Bulgari

Bulgari (Italian pronunciation: [ˈbulɡari]) is an Italian jewelry and luxury goods brand that produces and markets several product lines including jewelry, watches, fragrances, accessories, and hotels.

Etymology

The trademark is usually written BVLGARI in the classical Latin alphabet, and is derived from the Surname of the company's Greek founder, Sotir Bulgari (Greek: Σωτήρ Βούλγαρη, Greek pronunciation: [soˈtir ˈvulɣari], Italian: Sotir Bulgari(1857–1932).

History

Sotirios Boulgaris, born in an Aromanian village known as Kalarites, a son of Greek immigrants, began his career as a jeweller in his home village Paramythia (Epirus, Greece), where his first store can still be seen. In 1877, he left for Corfu and then Naples. In 1881 he finally moved to Rome, where in 1884 he founded his company and opened his second shop in Via Sistina. The store in Via Sistina was then replaced by the current flagship store in Via dei Condotti opened in 1905 by Bulgari with the help of his two sons, Costantino (1889–1973) and Giorgio (1890–1966).