{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O9319"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O9319/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT1416/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BT1416/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BT1416","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Bulgari S.p.a.","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BR2914","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Bulgari S.p.a.","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BR2874","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Bulgari S.p.a.","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AN9359","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Bulgari S.p.a.","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AN9360","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/Bulgari S.p.a.","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AP0119","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O9319","accessionNumber":"M.6:1 to 3-1998","objectType":"Bracelet","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"During the 1980s and 1990s the commercial jewellers and great jewellery houses developed some innovatory designs, such as Bulgari, in Rome. It was also the time when famous Italian fashion designers were at the forefront of the fashion world.\r\n\r\nThe Bulgaris, of Greek origin, came to Rome in 1881. Today's flagship store in the Via Condotti, where the rich and famous bought their jewels, was opened in 1905. Bulgari is today represented worldwide. \r\n\r\nThis bracelet belongs to the <i>Gemme Nummarie</i> (Coin Gems) series which have become Bulgari's trademark, intermingling their Greek roots with Roman culture. In the mid-1960s Bulgari resumed the ancient tradition of mounting coins in jewellery, and since then has continued to integrate ancient coins from different countries and periods into varying modern designs. This series has proven to be one of their great successes.","physicalDescription":"Flexible yellow and white gold bracelet of <font -u>Tubogas</font> constuction mounted with a silver drachma of Alexander the Great (king, 336-323 B.C.) within a yellow gold setting formed, at the front, of two rings.\r\n\r\nThe silver drachma was minted in Macedonia.   On the obverse, head of Hercules; reverse, seated figure of Zeus.\r\n \r\nThe catch is opened by squeezing the prominent bar.\r\n\r\nAll the marks described were punched by the makers, following Italian practice (they were not applied by an assay office).","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Bulgari","id":"C85"},"association":{"text":"jewellers","id":"AAT25409"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Pier Vittorio Crova s.r.l.","id":"A1211"},"association":{"text":"goldsmiths","id":"AAT25319"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"},{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"raising","id":"AAT237068"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Yellow and white gold.  The <font -u>Tubogas</font> technique 'consists of wrapping two long gold strips with raised edges around a core - either of copper or wood.  The edges then interlock onto one another, requiring no soldering.  The core is then removed, either by simply drawing it out or dissolving it in acid' (D. Mascetti, and A. Triossi, <font -u>Bvlgari</font> , Milan, 1996, pp. 153-155).  Where, as in the case of this bracelet, there are two golds of contrasting colour, it appears that three strips of gold must have been wound together.","categories":[{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"},{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2008BT1416","2007BR2914","2007BR2874","2006AN9359","2006AN9360","2006AP0119"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"91","id":"THES49703"},"free":"","case":"42","shelf":"D","box":"3"},{"current":{"text":"017","id":"THES412479"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"017","id":"THES412479"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Bracelet","id":"AAT46001"}],[{"text":"Box","id":""}],[{"text":"Insert","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Valenza","id":"x30000"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1993","earliest":"1988-01-01","latest":"1997-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Bulgari","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"19.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"2.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"ALEXANDER III DER GROSSE 336-323 v. Chr","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscription; decoration; on back of mount for the coin; engraved"},{"content":"BVLGARI","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"on back of bracelet, beside catch; punched"},{"content":"'750' within an elongated hexagon","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Standard mark (Hallmark); on back of bracelet, beside catch; punched"},{"content":"Five-pointed star followed by '2237 AL' within a rectangle with rounded ends","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Maker's mark (Hallmark); on back of bracelet, beside catch; punched; Pier Vittorio Crova s.r.l."}],"objectHistory":"The inscription identifying the coin as being from the reign of Alexander the Great is in German because this particular bracelet was ordered by the Zurich branch of Bulgari  which opened in 1993.  One of  the systems of ordering by the individual branches is that representatives come to Rome on particular days in the year and, having seen the models on offer, place their orders.\n\nHistorical significance: The bracelet combines two characteritic features of Bulgari jewellery: the <font -u>Tubogas</font> technique, which was first used  by Bulgari in the 1950s (compare the bracelet by Cartier  made in 1937, M.144-1987), and the mounting of  coins,  a fashion which Bulgari championed from the mid-1960s.  Daniela Mascetti and Amanda Triossi (see references, 1996, p. 119) describe how the mounting of coins  was revived almost by accident following gifts of  Roman coins to Nicolo Bulgari by his godfather to mark his wedding anniversaries..  Coins have taken on great significance in Bulgari jewellery and are referred to as 'Gemme Nummarie'.\r\n\r\nMascetti and Triossi suggest that\r\n\r\n'the reason these apparently insignificant gifts have had such enormous consequences  for the development of Bulgari style is that the use of coins in the context of jewellery in many ways reflects the firm's aspirations.  Bulgari has always been proud of  its origins, rooted in the classical Greek tradition and enhanced by Roman culture.  By using ancient Greek and Roman coins in modern pieces of jewellery Bulgari is making overt reference to its Hellenic origins grafted in Rome.  This confirms the attention to its cultural heritage and the necessity of continuity with the past - an idea which is very dear to the heart of Bulgari.' (1996,  p.122).","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Yellow and white gold 'Tubogas' bracelet by Bulgari, Rome, made ca. 1993,  mounted with a silver drachma of Alexander the Great (king, 336-323 B.C.).\n\nBlack presentation box for bracelet, with cream suede lining, Bulgari, Rome, ca.1993\n\nRemovable suede lined insert for mounting a bracelet in a presentation box , Bulgari, Rome, ca.1993","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Mascetti, Daniela and Triossi, Amanda, <i>Bulgari</i>. Milan, Leonardo Arte s.r.l., 1996, 'The Use of Coins; (pp.111-113), 'The Tubogas; (pp.151-157)"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Alexander the Great","id":"N28"},{"text":"Zeus","id":"N115"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Simple label text\r\n\r\nBRACELET\r\nYellow and white gold <font -u> Tubogas</font> strap mounted with silver drachma of Alexander the Great (king, 336-323 B.C.)\r\nBulgari, Rome\r\nMade by Pier Vittorio Crova s.r.l., Valenza, Italy, ca. 1993\r\n\r\nM.6-1998\r\nGiven by Bulgari","date":{"text":"22/10/1998","earliest":"1998-10-22","latest":"1998-10-22"}}],"partNumbers":["M.6:1-1998","M.6:2-1998","M.6:3-1998"],"accessionNumberNum":"6","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1998,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Bracelet","Box","Insert"],"assets":["2019LP5147","2019LT6181","2019LU0009","2021MV0583"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-16","recordCreationDate":"1998-10-14","availableToBook":false}}