Deciphering the enduring codes of the Iuxury Maison's latest High Jewellery and High-End Watches collection.

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Colour has always been an endless source of inspiration for Bvlgari, particularly its jewellery universe. When we first heard that the Maison&rsquo;s latest High-End collection was monikered &ldquo;Polychroma,&rdquo; our curiosity was instantly piqued as to how it would reinterpret (and revolutionise) its distinctive codes to find a new chromatic expression and approach for this chapter of its creative saga. Then came an invitation to witness the global launch of the Polychroma High-End collection firsthand, leading us halfway across the world to Taormina, Sicily&rsquo;s captivating jewel, transformed into a spectacular stage for the collection&rsquo;s launch.
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&ldquo;From the beginning, when we started to work on this collection with Lucia Silvestri, our creative director, on the Polychroma story, we had in mind to organise the event here in the beautiful location of Taormina, Sicily, because of its very radiant and vibrant atmosphere that is full of colours and different cultural influences. All these elements resonate very strongly and deeply with the Polychroma inspiration,&rdquo; said Corinne Le Foll, Bvlgari&rsquo;s Managing Director of High Jewellery &amp; Jewellery Business Unit, during our interview held in the bright, sun-drenched and verdant courtyard of San Domenico Palace, just as bells in close vicinity started tolling melodiously.
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The exquisite 15th-century convent-turned-hotel, replete with lofty, atmospheric cloisters emanating the serene, monastic vibes of its original incarnation, was reimagined into Bvlgari&rsquo;s most ambitious showroom to showcase the Polychroma collection&rsquo;s 600 High-End creations, including 250 new creations of High Jewellery and High-End watches, five milestone High Jewellery wonders and 60 millionaire pieces, as well as one-of-a-kind High Jewellery bags, eyewear and fragrances. Adorned with specially commissioned artworks, the scenographic display paralleled a series of art galleries as we toured the multiple halls for an up-close preview of the collection.
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That evening, Bvlgari hosted an enchanting gala dinner at the panoramic terrace of the Grand Hotel Timeo, before the unveiling of the Polychroma collection at the Greek Theatre of Taormina, framed by the sparkling Ionian Sea and majestic Mount Etna on the horizon. To set the scene, award-winning Sir Wayne McGregor of The Royal Ballet choreographed a living contemporary performance in three acts, inspired by Greek tragedies, imbuing the centre stage of Teatro Antico di Taormina with expression, movement and colour. 
The sight of the models, draped in designer Francesco Murano&rsquo;s soft, languid gowns and emblematic Polychroma masterpieces, as they gracefully wafted through the dreamlike vignette of arches and veils under the chiaroscuro night sky was unforgettable. Adding to the magical moment, a constellation of international celebrities and Friends of the House, headlined by Bvlgari global brand ambassadors: Lisa Manobal, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Liu Yifei and Viola Davis, as co-spectators among us sat watching appreciatively from the front row.
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<h5 class="p1">AN ETERNAL QUEST FOR COLOUR<o:p></o:p></h5>
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Bvlgari&rsquo;s Polychroma &mdash; a portmanteau fusing the Greek words &ldquo;poly&rdquo; and &ldquo;chroma&rdquo;, which mean &ldquo;multitude&rdquo; and &ldquo;colours&rdquo; respectively &mdash; capped with an homage to the Maison&rsquo;s enduring muse, Rome, the Eternal City, creates a bold declaration of intent from the outset. For the Maison, colour is an element that transcends design, embodying the very soul of its creations. 
Le Foll emphasised that Polychroma marks one step further in Bvlgari&rsquo;s ever search for new colours and associations, and quest for innovation, craftsmanship and creativity. &ldquo;What we want to express in this collection is how to work with the infinite shades of colours, and how to put them together to bring something new to the High Jewellery art and world,&rdquo; she adds.
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This commitment to chromatic audacity, vibrancy and movement is deeply rooted in the Maison&rsquo;s history. Lucia Silvestri, Bvlgari&rsquo;s Creative Director, reflected on this legacy in an interview, recalling how the Maison, from its early 20th-century beginnings, broke from traditional Parisian High Jewellery norms of platinum and limited colour palettes. 
&ldquo;Bvlgari was soon breaking these rules,&rdquo; she recounted, &ldquo;adding a Roman sensibility, and doing several revolutionary things, all of which were really about colour.&rdquo; This included combining more coloured gemstones, experimenting with yellow gold settings to warm up the hues of the stones, and, notably, reviving the cabochon cut, which, according to Silvestri, &ldquo;almost traps the colour inside the stone, making it more intense.&rdquo;
True to form, Polychroma, like a prism catching light from every angle, is an outstanding collection that epitomises Bvlgari&rsquo;s strong DNA in terms of colour and creativity, pushing the boundaries further with a multitude of new combinations and precious stones used. &ldquo;It features a striking 57 different gemstones, alongside 56 colours, 16 shapes and three cuts, promising new associations and unexpected combinations,&rdquo; said Le Foll. 
As described succinctly in the press statement, it is &ldquo;a vision where colour becomes language, movement becomes expression, and every jewel is a portal to a new realm. The collection bridges eras and cultures, crafting a kaleidoscopic dimension that celebrates, as never before, the universal language of colour and its power to stir emotions and tell extraordinary stories.&rdquo;
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<h5 class="p1">CREATIVE ALCHEMY FROM THE GEMS TABLE<o:p></o:p></h5>
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The genesis of a Bvlgari High Jewellery piece is a ritual steeped in sensory experience. Silvestri, whose office at Bvigari&rsquo;s headquarters in Rome overlooks the Tiber &mdash; where light dances across the river&rsquo;s ripples and the architectural relics beyond provide constant inspiration &mdash; describes the gems table as the key to Bvigari&rsquo;s creative process, as well as her sacred starting point of every new collection, including the Polychroma collection. 
&ldquo;We always start with the gems,&rdquo; she shared, detailing how wax-covered tablets are used as canvases for designing layouts, as she envisions combinations of colour and shape, light and dark, in a beautifully tactile process where she presses the gems into the wax to bring a design to life.
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Perfectly encapsulating this alchemical process is the Polychromatic Bloom necklace, among the Polychroma collection&rsquo;s &ldquo;five wonders&rdquo; that redefine High Jewellery with breathtaking colours, remarkable cuts and rarest gems. Imagined as a flower bursting into full bloom with a sudden unfurling motion, Silvestri combined exceptional cabochon stones sourced from disparate corners of the globe &mdash; rubellite from New York, tanzanite from Hong Kong, and peridot from Jaipur &mdash; which came together on the gems table. &ldquo;It was like alchemy,&rdquo; she mused, recalling how the gemstones originally destined for separate creations found their harmonious home together. 
The result is a design that boasts both a pastoral floral motif and a sophisticated architectural chain, illustrating Bvlgari&rsquo;s genius for blending seemingly contrasting elements. &ldquo;It is a good example of the Maison&rsquo;s multiple sources of inspiration: coloured gemstones, Rome and nature, all of them combined in this necklace,&rdquo; Le Foll said, further explaining that the choice of stones sourced by Silvestri always comes first, followed by the masterpiece&rsquo;s floral and architectural inspirations, and construction that elicits volume and movement.
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<h5 class="p1">PERPETUATING ARTISTRY AND INNOVATION<o:p></o:p></h5>
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Bvlgari&rsquo;s enduring commitment to craftsmanship is paramount, yet it gracefully embraces modern technology not as a replacement, but as an enhancement. Le Foll stated, &ldquo;High Jewellery remains the finest expertise in terms of craftsmanship, using technology selectively to help with the conception and construction of a piece to be as precise as possible.&rdquo; This precision, she added, serves a dual purpose: ensuring comfort and wearability, a Bvlgari hallmark where bold, architectural pieces are designed to feel soft against the skin. 
Besides that, technology may also be used in the design process and to magnify the beauty of the stones. The Maison is also dedicated to perpetuating traditional skills, with senior goldsmiths passing their invaluable knowledge to the next generation, ensuring the flame of expertise burns brightly.
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Signature techniques are woven throughout Polychroma, as Le Foll pointed out, where the cabochon cut, pioneered by Bvlgari in the 1950s, remains a cornerstone, as does the distinctive Tubogas technique, seen in a statement necklace featuring tanzanite and lapis lazuli. She said it was the first time for the Maison to create this colour association, which incidentally showcases Bvlgari&rsquo;s flair for mixing translucent and opaque stones (tanzanite and lapis), along with faceted and cabochon cuts to create surprising and vivid dialogues.
The reinterpretation of the iconic Trombino ring is another highlight, first designed in 1928 by Leonilde Bulgari for her mother. Set with a rare over 45-carat fancy vivid yellow diamond in an emerald Asscher-cut, the Essence of Yellow ring is enhanced with 42 step-cut diamonds and pav&eacute; sets, reflecting the sun&rsquo;s vitality and the House&rsquo;s trademark architectural elegance.

In a world craving beauty and permanence, Bvlgari&rsquo;s High Jewellery resonates as bold, audacious statements of adornment, according to Le Foll, besides personifying a form of decorative arts with beauty, timelessness and investment value. The Polychroma collection, with its vibrant spectrum of colours and innovative designs, is a powerful reaffirmation of the Maison&rsquo;s daring spirit and ability to draw from rich heritage while perpetually reinventing the language of luxury, crafting jewels as symbols of art, emotion and savoir-faire.

Visit <a href="https://www.bulgari.com/en-my/high-jewellery/polychroma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bulgari.com</a> to find out more.

Bvlgari creates a sensation with the Polychroma High-End collection

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