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Today, we search for objects that carry a piece of magic. To look behind the curtain and understand where this magic is born means travelling to the very beginning: to the creation process of the most beautiful jewels, where a story unfolds that connects two exceptional women, an Italian jewellery house, and the heart of vibrant India. It is a journey for inspiration: a journey to Jaipur, India.
At the Roman jewellery house of Bvlgari, every High Jewellery masterpiece begins with a gemstone. Its energy, colour, and temperament are the initial impulse that sets the direction for the creative work that will breathe life into the future jewel. This time, however, we have the chance to look one step further back – at how the perfect, radiant gemstones are sourced in the capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Embarking on this journey was Bvlgari’s global ambassador and international icon, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, for whom it was also a deeply personal return to her own roots. By her side was Lucia Silvestri, a woman whose name is synonymous with Bvlgari and whose eyes can see a future jewel in a rough stone. As the Creative Director for Jewellery and head of gemstone purchasing, it is she who personally selects the precious stones that will become the heart of Bvlgari’s High Jewellery collections.
The Pink City of Treasures
Jaipur, known as the Pink City thanks to the characteristic colour of its historic buildings, is the world’s metropolis for coloured gemstones. For centuries, it has been a centre for the trade of precious stones and the home of exceptional craftsmanship in cutting and processing. In its bustling streets and hidden workshops lies a kaleidoscopic palette of rubellites, emeralds, tourmalines, sapphires, and countless other treasures of the earth. For Lucia Silvestri, who has returned here countless times during her more than forty-year career at Bvlgari, Jaipur is more than just a source of materials. For her, it is a living laboratory of colour, a place where she meets with suppliers, and where she finds inspiration. For Lucia Silvestri, this trip to Jaipur had a specific goal – to find the heart of the latest High Jewellery collection, Polychroma. It was on such an important journey that she was accompanied by Priyanka Chopra Jonas. For Priyanka, as a global ambassador for the jewellery house, this was not only an opportunity to look behind the scenes at the creation of the jewels, but also to reconnect with the culture, colours, and master craftsmanship of her native country.
A Meeting of Two Worlds
Immersed in the rich hues and traditions of the city, Priyanka discovered the ancient craft of gemstone cutting, gaining insight into processes that usually remain hidden. She witnessed the quiet dialogue between a master cutter and a rough stone; she saw how a radiant jewel is born from a lacklustre crystal. In doing so, she deepened her bond not only with India but also with the Bvlgari brand, whose courage to push the boundaries of traditional jewellery-making and its constant search for the joy of life through colour resonate so strongly with the local culture. It was a meeting of old and new, a moment when the power of India connected with the bold creative vision of the Roman jeweller.
In Bvlgari’s creative world, colour is not a mere ornament – it is its DNA. It is a language that speaks directly to the emotions; it is an expression of joy, sensuality, and the indomitable Roman spirit. Each stone is selected not only for its quality, cut, and carat weight, but also for its shade, sparkle, shape, and inner energy. It is these attributes that mark the beginning of a deeply intuitive process.
For Lucia Silvestri, selecting a gemstone is an act of love at first sight, an almost magical moment. “The moment I see the right stone, I start to dream,” she admits. “Colour has something special about it – it evokes memories, awakens ideas, and breathes life into a design before a pencil even touches the paper.” It is not just about technical parameters, but about a feeling, about a spark that passes between her and the stone. Over her years of visiting the Jaipur suppliers, Lucia has built relationships based on deep trust and mutual respect. These bonds open doors for her to a world that is often inaccessible to others – to private vaults and workshops where the rarest treasures are hidden. It was in these inspiring moments, spent amidst the historic palaces and vibrant streets of Jaipur, that Lucia revealed to Priyanka the intimate world behind the dazzling brilliance of Bvlgari’s jewels: the thrill of discovery and the infinite creative possibilities that a single radiant stone can unlock.
From Jaipur to Rome
This journey offered a rare and emotional glimpse into the very origins of Bvlgari’s High Jewellery – where intuition, cultural heritage, and nature’s mastery meet in a creative dialogue. Once the gemstones are carefully selected in Jaipur, they begin their journey to Rome, where they land on Lucia’s work desk. And it is here, in the brand’s creative heart, that the true magic begins.
Lucia spends hours, days, sometimes even weeks, playing with the stones. She spreads them out on a soft tray, trying countless colour combinations, shapes, and arrangements until she finds the perfect harmony that makes the stones radiate and gives them new life. It is a process that requires patience, sensibility, and imagination. She never decides on a stone without knowing how it will be transformed – it is in these moments of creative expression that the original dream born in Jaipur takes on a tangible form. When she finds the right balance and composition, Lucia begins to work closely with the Bvlgari design team to translate her vision into detailed technical sketches. These then travel to the hands of the master jewellers in the house’s ateliers. It is a harmonious symphony of talents, where every link in the chain plays an indispensable role, from the buyer to the designer to the jeweller. The work is perfected with dedication and countless refined adjustments until absolutely flawless beauty is achieved.
Priyanka and Lucia’s journey to Jaipur was thus an excursion to the essence of creativity, colour, craftsmanship, and culture. “It’s fascinating to me that we find this in nature,” Priyanka confided during the trip. “Coming back here reflects my memories. It is work, history, and art.” Her words perfectly capture the essence of Bvlgari – a fusion of nature’s gifts, master craftsmanship, and a deep respect for history, from which a beauty is born that shines not only on the outside, but from within.
