Bvlgari was started by Sotirios Voulgaris, a jeweller from Epirus, Greece. His name translated into Italian is Sotirio Bulgari.

He started his first jewellery store in his hometown in Epicurus, Greece. He decided he wanted to travel to expand his business, so in 1877 he left for Corfu. From there he travelled to Naples before eventually settling in Rome seven years after he first set off. This is where Sotirio eventually founded his second shop, and the start of what was to become the Bvlgari brand.

The current flagship store resides in Rome, and was opened in 1905 by Bulgari and his two sons, Constantino and Giorgio. The shop sold unique jewellery designed with both Roman and Greek influences, which attracted wealthy residents of Rome, as well as wealthy British and American travellers.

During the 1970s the company opened shops outside of Italy for the first time, cementing their global acceptance. Locations included Paris, Monte Carlo and New York. Today, Bvlgari has almost 300 shops throughout the globe. In the mid 80s, Sotirio’s heirs, his two grandsons, became the chairman and vice-chairman, with their nephew, Francesco Trapani, being named CEO. Trapani was the one who decided to diversify the company into producing other wears. The first sign of this was the release of the Bvlgari perfume line. Under the control of Trapani, the company became known as a luxury goods retailer and not just as a jewellers.

In recent years, Bvlgari signed a deal with luxury eyewear manufacturers Luxottica to produce a range of designer glasses and sunglasses. The range has been one of their biggest successes, with glasses inspired by their jewellery.

The glasses all are beautifully made; most with intricate detailing such as crystals and patterns. This is what sets them apart from other brands. The company’s knowledge of jewellery has helped them when designing the crystal patterns often embedded into the arms, with some of the limited pieces including elaborate detail such as butterfly designs. Bvlgari’s glasses for women are the epitome of classic elegance, and their pieces for men are simple and timeless.