How to Buy Vintage Bulgari: Signatures, Tubogas, Serpenti and Monete

Bulgari gave jewelry a Roman accent: bold color, generous gold, ancient coins and supple bands that wrap the wrist. Its vintage pieces, above all from the 1960s to the 1980s, are among the most wearable signed jewels there are, and among the most imitated. Here is how to read one.

The signature

Vintage Bulgari pieces are usually signed BVLGARI, with the Roman V, sometimes with ROMA beside it. Later pieces add a serial number. The signature should be crisp, evenly struck and properly placed, often on the clasp or the back of the piece, and on a worn jewel it should be worn in the same way as the gold around it.

The marks

Pieces made in Italy carry the fineness, 750 for 18 karat gold, and the Italian maker’s mark: a star, a number and a province code. Pieces sold abroad can carry additional import or local marks. As with every house, the marks and the signature should tell the same story.

For a close look at a Bulgari signature and its marks, see How to Buy Vintage Signed Jewelry.

The designs collectors look for

• Color en cabochon. From the 1960s Bulgari set colored stones in polished domes, in combinations no one else dared: sapphire with citrine, amethyst with turquoise, coral with emerald.
• Tubogas. Bands of gold wound around a core without solder, so that the piece moves like a spring. Used for bracelets, necklaces and watches from the 1940s on.
• Serpenti. The serpent, first as a Tubogas watch in the 1940s, then in enamel and gems in the 1960s, its head often hiding the dial.
• Monete. Ancient coins, Greek and Roman, set in gold. Each piece is different, because each coin is.
• Bulgari Bulgari and Parentesi. The watch of 1977, with the name engraved twice on the bezel, and the modular Parentesi links of 1982.

Tubogas: what to check

Tubogas is strong but not indestructible. Look along the coils for dents, kinks or stretched sections, and check that the piece springs back evenly. Repairs are possible but visible to a trained eye. On a Tubogas watch, ask about the movement and its last service as well as the case and bracelet.

Serpenti

A Serpenti should move freely along its length, with even scales and a precise clasp. Enamel and pavé deserve a close look for chips, replaced stones and restoration. Serpenti watches are widely copied, and the weight, finish and quality of the head and scales give copies away.

Monete: the coin matters

In a Monete jewel the coin is genuinely ancient, and it counts as much as the gold. Look at the coin itself: its type, its condition and how well it is struck. The mount should hold it cleanly, without damage to the edge. Copies often use modern replicas of ancient coins, which look flat and too regular.

Stones and papers

Bulgari bought exceptional stones, and for an important sapphire, ruby or emerald a laboratory report stating origin and treatment can change the value considerably. An original box and papers add confidence. As always, resizing, replaced stones and repairs should be disclosed.

Bulgari at Odeon

Every Bulgari piece in our collection is examined for its signature, marks, period and craftsmanship before it is offered, and we describe what we see. See the pieces available now in our Bulgari collection, read about the house in The legacy of Bulgari, or book a private viewing at 608 Fifth Avenue or by video.