Bulgari’s “130 Years of Masterpieces” Exhibit

“The only Italian word Elizabeth {Taylor} knows in Italian is Bulgari.”
-Richard Burton

I first want to thank Shalanda of Live Life in Style for inviting me to this truly magical {press preview} of this exhibit, which celebrated legendary jewelry brand-Bulgari and their 130 years of jeweled masterpieces. The exhibit is being hosted by the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) Before the start of the preview, we were treated to a welcoming reception, complete with coffee and light bites. We then were introduced and officially welcomed by Joel A. Bartsch- president of HMNS and CEO of Bulgari- Jean-Christophe Babin.

“Because the Houston Museum of Natural Science is home to one of the finest collections of natural gem crystals in the world, I have a deep appreciation for the quality and diversity of the gems that Bulgari uses when creating their jeweled masterpieces. Equal parts art and science, historic and modern, Bulgari not only pays homage to the great masters of the past, they also continuously push the envelope in jewelry design and cutting-edge technology into the future when so many others are content to merely rest on their laurels,”Joel stated.

We were then given a tour of the exhibit, stopping by each piece and listening to its provenance, or source of origin. We saw gems that dated from the company’s beginning in Rome in 1884 to the present. Portions of the exhibit include stunning jewels from the collection of Elizabeth Taylor and either belonged to or were worn by Sophia Loren, Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, Jennifer Aniston, Claudia Schiffer, Keira Knightley, Elizabeth Hurley, Rachel Weisz, Meryl Streep and others. Two of Houston’s own icons- Lynn Wyatt and Joanne King Herring- also have diamonds and gems from their collections in the exhibit. I was so fascinated in seeing examples of each of Bulgari’s timeless collections (such as the Serpente and Monete collections) because they are a piece of fashion history and VINTAGE! It was interesting hearing the company’s history and how it has grown and evolved over the decades. To also momentarily step into the shoes of the iconic women and hear their tales of wearing the legendary Bulgari ornaments. If you are a fan of jewelry and love learning about the history of anything fashion, you’ll definitely enjoy this exhibit.

“You cannot simply live on past glories: that’s foolish. To be a success, you have to combine the worlds of the past, present and future. That is the challenge, and there are many horizons.”
– Nicola Bulgari

“BULGARI: 130 Years of Masterpieces” exhibit runs from May 2, 2014- October 5, 2014.

Houston Museum of Natural Science
5555 Hermann Park Drive
Houston, TX 77030

Hours: 9am- 5pm

To purcase tickets, go to the website or call: 713-639-4629. For group tickets, contact Martine Kaye, Director of Corporate Sales, via email: [email protected] or 713-639-4768.