Bulgari, the Monete Collection — Patine Gallery Paris

In the 1960s, under the impulsion of Nicola Bulgari - the grandson of the brand founder - the Bvlgari house would create what would become one of its most iconic collection : the Monete.

As a collector of Ancient Greek and Roman coins himself from an early age, this idea came naturally to Nicola Bulgari, as a way to develop the cultural heritage of the brand.

Even if this may sound like an original idea, the Monete collection stems from a long tradition dating back to 7th century BC. At that time coins were not considered to be only currencies but an symbol of power.

Apart from the aesthetic aspect, once they were set into jewelry and worn against the body, during the antiquity coins also functioned prophylactically and were thought to help protect the wearer against disease, misfortune, and evil spirits.

By displaying imperial portraits around their neck, the owner was invoking the emperor’s protection. A witness of the influence of these coins are the portraits made during the renaissance by several prominent painters such as Botticelli who depicted the subjects wearing jewelry featuring mounted antique coins.

The pieces of this Bulgari collection feature ancient coins from the antiquity integrated into modern jewelry designs. Each jewels is adapted to the initial shape of the coin, positioning it as the main element of the piece. From this mix of modernity and tradition arises a playful contrast between the almost severity of the coins and modern jewelry designs mastered by Bulgari.

Various Ancient Greek, Roman or Persian coins can be found on these jewels, giving them an inestimable historical value. Each pieces are engraved on the mount (usually in gold) with the name of the emperors represented, the date of their reign and the type of coins.

Bulgari
Various jewelry from the “Monete” Collection

Bulgari Monete pieces are nowadays very sought after by collectors around the world, therefore they often fetch high prices at auction, surpassing by far the initial estimates. This strong appreciation makes sense as only a limited number of these pieces have been produced, each of them being unique and bearing an historical value that is difficult to find in other collections.

These pieces also usually come with an unique certificate issued by the brand, mentioning the list of coins present used. When multiple are featured on a single piece, Bulgari make sure that they are chosen from the same time period and civilization.

We may note that apart from the traditional jewelry pieces such as rings, necklaces, bracelets, other accessories - less common - have been created by Bulgari using ancient coins. It includes money clips, cufflinks, silver box and so on… which are uncommon and sought after by collectables enthusiasts.