Bulgari welcomes BAFTA 2024 with a London present of its era-spanning film-star jewelry

The BAFTA 2024 ceremony takes place in London this Sunday 18 February. To rejoice, Bulgari, the occasion’s official watch and jewelry companion, is displaying a cache of its heritage items, a number of the most legendary jewels in movie historical past, at its Bond Road boutique. Gislain Aucremanne, heritage curator on the jewelry home, tells us of the tales and display stars behind these legendary designs.

Bulgari’s cinematic previous on present for BAFTA 2024

The David di Donatello Award

In 1956, Bulgari was requested to design the trophy for Italy’s Academy of Italian Cinema Awards (AICA), the David di Donatello. The recipient of its first version was Gina Lollobridiga (pictured high), who took the Greatest Actress gong for her efficiency because the peasant-girl-turned-opera-diva in Robert Z Leonard’s 1955 movie, Lovely however Harmful. ‘The design is a miniaturised copy of Donatello’s David sculpture, now preserved in Florence,’ Aucremanne says. ‘The unique art work was completed in gold and so is that this. Bulgari mounted the determine on a block of lovely inexperienced malachite, which fits his stance, that claims: “Chances are you’ll be somewhat particular person however in the long run you might be victorious and do nice issues”. So there’s a wonderful message there, too. I like its journey from historical fine-art sculpture to an emblem of the artwork of cinema at present.’

Elizabeth Taylor’s ‘break-up’ jewel

‘This jewel is gorgeous in daytime in pure mild and wonderful at night time, shimmering as if with electrical mild,’ says Aucremanne. ‘There are lots of photographs of Elizabeth Taylor carrying this, generally as a brooch on the lapel, and likewise worn in her hair. It was a present from her husband on the time, Eddie Fisher, and most likely the final he gave her. It was 1962 and Taylor was filming Cleopatra in Rome. Her affair with Richard Burton simply went public, and legend has it that Fisher despatched Taylor the bill for the piece. I am undecided it is a chic factor to ship a invoice, however I believe he was livid on the time. Among the larger flowers within the spray are entremble, which suggests they trembled and shimmered, catching the sunshine as she moved (they’re set on little springs). It is a fully beautiful piece and it notably displays Taylor’s tastes.’

Anna Magnani’s necklace and bombe ring

‘After all, in Italy, and Rome specifically, Anna Magnani was an enormous star, well-known for enjoying gritty, avenue roles. The Italian public beloved her for that. Individuals felt very near her and would name out nicknames to her within the streets, as if she was the character they knew. She was a pleasant particular person, a powerful character, and she or he beloved coming to Bulgari to pick out her jewels,’ says Aucremanne.

‘Magnani’s style may be very a lot mirrored on this necklace and ring, which may be very bombe, voluminous and curvy, and she or he beloved to put on it on her pinky. She had a really robust perspective to the way in which she wore her jewels. Right here, you’ve a wonderful circle of diamonds, with the baguettes giving a way of geometry, an nearly industrial contact.’

Elizabeth Taylor’s ‘Growth’ Bracelet-Necklace

‘This necklace was chosen by Elizabeth Taylor for her function in Joseph Losey’s 1968 movie Growth,’ says Aucremanne. It’s removable, so might be worn as two bracelets. And that’s how she wore it within the film. Right here, you actually have a way of quantity, which may be very true to the Bulgari type. There’s additionally a powerful rhythm between the randomness of the motifs, the proportions, the symmetry, geometry, all of that are synonymous with the home.’

Anna Magnani’s mismatched pearls

‘There is a image of Anna Magnani at a celebration with Bette Davis, the place she is carrying these earrings. They’re pure pearls, one is white and the opposite is a grey-black pearl. You possibly can see, at first look that they aren’t fairly the identical color, however when you look nearer, you realise there’s a gradation.’

‘The matching pearl brooch has a geometrical boldness and quantity,’ Aucremanne continues, noting the ‘opposing architectural parts of the baguette-cut diamonds [and the] round-cut. That the stones are set on completely different ranges and instructions offers an nearly hypnotic draw. When worn beneath movie lights, the items would replicate and refract mild in another way.’

Gina Lollabrigida and Claudia Cardinale’s kaleidoscopic gems

‘This set is from the late Nineteen Fifties, and now we actually see the color, what we time period the Italian Faculty of jewelry, shifting away from primarily white stones to one thing extra Italian,’ says Aucremanne. ‘The diamonds are combined with colored gems in a design that might have regarded very chaotic, but has a powerful sense of order. The whole lot you see on the left is mirroring what you’ve on the fitting, which sounds straightforward, however it’s not. Have a look at the earrings – the blue stones on the left of 1 earring [and repeated on the right of the other]. I believe this stuff make every thing extra Bulgari, you already know, together with the raised rounded, or cabochon, stones.’

Jennifer Aniston and Mila Jovovich’s Nineteen Thirties showstopper

‘It is a Nineteen Thirties piece. You possibly can name it artwork deco, however it’s Roman artwork deco. The dimension of the round diamonds is essential. The best way they alternate with rectangular, massive baguette-cut diamonds and the gradation of the motifs from massive to smaller has a rhythm all its personal. [The necklace] has been worn by stars together with Claudia Cardinale, Jessica Chastain, Mila Jovovich and Jennifer Aniston. Working with platinum is unbelievable work, and the craftsmen who can do that are what we time period as mani intelligente, clever arms. It is a Nineteen Thirties necklace but it has been worn over so many eras, and I believe that’s the definition of a timeless piece.’