Don’t Miss: Bulgari Behind the Dream Documentary Review

Have you ever wondered how a fine jewelry creation, the most precious of all gems, is born? If so, then Bulgari’s feature documentary “Inside the Dream” is for you. Follow Lucia Silvestri, Creative Director for Bulgari Jewelry, on her journey from the initial spark of an idea at the company’s headquarters in Rome to finding the perfect gemstone in Jaipur to her debut on the red carpet in Venice.

This is the very first “docu-film” that takes us to the very heart of a high jewelry house and closely follows the 12-month process of creating a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. The film begins with Lucia Silvestri poring over gemstones in her light-filled Roman design studio, the walls lined with the hundreds of creations she has dreamed up over her 40 years at Bulgari. She touches the stones, talks to them, and runs her hands through piles of brilliant emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and tourmalines while connecting with each stone’s personality and energy. Its ease in handling the stones is the result of decades of experience in selecting gemstones and working them into breathtaking designs, all in the unmistakable, color-saturated and joyful style of the house of Bulgari.

Nicola Bulgari, grandson of Sotirio Bulgari, a Greek goldsmith who founded the company in 1884, taught Lucia his trade and he is consulted during the production of important pieces of fine jewelry. Nicola and her brother Paolo Bulgari ran the design studio together and taught Lucia how to buy stones and create jewelry to showcase their beautiful colors. This privileged upbringing has made Lucia known as the woman who buys the most extraordinary gemstones in the world, a high-stakes task that requires knowledge, courage and a clear vision of what the final jewel is.

One of the few women to reach such heights in this traditionally male-dominated world, Lucia takes us on a shopping spree with her in Jaipur, India, one of the most important centers of gemstone trading in color in the world. Relationships in the gemstone world are built over years and trust is at the heart of every transaction. Lucia has earned the respect of the most prominent gem dealers who open their coffers to reveal dazzling hordes of gloriously luminous gems, rich in saturated color offering an Aladdin’s cave of temptation.

The elegant and cunning Lucia has a very special mission for this foray into Jaipur: she is in search of an exceptional emerald to put at the heart of a new Serpenti necklace, a unique creation which represents one of the most precious ever created by the Italian jeweler.

The Pink City, as Jaipur is known for its rose-hued ancient buildings, provides an exotic backdrop to the serious work of selecting gemstones, negotiating a price and arranging details such as size, polishing and timing. The jewel on which Lucia has set her sights is a 4 kg. Colombian Emerald that a distinguished family of gemstone dealers have kept to themselves for decades, waiting for that special gem to present itself. Lucia convinces the gem dealer to cut a 93.83-carat cabochon-cut emerald from the rough for the Serpenti Hypnotic Emerald necklace she has in mind.

Back in Rome, the design team weighs design options for this extraordinary emerald and we see hand painted gouaches come to life on the design and others that will adorn Lucia inspired gemstone purchases. But this is only the beginning. A constant back and forth takes place between the design team and the master craftsmen of Bulgari’s high jewelry workshop who spend hundreds, if not thousands of hours, making each piece of jewelry entirely by hand.

Each step of the process is closely studied by the design team, foreman and Lucia herself, who has the final say on each piece. Ease of wear, flexibility and perfect magnificence are the keys to creating a jewel top worthy of the Bulgari name.

And no fine jewelry masterpiece is complete without a beautiful woman to wear it. Actress Zendaya was lucky enough to wear the Serpenti Hypnotic on her first outing and dazzled the world at the 78th Venice Film Festival in 2021, the culmination of this masterpiece’s year-long journey impressive. Four other glamorous and accomplished women feature in the documentary. Chiara Ferragni, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Lily Aldridge and Lalisa aka Lisa all appear in the film choosing jewelry for key red carpet moments and sharing their love for these most luxurious designs they will ever wear.

Inside the Dream is available on Prime Video