FinancialsApr 15, 2025
LVMH’s Q1 Sales Slip 2 PercentMajorsApr 23, 2025
Bulgari Doubles Size of Jewelry Factory in Italy
Located in Valenza, the now 355,000-square-foot facility includes a new jewelry school that’s open to the public, Scuola Bulgari.
PHOTO Last week, Bulgari inaugurated the opening of the addition to its jewelry manufacturing facility in Valenza, Italy. The facility is now more than 350,000 square feet and is the biggest jewelry factory in the world dedicated to manufacturing for one brand. (Photo courtesy of Bulgari)
PHOTO An aerial view of the expanded facility. The white building in the front is the Cascina dell’Orefice, or “golden farmhouse,” a historic building Bulgari restored that is said to have been the home of the region’s first goldsmith. (Photo credit: Matteo Carassale)
PHOTO Manifattura Bulgari employed fewer than 400 people when it opened in 2017, but the company said it plans to grow the workforce to more than 1,600 in the next four years. (Photo courtesy of Bulgari)
Valenza, Italy—Bulgari has expanded the size of its jewelry factory in Italy to more than 350,000 square feet, with the aim of doubling production by 2029 and employing over 1,600 people.
The LVMH-owned brand inaugurated the expansion of the factory in Valenza, Italy—a hub for goldsmiths—with a ceremony last week that included a panel discussion and a guided tour of the facility led by Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin and other top executives from LVMH and Bulgari.
It is now the largest single-brand jewelry manufacturing facility in the world, according to Bulgari.
“Today marks a historic milestone not only for Bulgari, but also for the territory of Valenza and the global jewelry industry,” Babin said at the factory’s opening ceremony on April 16. “The expansion of our [facility] is far more than a doubling in size and production capacity—it is the realization of a bold, contemporary vision for what the luxury industry must become in the future.
“This project is designed to integrate new crafts from the jewelry world … while enhancing education and training, fostering workplace well-being, and protecting the environment.”
Related stories will be right here …
The LVMH-owned brand inaugurated the expansion of the factory in Valenza, Italy—a hub for goldsmiths—with a ceremony last week that included a panel discussion and a guided tour of the facility led by Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin and other top executives from LVMH and Bulgari.
It is now the largest single-brand jewelry manufacturing facility in the world, according to Bulgari.
“Today marks a historic milestone not only for Bulgari, but also for the territory of Valenza and the global jewelry industry,” Babin said at the factory’s opening ceremony on April 16. “The expansion of our [facility] is far more than a doubling in size and production capacity—it is the realization of a bold, contemporary vision for what the luxury industry must become in the future.
“This project is designed to integrate new crafts from the jewelry world … while enhancing education and training, fostering workplace well-being, and protecting the environment.”
The original 151,000-square-foot Manifattura Bulgari opened in 2017 as a replacement for its factories in Valenza and Solonghello, Italy.
The addition is about 205,000 square feet, bringing the total size of the facility to a little more than 355,000 square feet.
The factory employed 370 people when it opened eight years ago.
That number has since grown to more than 1,100 and Bulgari said it expects to hire more than 500 craftspeople by 2029 as production grows.
Included as part of the addition is Scuola Bulgari, a jewelry school that is open to all.
The brand said Scuola Bulgari is its first publicly accessible jewelry training school and the first school within a jewelry manufacturing facility.
Bulgari’s new jewelry school located within its Valenza factory, Scuola Bulgari, is open to the public, while the company’s existing jewelry academy is for employees of the brand only. (Photo courtesy of Bulgari)
It will operate alongside the Bulgari Jewelry Academy, which is the brand’s school for new employees that teaches the techniques used in creating the brand’s jewelry.
“At Scuola Bulgari, students will be trained by master goldsmiths, academic experts, and established professionals in the jewelry industry,” Bulgari Jewelry Managing Director Corinne Le Foll said.
“Together with the Bulgari Jewelry Academy, launched in 2017, this new educational initiative represents both concrete and symbolic investment in the genius and artistry of Made in Italy.”
According to Bulgari, the factory runs on renewable energy, with a geothermal system and more than 4,100 solar panels providing 50 percent of the plant’s power. The other half is supplied entirely by other renewable energy sources.
The manufacturing facility also has a no-plastics policy, optimized air treatment, precise temperature control, and water management systems.
More on Majors
The Latest
EditorsSep 15, 2025
Skipping the Necklace, Embracing Snakes: The Best Jewelry From the 2025 Emmy AwardsAssociate Editor Natalie Francisco shares eight of her favorite jewelry looks from the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, held Sunday night.
SurveysSep 15, 2025
Resilient Shoppers to Boost Holiday Retail Sales, Says DeloitteIt’s predicting a rise in retail sales this holiday season despite economic uncertainty and elevated inflation.
SourcingSep 15, 2025
Gemfields Achieves $32M at High-Quality Emerald AuctionIt included the sale of the 11,685-carat “Imboo” emerald that was recently discovered at Kagem.
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment ProgramWith their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.
SourcingSep 15, 2025
AGTA Elects 8 Members to Board of Directors The newly elected directors will officially take office in February 2026 and will be introduced at the organization’s membership meeting.
Weekly QuizSep 12, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
EditorsSep 12, 2025
Out & About: Mining Sapphires in Rock Creek, MontanaAssociate Editor Lauren McLemore headed out West for a visit to Potentate Mining’s operation hosted by gemstone wholesaler Parlé Gems.
TrendsSep 12, 2025
Piece of the Week: Arunashi’s Fordite and Rhodolite EarringsFordite is a man-made material created from the layers of dried enamel paint that dripped onto the floors of automotive factories.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
Events & AwardsSep 12, 2025
Al Gilbertson Wins 2025 Robert M. Shipley AwardGilbertson has worked as a researcher, jeweler, lapidary artist, appraiser, and business owner throughout his decades in the industry.
Policies & IssuesSep 11, 2025
Supreme Court to Hear Tariffs Case in November A decision likely won’t come until January 2026 at the earliest, and the tariffs remain in effect until then.
SourcingSep 11, 2025
Need to Sell More Natural Diamonds? De Beers Has an App for ThatThe new, free app offers accessible educational content, like games and podcasts, for U.S. retailers.
SourcingSep 10, 2025
Tech Meets Style in the New Loewe x Jacob & Co. HeadphonesJacob & Co. partnered with the German technology company on two pairs of headphones, one set with diamonds and the other with sapphires.
TrendsSep 10, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Archival Jewels Bring Life to ‘Frankenstein’Guillermo del Toro’s 2025 “Frankenstein” will feature 27 jewels and objects from the storied brand, including pieces from its archives.
MajorsSep 10, 2025
24 Karat Club of New York’s Banquet to Return to Waldorf AstoriaThe Waldorf Astoria New York’s grand reopening this past summer means a homecoming for the industry group’s annual event.
SourcingSep 09, 2025
Anglo American to Merge With Canadian Copper Miner Anglo plans to merge with Teck Resources Ltd. to form Anglo Teck. The deal changes nothing about its plans to offload De Beers.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
‘The Mellon Blue’ to Return to Auction, This Time at Christie’s The 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond, which set two world auction records at Sotheby’s in 2014, is estimated to fetch up to $30 million.
AuctionsSep 09, 2025
Phillips Names Dianne Batista Head of Jewels, New YorkThe industry veteran joins the auction house as it looks to solidify its footprint in the jewelry market.
MajorsSep 09, 2025
MJSA Education Foundation Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersThe nonprofit awarded four students pursuing a professional career in jewelry making and design with $2,250 each.
IndependentsSep 08, 2025
Take a Look Inside the New Korman Store in AustinThe Texas-based jeweler has also undergone a brand refresh, debuting a new website and logo.
MajorsSep 08, 2025
MJSA Is Officially Now Under JA’s UmbrellaThe two organizations have finalized and signed the affiliation agreement announced in May.
AuctionsSep 08, 2025
Sotheby’s To Auction ‘Exceptional’ Collection of JAR, Suzanne Belperron JewelsThe single-owner sale will headline Sotheby's inaugural jewelry auction at the Breuer building, its new global headquarters, this December.
Events & AwardsSep 08, 2025
27 Can’t-Miss Converge Sessions, Events From sunrise yoga to tariffs talks, these are some events to check out at the upcoming inaugural event.
ColumnistsSep 05, 2025
Peter Smith: A Lasting Lesson From Maurice Tempelsman Smith recalls a bit of wisdom the industry leader, who died last week, shared at a diamond conference years ago.
CollectionsSep 05, 2025
Piece of the Week: Jamie Turner’s ‘Victoria’ Necklace The “Victoria” necklace features a labradorite hugged by diamond accents in 18-karat yellow gold.
Policies & IssuesSep 05, 2025
Trump Takes Tariffs Case to the Supreme Court Two lower courts have moved to block the import taxes, which will remain in place as the legal battle continues.
WatchesSep 05, 2025
Patrick Mahomes Is the New Hublot Brand AmbassadorThe Kansas City Chiefs quarterback shares Hublot’s dedication to pursuing greatness, the Swiss watchmaker said.
