The Power of Colors: Bvlgari Kaleidos Exhibition in Tokyo
Bvlgari earned recognition as the "Master of Colored Gemstones" from the 1950s onward, when it pioneered bold combinations of sapphires, rubies, and emeralds set in yellow gold—a departure from the monochromatic High Jewelry traditions of the early 1900s.
Running until December 15, 2025 at the National Art Center Tokyo, the Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures and Crafts exhibition presents nearly 350 pieces drawn from the Roman high jeweler's Heritage Collection and prestigious private collections.
The title derives from the Greek "kalos" (beautiful) and "eidos" (form), reflecting Bvlgari's dynamic chromatic expertise. While early creations by founder Sotirio Bulgari hinted at a fascination with color, the true revolution emerged in the mid-20th century. At that time, traditional High Jewelry favored platinum and monochromatic designs. The Maison embraced stones once considered semi-precious, such as amethyst, citrine and turquoise, valuing them for their vibrant hues and capturing their chromatic intensity through the signature cabochon cut. This fearless approach to color became a hallmark of the Bvlgari style.
"Curating an exhibition dedicated to color within the universe of Bvlgari feels not only natural, but necessary. With masterful craftsmanship and an instinctive eye for gemstones, the Maison transforms each jewel into a painter's stroke—a celebration of light, emotion and Roman spirit. Bvlgari is, truly, an artist of color," says Gislan Aucremanne, Bvlgari Heritage Curator Director.
This color revolution is explored through three immersive chapters. The Science of Colors examines chromatic effects through a scientific lens, showcasing signature pieces including a rare 1940 citrine bracelet and a 1954 platinum bangle featuring cabochon sapphires, rubies, and diamonds that demonstrates Bvlgari's distinctive red-and-blue palette. Color Symbolism investigates the cultural significance of color through rare jade pieces and the celebrated "Seven Wonders" necklace from 1961—a platinum creation set with seven emeralds, previously worn by actresses Monica Vitti and Gina Lollobrigida. The Power of Light examines how illumination influences color perception through reflective materials, highlighted by a transformable 1969 yellow gold sautoir adorned with amethysts, turquoises, citrines, rubies, emeralds, and diamonds.
Three contemporary female artists—Lara Favaretto, Mariko Mori and Akiko Nakayama—were invited to enrich this dialogue through distinct, newly commissioned works, deepening the exhibition's reflection on color as a force of transformation and perception.
Favaretto's site-specific installation Level Five features spinning, multicolored car wash brushes that, removed from their industrial context, become soft, sculptural presences—blending movement, rhythm and chromatic energy in a hypnotic visual meditation that explores the boundaries between the mechanical and the organic. Mori's Onogoro Stone III draws on ancient Japanese mythology to evoke a sacred origin story, fusing futuristic materials with spiritual minimalism to create a contemplative space of cosmic balance. In the dynamic installation Echo by Akiko Nakayama, water, sound and mineral pigments converge in real time, projecting ephemeral fluid forms that shift and shimmer—an "alive painting" where art, nature and physics converge in ever-changing light. In dialogue with dazzling sautoir-bracelets (ca. 1969) from the Bvlgari Heritage Collection, her work encapsulates the fleeting beauty of color in constant transformation.
