A gleaming stream of light from a myriad of looped Murano crystal pieces cascades from the ceiling. The chandelier is in the shape of the number “8,” auspicious in Chinese numerology, and mirrors the shape of the display case beneath it, showing extraordinary pieces of jewelry and watches.
The Murano glass chandelier, a handiwork of Italian designer Angelo Mangiarotti and crafted by Italian artisans, is the focal point of the newly renovated Bulgari flagship boutique in Greenbelt 4, Makati City. It had to be pieced together one by one by hand, according to Bulgari Phils. country manager Mario Katigbak.
The redesign follows the global direction of the historic Italian jeweler, to mark the house’s 130th anniversary. At the storefront are two box-in-box display windows framing the gris pulpis marble entrance. The front is also made of another material from the Mediterranean—Bulgari’s founder, Sotirio Bulgari, was Greek—called trani chiaro stone.
The refurbished store also features natural oak plank parquet flooring with brown Veneziana inserts. The marble flooring right beneath the main display counter has the onyx star design from the original flooring of the first Bulgari store in Rome’s via Condotti, which opened in 1905.
Display shelves on the sides feature the leather goods and other accessories, as well as bridal and men’s collections. The private VIP room at the back evokes understated luxe.
At the unveiling, Katigbak was joined by Bulgari senior director for high jewelry Giampaolo Della Croce and Asia-Pacific regional managing director WeiLing Wong, to cut the ceremonial ribbon with Ambassador Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. and Italian Ambassador Massimo Roscigno.
Guests were received at a reception in nearby Ayala Museum, where models paraded wearing Bulgari’s Musa and Diva jewelry, and Lucea watch collections, with musical performances by Monique Wilson with the String Minstrels. Cheche V. Moral