Italian Renaissance gardens swagger: bold architectonic hedges, cypress trees that tower like exclamation points, sparkling stone fountains that jet, spray, and splash. The jewelry fashioned by Bulgari possesses similarly dynamic qualities, which explains why the luxury brand’s colorful baubles have become badges of honor among women with an attitude, such as superstars Elizabeth Taylor, Gina Lollobrigida, and Sharon Stone. So it only makes sense that the legendary Rome-based firm, launched in 1884 by Greek-born master silversmith Sotirio Bulgari, would step outdoors for inspiration. Cultivated by Lucia Silvestri, the company’s award-winning creative director for high jewelry, Bulgari Eden: The Garden of Wonders is a dolce vita collection that fuses those aesthetic codes into a lapidary salute to Madre Natura, with artful evocations of everything from fruits to foliage to serpents. One of the prizes of the 140-piece trove is the Emerald Archway necklace, a tour de force ornament that expertly channels the grandeur of the gardens of Villa Farnese—an iconic estate near Rome that was created in the early 16th century for the future Pope Paul III—into a river of glittering gems. “The Farnese Gardens are an extraordinary demonstration of humankind’s ability to beautify nature through creativity and mastery,” says Silvestri. “We wanted to re-create the harmonious bond between the gardens and architecture.” The necklace’s centerpiece is an 11.01-carat cushion-cut Colombian emerald nestled between cascades of L-shape elements, all studded with myriad diamonds that echo the expertly scissored greenery in the villa’s geometric parterre garden. Drape it in place, close the clasp, and—presto!— you’re a modern-day Eve. bulgari.com
