BVLGARI KALEIDOS: COLORS, CULTURES AND CRAFTS
- Gen de Art
- Jul 23
- 8 min read
The National Art Center, Tokyo and Bvlgari are pleased to announce “Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures and Crafts”, the Maison’s largest exhibition ever in Japan, a kaleidoscopic journey into its vibrant world of colors, showcasing nearly 350 chromatic masterpieces, from jewelry to contemporary art
A testament to Bvlgari’s unique mastery of color, Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures and Crafts marks the largest ever exhibition held by the Roman High Jeweler in Japan, and its first in ten years, proudly supported by the Patrocinio of the Italian Embassy in Japan.
Running from September 17 to December 15, 2025 at the National Art Center Tokyo (NACT), it invites visitors to explore a rich kaleidoscope of jewelry, art and craftsmanship through the vibrant language of color.
The exhibition takes its name from the Greek words kalos (beautiful) and eidos (form), symbolizing a dynamic and ever-changing journey through color, where beauty and creativity blend harmoniously. Nearly 350 chromatic masterpieces – including jewelry creations from the Bvlgari Heritage Collection and prestigious private collections, spanning from the origins to the present day – highlight the deep connection between Italy and Japan, celebrating their rich cultural legacy and shared passion for art and design. Adding further emotional depth, the exhibition also showcases works by three contemporary female artists – Lara Favaretto, Mariko Mori, and Akiko Nakayama – who offer their personal reflections on color.
Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures and Crafts unfolds like a kaleidoscope of creative references and emotional experiences, blending High Jewelry, creations from the Bvlgari Heritage Collection, contemporary art, exclusive materials from the Bvlgari Historical Archives and immersive installations. Visitors will explore Bvlgari’s mastery of gemstones and precious metals on a multifaceted journey where videos, interactive spaces and artistic dialogues bring the Maison’s world of color to life.
“At Bvlgari, we have always believed in the power of colors to tell stories and transcend time. The Kaleidos exhibition is a celebration of our rich heritage, where every piece embodies a fusion of cultures, craftsmanship, and a passion for the extraordinary colors created by nature, starting with the magnificent gems, a precious gifts of nature, that have made Bvlgari famous. Following the launch of our Polychroma High Jewelry collection, a tribute to Bvlgari’s mastery in reimagining color and form, this exhibition marks a new chapter in our journey through the world of color. It unfolds in Tokyo, a city that, much like Bvlgari itself, celebrates the harmony between timeless tradition and bold innovation. Our long-lasting bond with Japan, a country that has long admired the artistry, craftsmanship, and precision at the heart of Bvlgari, makes this exhibition even more meaningful. It is a true honor to present nearly 350 masterpieces to our Japanese and international audiences, each one a celebration of Bvlgari’s vibrant, timeless spirit. Jean-Christophe Babin, Bvlgari CEO.
“It is a great honor for the Embassy of Italy in Tokyo to support the exhibition Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures and Crafts, hosted at The National Art Center, Tokyo. This remarkable project is a testament to the mutual admiration and fruitful exchange that have long united Italy and Japan, celebrating our shared values of beauty, creativity, and craftsmanship through the universal language of art.” Gianluigi Benedetti, Ambassador of Italy to Japan
CHROMATIC REVOLUTION
With creations that are true chromatic masterpieces, Bvlgari stands as the only High Jeweler to have transformed color into an art form of its own. The Maison’s history is deeply tied to its bold use of vibrant gemstones, still today primary source of inspiration for Bvlgari High Jewelry creations. While early creations by founder Sotirio Bulgari hinted at a fascination with color, a true revolution emerged in the 20th century. In the early 1900s, traditional High Jewelry favored platinum and monochromatic designs, with limited and conventional schemes. After World War II, Italy became the epicenter of a chromatic transformation. In the 1950s, Bvlgari pioneered bold combinations of sapphires, rubies and emeralds set in yellow gold with diamonds. The Maison also embraced stones once considered semi-precious, such as amethyst, citrine and turquoise, valuing them for their vibrant hues and aesthetic potential, and capturing their chromatic intensity through the signature cabochon cut. This fearless approach to color became a hallmark of the Bvlgari style, cementing its reputation as the Master of Colored Gemstones.
“Bvlgari has, for over 140 years, cultivated a bold aesthetic where color is not an accent, but a signature. 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.” Gislan Aucremanne, Bvlgari Heritage Curator Director.
This color revolution will be explored in the exhibition through three immersive chapters. The first one, The Science of Colors, adopts a scientific approach to chromatic effects, revealing the interplay of hues through a curated selection of iconic jewels. A citrine bracelet in gold and platinum with diamonds, dating to around 1940 and never displayed outside of Italy, evokes the warm, golden tones of Roman sunsets through the rich spectrum of orange hues radiated by the gemstones.
Alongside it, a striking platinum bangle set with a cabochon sapphire, rubies and diamonds (1954) celebrates the signature Bvlgari contrast between red and blue—an iconic combination of precious colors further highlighted by the use of the Maion’s hallmark cabochon-cut, which enhances the depth, luminosity and chromatic intensity of the gems.
The chapter also features a remarkable set composed of a necklace and earrings that daringly combine emeralds, amethysts, turquoises and diamonds—underscoring Bvlgari’s chromatic audacity and inventive gemstone pairings.
Next to it, the striking Bracelet (1954-55) in platinum with cabochon-cut sapphires, rubies and diamonds celebrates Bvlgari's signature contrast of red and blue. This iconic colour combination is further accentuated by the Maison's signature cabochon cut, enhancing the gemstones' depth, brilliance and intensity of colour. The chapter also features a stunning set of necklace and earrings in a bold mix of emeralds, amethysts, turquoise and diamonds, showcasing Bvlgari's bold use of colour and inventive gemstone pairings.
Color Symbolism, the second chapter, delves into the cultural and symbolic dimensions of color, showcasing how meanings and emotions are conveyed through chromatic choices. Among the highlights are rare jade jewels and the legendary platinum necklace set with diamonds and seven magnificent emeralds, aptly named Seven Wonders (1961). Worn by icons such as Monica Vitti and Gina Lollobrigida, this extraordinary piece—once part of the Invernizzi collection and last seen in Tokyo a decade ago—now returns to the public eye as part of the Bvlgari Heritage Collection.
The final chapter The Power of Light focuses on the role of light in our perception of color, particularly as it plays across reflective materials like silver and gold. This luminous journey is brought to life through rare jewels featuring fancy color diamonds and pearls, culminating in a breathtaking finale: a one-of-a-kind yellow gold sautoir created in 1969. This masterpiece, transformable into bracelets, is set with amethysts, turquoises, citrines, rubies, emeralds and diamonds, capturing the kaleidoscopic spirit of the exhibition. Exceptionally colorful and polychrome, this hero-piece embodies Bvlgari’s chromatic exuberance and narrative richness. Complementing this finale is an exquisite Serpenti evening bag in three-color gold with a silk cord and diamonds (ca. 1978), a testament to the legendary success of Bvlgari’s “Melone” bag, one of the bestselling precious creations of its time. This masterpiece of both design and craftsmanship exemplifies the Maison’s extraordinary goldsmithing artistry, blending yellow, rose and a rare blue-green hue known as acqua di mare.
THE ART OF COLOR
Color has long been a powerful inspiration in art, used by painters, sculptors, jewelers and artisans to convey emotions and represent the world. The exhibition highlights the shared passion for color between High Jewelry and Fine Arts, with Bvlgari’s bold, chromatic designs influencing not only jewelry but also engaging with artists across various disciplines. Three contemporary female artists—Lara Favaretto, Mariko Mori and Akiko Nakayama—were invited to enrich this dialogue through their 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. An immersive experience of origins that is both personal and universal, conveyed through the symbolic power of color and form. 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.
AN ARTISTIC PATH, ITALY MEETS JAPAN
For the exhibition’s scenography, Bvlgari collaborates with Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa from the Japanese SANAA studio and the Italian Formafantasma studio, further emphasizing the shared passion for art and design that unites the two countries. Drawing inspiration from the mosaics of the ancient Baths of the Roman emperor Caracalla, the design concept reflects the Maison’s cultural heritage through curved shapes, refined translucencies and chromatic effects that guide visitors on a sensory journey into the world of color. Additionally, Formafantasma contributes special free-standing showcases highlighting masterpieces from the Bvlgari Heritage Collection. An artistic path into the essence of Bvlgari’s creativity, seamlessly blending the Maison’s Roman identity with elegant Japanese aesthetics.
“With Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures and Crafts, we wanted to create a space where light, color, and reflection guide visitors through a journey of discovery—one that reveals Bvlgari’s craftsmanship and cultural depth while building a poetic bridge between Italy and Japan. Inspired by the ancient mosaic of Caracalla and the gingko leaf of Tokyo, the exhibition becomes a living kaleidoscope of stories, symbols, and emotions.”— SANAA
The Maison’s aesthetic and Japanese culture come together to showcase their shared values, enhancing the cultural exchange between the two countries. The exhibition opens with two exceptional pieces from the Heritage collections, symbolizing a mutual dedication to craftsmanship, attention to detail, and an enduring love of beauty. A precious paperweight, shaped like the façade of a Roman temple and crafted from yellow gold with lapis lazuli, onyx, and diamonds, harmonizes with a circular brooch in yellow gold, set with mother-of-pearl, polychrome enamels, and diamonds.
“Rooted deeply in Rome, Bvlgari has long drawn creative inspiration from the Eternal City. At the same time, it looks beyond, embracing with reverence the histories and cultures of countries across the globe, including Japan, weaving them into the creative spirit of its jewelry. This exhibition offers a contemplative opportunity to encounter the Maison’s singular creativity, which is open to a rich diversity of cultures, through color, its most symbolic and expressive lens.” Ayako Miyajima, Senior Curator, The National Art Center, Tokyo
Exhibition homepage: https://www.bulgari.com/ja-jp/stories/kaleidos-exhibition
Museum website: https://www.nact.jp
Event Outline
■Exhibition Title
BVLGARI Kaleidos: Colour, Culture and Craftsmanship
■Date
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 - Monday, December 15, 2025
■Closed Days
Every Tuesday *Open on Tuesday, September 23rd (National Holiday) and closed on Wednesday, September 24th
■Opening hours
10:00-18:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays) *Last admission 30 minutes before closing
■ Venue
The National Art Center, Tokyo Special Exhibition Room 2E
7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8558 https://www.nact.jp
■ Organizer
The National Art Center, Tokyo, Bvlgari
■ Sponsor
Italian Embassy in Japan
■ Admission fee
Adults: 2,300 yen, University students: 1,000 yen, High school students: 500 yen (all prices include tax)
*Free admission for junior high school students and younger
*Free admission for those with a disability certificate (including one accompanying person)
*This exhibition will have tickets with designated dates and times. More information will be posted on the website at a later date.
