[3] Over the years, Bulgari become an international brand, evolving into a notable player in the luxury market, with an established network of stores worldwide.

[5] The BVLGARI logo was used for the first time in 1934, when its gilded brass letters graced the central doorway of the Via Condotti flagship store.

[10][11][8] The founder of the Bulgari brand was Sotirios Voulgaris (Σωτήριος Βούλγαρης), who was born in Paramythia, in March 1857; he originated from the Aromanian village of Kalarrytes, which was the largest center for silversmithing in the Balkans.

In 1881, Sotirios and his family moved to Rome, where in 1884 he opened his second jewellery store on via Sistina 85 (their first shop in Naples closed after burglaries).

[7] In its early years, Bulgari was known for silver pieces that borrowed elements from Byzantine and Islamic art, combining them with floral motifs.

[13] In the 1950s, some of Bulgari's best-known clients included Elizabeth Taylor, Anna Magnani, Ingrid Bergman and Gina Lollobrigida as Rome earned a reputation as "Hollywood on the Tiber" with the Cinecittà studios.

At the end of the 1950s, Bulgari began to establish its motifs, introducing structured, symmetrical shapes in yellow gold set with brilliant gems—chosen for their colour rather than intrinsic value.

[21] In 1984, Paolo and Nicola Bulgari, Giorgio's sons, became chairman and vice-chairman, respectively,[22] while their nephew, Francesco Trapani, became chief executive officer.

[7] In 1985, Gianni resigned as CEO and in 1987, he left the family business after selling his one-third stake in the company to his brothers Nicola and Paolo.

[24] The opening of the first Bulgari Hotel in Milan in 2004 further confirmed the expansion strategy of the brand, and was the result of a joint venture with Luxury Group, a division of Marriott International.

In 2011, Bulgari signed a strategic alliance with LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, the world's leading luxury group.

[27] The takeover doubled the size of LVMH's watches and jewellery unit, which at the time of the acquisition included Tag Heuer timepieces and De Beers diamond necklaces.

[33] Their distinctive settings and Italian design by the architectural firm Antonio Citterio-Patricia Viel characterise the properties of Bulgari Hotel Group.

Although operated by The Ritz-Carlton Company, Bulgari hotels and resorts do not participate in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, meaning guests can neither earn nor redeem points for free bookings.

It is currently the only Marriott brand to practice this policy, following the inclusion of The Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties to the program in April 2022.

The largest is the 10-storey Bulgari Ginza Tower in Tokyo, 940 square metres (10,100 sq ft) of retail floor space, including a restaurant and lounge bar.

[citation needed] In 2009, Bulgari began a partnership with Save the Children, including a co-branded jewellery collection, of which a portion of the proceeds goes to the charity.