2019 marks the momentous twentieth anniversary of Bulgari’s iconic B.zero1 collection. Inspired by the Colosseum, Rome’s most magnificent monument, the Italian Maison broke the rules of jewelry design in 1999 to capture the amphitheater’s fluid geometry. Known for its visionary craftsmanship, Bvlgari developed a first-of-its-kind technique that winds traditional Tubogas or gas-pipe into a new type of spiral with a hollow, cylindrical core. The result? B.zero1, a convention defying design with universal appeal.
In the 20 years since, the magnificent Roman jeweler has sold more than 2,000,000 B.zero1 rings worldwide and collaborated with two creative powerhouses, sculptor Anish Kapoor and late architect Zaha Hadid, on special editions, establishing B.zero1 as an indomitable design icon.
Through spirals of various heights and the use of innovative materials like colored marble and ceramic, B.zero1, true to its spirit, has continually reinvented itself. Now to fête B.zero1’s twentieth anniversary, Bvlgari is reissuing the original, iconic 5-band ring, the boldest B.zero1 iteration. Built into the very design of the lavish limited editions is B.zero1’s ethos: Be a rule-breaker, be daring, be unconventional, B.zero1.
THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION
The iconic B.zero1 spiral always begins with ribbons of gold. Through Bvlgari’s ingenious Tubogas method, the long, thin strips are wrapped and interlocked without any soldering, and then capped at the top and bottom with flat rings emblazoned with the Bvlgari logo.
The signature logo also enriches the design of the new B.zero1 bangles, restyled for a light wearability, as the body of the bracelets perfectly embraces the wrist, whilst the new thinner structure makes them easy to be stacked together.
To celebrate its twentieth anniversary, the iconic ring is dressed up to dazzle in the ultimate B.zero1 creation: a 5-band, white gold spiral completely encrusted in sparkling pavé diamonds. The 5-band celebratory ring also comes in yellow gold and solid white gold, like the original 1999 edition, and for the first time in rose gold. All four designs are engraved with “XX Anniversary” on their internal ferrule, marking them as collector’s items and bold accessories for the exceptional women who are larger-than-life, like Bvlgari.
Amongst this group is undoubtedly the late Zaha Hadid, a pioneer who invented a completely unique style of architecture. In 2017, Bvlgari collaborated with the architect to launch the B.zero1 Design Legend, a ring crisscrossed by her signature dynamic lines. Now, in B.zero1’s twentieth anniversary year, Bvlgari introduces new versions of the ground breaking piece. Preserving the original, rose gold form of the B.zero1 Design Legend, the latest variations add an inner core of black ceramic or white ceramic; each combination comes in a ring and a pendant. A rose gold bangle, available in black ceramic and in precious pavé diamonds completes the collection.
In these edgy, rocker-chic editions, classic and modern materials fuse into a bold, contemporary Italian design, and with its quintessential Roman ease, Bvlgari proves once more that the B.zero1 legend endures.
