Written By: Lauren Cunningham
The Roman Maison lands in Japan with nearly 350 masterpieces – from dazzling jewelry to contemporary art – all united by bold, radiant color.
What’s your favorite color? You might get asked on a particularly dull date, as you both desperately search for signs of shared taste – proof the evening wasn’t a total waste. But, be honest for a second: do you actually have one? And if you do, does it truly mean anything? Perhaps it’s the soft brown of your Pomeranian, the silky mauve of the lipstick your mom always wore, or the iconic orange of your first Birkin bag – yes, that too is particularly sentimental. Consider all of these elements when it comes to color and suddenly the choosing a favorite becomes less about a quick pick of a trending tone – hello, buttermilk yellow – and more a question of what color means in our everyday lives and the stories we associate with each one. So the next time someone asks, “what’s your favorite color?” take a real minute to think of your answer, and don’t be surprised if that changes over time.
Courtesy of Bvlgari
In design, however, color is never an afterthought. Entire fashion collections can sprout from a single shade; album cover hues can spark full-blown trends – hello, Brat Green – and brands can be immediately identified by one particular pantone. But when it comes to jewelry, few understand color better than Bvlgari. It’s no wonder, then, that the luxury house is centering an entire exhibition around it. Introducing: Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures and Crafts, the Maison’s largest exhibition ever in Japan, and its first in ten years.
“At Bvlgari, we have always believed in the power of colors to tell stories and transcend time,” says Jean-Christophe Babin, Bvlgari’s CEO. “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.”
Courtesy of Bvlgari
Courtesy of Bvlgari
Courtesy of Bvlgari
Courtesy of Bvlgari
Courtesy of Bvlgari
Supported by the Italian Embassy in Japan, the exhibition features nearly 350 chromatic masterpieces spanning jewelry from the Bvlgari Heritage Collection alongside private and newly released pieces. Highlights include a platinum bangle set with cabochon sapphire, rubies, and diamonds from 1954, a dramatic clash of red and blue; a citrine bracelet in gold and platinum with diamonds, circa 1940, never before displayed outside Italy; and a circa 1978 Serpenti evening bag in tri-color gold with a silk cord and diamonds, blending yellow, rose, and a rare blue-green hue known as acqua di mare into a single show-stopping piece.
All proof that Bvlgari’s love for bold color runs deep. “Bvlgari has, for over 140 years, cultivated a bold aesthetic where color is not an accent, but a signature,” says Gislan Aucremanne, Bvlgari’s Heritage Curator Director. “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.”
And as well as the three section exhibition outlying The Science of Colors, Color Symbolism, and The Power of Light, you’ll also find works by three contemporary female artists – Lara Favaretto, Mariko Mori, and Akiko Nakayama – each showcasing what colour means to them. Yet another reminder of the meaning we associate with each shade and how that can change when they’re sitting together.
Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures and Crafts is open from September 17 to December 15, 2025 at the National Art Center Tokyo (NACT).
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