes out of Roman art and a r c h i t e c t u r e . R o m e i s a n incredible city full of won- ders; it exudes beauty and offers a lot, given its millen- n i a l h i s t o r y . I t h a s l i v e d t h r o u g h m a n y d i f f e r e n t periods and has undergone many artistic influences. There is always something to discover. I keep finding inspiration in every corner of this magical city that still leaves me speechless. After years, I can't get enough. Beauty is timeless, and our jewels inspired by the beauty of Rome are unique w o r k s o f a r t c e n t e r e d o n exceptional precious stones, experienced craftsmanship, and creativity. Women from Ancient Rome wore snake-motif Continued to page 6 Lucia Silvestri, Bulgari's creative director, wearing a Magnifica High Jewelry collection necklace (Photo courtesy of Bulgari) Bulgari, the Roman jeweler of the Divas!

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