Ask some of the world’s wealthiest what their Roman Empire is in terms of a shopping spree, and along with property, private jets and interplanetary travel, high jewelry is likely to emerge as the item liable to make the one per cent weak at their nipped, tucked and bio-hacked knees.
It’s fortuitous then, that last night, Roman luxury behemoth Bulgari showcased one of the most expensive jewelry designs they have ever created: a jaw-dropping snaking diamond choker crafted from a rough diamond totaling 200 carats which is worth a staggering $43 million–worn on the night by longtime ambassador for the brand, Priyanka Chopra.
The Serpenti Aertena necklace–described as the most precious design that Bulgari has ever debuted–is just one creation crafted to mark the house’s 140th anniversary. It forms the centrepiece of a celebratory collection designed by jewelry creative director Lucia Silvestri, dazzling with coiling snakes, juicy cabochon-cut gemstones and ancient coins, that was unveiled at the historic Terme di Diocleziano–the site of the largest ancient public baths in Rome. A static, vitrine-lined jewelry presentation this was not: breathtaking necklaces, secret watches and earrings sparkled on models including Mariacarla Boscono, Isabella Rossellini (fresh from a recent catwalk outing at Pucci) and Carla Bruni, who took a turn on the outdoor runway as night fell.
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