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Bulgari, the jewelry and actresses: "I sold Dolce Vita" What is

The president of the famous goldsmith recalls the years of splendor in Rome and Hollywood, and retraces the steps that led him to choose the sale to Arnault French: "There 'was a single Italian willing to ally themselves with us. Total disregard for excellence: for the show on our 125 years has come not a single institution, has failed in France all that Paris has "

has been taken in bad words Anna Magnani when he was only 20 years old ("but how dare you serve me 'I kid!). Acted as a "blue helmet" between Liz Taylor and Richard Burton when one day yes and one no ("often a bit 'tipsy ...") swooping down fighting in the family shop in Via Condotti - Anno Domini 1963 - to make peace with strokes of emeralds and diamonds. Drew finished necklace around the neck of three generations of Oscar Hollywood, from Sophia Loren and Meryl Streep to Nicole Kidman.

Yet today, after shooting the family company of Bernard Arnault in exchange for 3% of LVMH (directed by Credit Suisse) - by Paolo Bulgari is the moment of emotion. And a bit 'of anger. "Please understand me, I'm still too emotional." Then he opens the drawer of memories. A treasure chest full of jewels and anecdotes - from Dolce Vita to the new rich of the third millennium, the shop opened in 1884 by grandfather greek Sotirios Bulgaris to multinational today - are photography in Italy chiaroscuro of these decades: full of creativity, the initiative but in the end "a chronic inability of state institutions to make the system - as Bulgari - to sustain our excellence."

from the end, Bulgari. Why sell if he is so upset?
"It was an inevitable step. We are thinking for some time. The family is bigger. So many children, nephews and cousins. The next generational shift was likely to be complicated. And a sense of responsibility towards the 4 thousand employees have made this decision . As you can imagine, with great personal suffering. " Why have you sold

ai francesi?
"Perché non c'è stato un italiano disposto ad allearsi con noi! E non sa quanto mi spiace. Per cinque anni abbiamo cercato partner tricolori, pronti anche ad andare in minoranza. Ci hanno risposto tutti picche. Certo rimane un po' d'amarezza per questo Paese...".

In che senso?
"C'è una totale disattenzione all'eccellenza. Mi tolgo un sassolino dalla scarpa: noi diamo lavoro a tanta gente in Italia, siamo un gruppo trasparente che non ha mai avuto bisogno della politica. Mi immaginavo che alla mostra per i nostri 125 anni a Roma venisse a trovarci qualche istituzione".

E invece?
"Non è venuto nessuno. Quando abbiamo replicato in Francia al Grand Palais l'anno scorso there were 5 thousand people, with all Paris that counts. "

A good result for those who started from craftsman
..." The spirit of craftsmanship is our secret. My grandfather arrived in Rome from Epirus to sell silver in the road. I entered a shop in 18 years. I was a student of law with the bump architecture, convinced by a persuasive father working with him. No weekends, no time, was another Italy. I stole trade secrets to his uncle and dad a bit 'at a time. And now I'm still here, fifty years later, I continue to design necklaces, rings and bracelets.

Ingrid Bergman, Sharon Stone, Claudia Cardinale, Monica Vitti, Romy Schneider. Half Hollywood and almost all of Cinecittà were wearing your creations. What is the client or the jewel that reminds more affection?
"really wants to know? A necklace of rubies, the neck of my daughter for 15 years. I have the photos here with me."

Nostalgia La Dolce Vita in Rome?
"Other times. Then there was so much optimism. Rome had more than Paris. The big buyers of jewelry were the Americans and Italians. The French, pace of Arnault, was not then nor now have large customers. Matter of caution ...".

course paid no attention at the expense of Richard Burton and Liz Taylor ...
"You can say! They were here to film" Cleopatra. "Deeply in love. Litigiosissimi. And often tipsy. They came like two furies in store Via Condotti. And he, to make peace, gave her a joy. "

Blessed you and you are blessed. He had the most difficult buyers?
" A real shock for me was Anna Magnani. He entered the shop. "Go serve," he said. Yes and no I will have had 20 years and she, who had a strong character, not swallowed. "I am a big customer - he said - who is this kid?" Treated me very badly. "

is true that Audrey Hepburn, the Holly Golightly of" Breakfast at Tiffany's ", he used you?
" We are jewelers reserved .... But I think I have seen her get some time to shop. "What did

of Bulgaria in this star?
" The creativity and craftsmanship. We invented the colored jewels in Paris when only cut diamonds

...". But now times have changed. Since you are Madonna, Tina Turner. Another way, is not it?
"Yes. But the real revolution is that the focus of the market has shifted to the Middle East and Asia.

And the old grandfather's shop Sotirios has become a major publicly traded company ...
"It was an inevitable step. In '95 we decided to accelerate the expansion and we have listed. We've lost flexibility. But we have entered a larger shad. I'm not sorry. "

So many people struggle to afford the essentials. How does it draw superfluous objects by tens of thousands of €?
"We also sell jewelry from a thousand euro. Certainly it is not little. But I assure you that the beauty of an object is not the price. Create a beautiful jewel that is cheap is the most fascinating challenge."

Now that will? Retire?
"joke? He has no idea what this has cost me. But life goes on. Tomorrow I'm back on the farm to study jewelry."

article from www.repubblica.it
image from www.luxuo.it