Bvlgari's Lucia Silvestri on Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Zendaya and How She Chooses Brand Ambassadors

A sultry October afternoon in Mumbai finds the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) hum with the anticipation of a major (and undoubtedly celebrity-studded) event. Designers set up backdrops stamped with Bvlgari’s unmistakeable branding, brand representatives dart around with walkie-talkies in hand, journalists queue up for back-to-back interviews.

But step into a quiet side room, and the energy shifts. There sits Lucia Silvestri, executive creative director of Bvlgari jewellery. She’s dressed in a plain beige suit, but her jewels — layered necklaces, a cabochon cocktail ring, a stack of bracelets and gem-studded earrings catching the light — do all the talking.

“I have a special connection with gems,” she tells The Hollywood Reporter India, pulling out sketches from the brand’s Serpenti Infinito Exhibit, which was on display at NMACC last month.

One sketch illustrates the Serpenti Maharani Secret necklace — boasting a 109.27‑carat cabochon rubellite stone, surrounded by diamonds and turquoise. It’s the very necklace that actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Bvlgari’s global brand ambassador, wore to their gala later that evening. Also present at the event were actors Tamannaah Bhatia, Keerthy Suresh, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and business-woman Isha Ambani Piramal, adorned in Bvlgari jewellery.

“Last year, I saw this rubellite in the rough and spoke to the owner,” Silvestri says. “I said I’d like a pear shape, more than 100 carats with a soft, beautiful, cabochon stone.” From the rough stone to the red carpet, it took a month to design, six months to realise and a year to bring to life. She adds: “It was my dream.”

When Silvestri talks about gems, it’s clear this is more than a passion. She reflects on the actors who’ve worn them, the thoughtful decisions behind choosing ambassadors who showcase them, her early days with the Bulgari brothers (Gianni, Paolo and Nicola Bulgari), and the one place that continues to shape her design language — India.

From Biology to Bvlgari

Long before she was designing jewellery for the world’s biggest stars, Silvestri was studying biology, planning a life as a nutritionist. “The first time I walked into Mr. Bulgari’s office, I was 20,” she says. “I discovered my love for gems thanks to the three brothers.” But as a young woman working in a male-dominated industry, Silvestri learned quickly that passion wasn’t always enough.

“It was quite difficult,” she says of her early years with the company. “I was very young, and a girl. When I started to select gems and play with colours it was okay, but people often told me they didn’t want to negotiate with me and are waiting for Mr. Bulgari. It was [especially] difficult in India.” But Silvestri was determined. She knew she wanted to be a buyer of gems, not just an admirer.

The Perfect Match

When asked how they pick their ambassadors, Silvestri has but two words to say: “Personality...Priyanka.” Chopra Jonas’s love for jewels, respect for tradition, and values are what made her the perfect choice. “She can talk about the brand in a very warm way, and it’s not a normal ambassador [-brand relationship]. She really loves Bvlgari.”

Of course, the brand has been seen on the wrists, necks and fingers of countless actors over the years. Actor Elizabeth Taylor was such a devoted fan that she reportedly visited the boutique every day while filming Cleopatra in Rome. Silvestri also highlights actor Zendaya’s unforgettable moment at the Venice Film Festival, where she wore one of their most remarkable stones. “The hypnotic emerald. That was one of the most iconic moments for our brand, and magic for me, because I followed the creation [of the necklace] and the [discovery] of the stone. A 93-carat emerald with a cabochon stone is amazing,” she explains.

But that’s not all. Actor Sharon Stone wore Bvlgari during the shoot of Casino (1995) with Robert De Niro in 1995, while Gina Lollobrigida wore it while making a toast with the painter Salvador Dalí at a New York gala in 1965. Sophia Loren was bedecked in their jewels in 1960 at the premiere of La Ciociara, and more recently, actor and brand ambassador Anne Hathaway wore Bvlgari at the 2025 Serpenti Infinito Exhibition in Shanghai.

But Silvestri’s first muse will always be her mother, now 91, who loves wearing simple yet elegant jewellery. When asked about her favourite piece, Silvestri points to her own cocktail ring. “Though that’s a tough question,” she admits. “I have 15 rings of this kind with different gems. My goal is to have 20. When I wear the Mandarin garnet, I feel the fire inside. The cabochon cut is so sensual, so soft.”

In India, gemstones tend to come with a side of superstition, whether it’s Amitabh Bachchan’s sapphire or Ekta Kapoor’s ruby. But Silvestri doesn’t buy into that. Instead, she continues to talk about energy — and emotion. To her, they are gifts of nature. “Some gems calm me, while others make me excited,” she says.

This connection, combined with her respect for tradition, led to Bvlgari’s take on the Indian mangalsutra. “We wanted to do something special for India,” Silvestri says. “Ours features black onyx and the Bvlgari signature. We wanted to honour this tradition, but in a way that feels very Bvlgari. It’s the [connection] between India and Italy.”

The India Connection

This relationship between Bvlgari and India, that is Italian design language and Indian gemstone craftsmanship, goes way back to her first trip to India, with Mr. Bulgari himself. It was the beginning of a love affair with a country that would forever inspire her palette.

“It was a gift to be with him because he was in love with India. I discovered Jaipur with him. We had the opportunity to visit hidden places too, like the Maharaja’s palace and it was amazing.”

In Jaipur especially, where she could work closely with cutters and suppliers, Silvestri found the space not only to source the stones — but to shape their destinies. “It’s more special because I can see the gems from the rough. Sometimes, and now quite often, I can suggest cuts. The cutters and suppliers, they trust me,” she says.

That foundation of trust has led to some of Bvlgari’s most iconic creations — such as the Maharani necklace or the Serpenti Apsaras. But what makes these pieces truly stand out is their versatility. Set with tsavorite, turquoise, amethysts, emeralds and diamonds, the Apsaras, for instance, allows the stones to be interchanged and worn in different ways — as dangling earrings or as studs. “This is a challenge for me and the artisan, but it’s more interesting for the consumer — they can wear it in different ways,” Silvestri says.

Because real luxury isn’t just worn — it’s lived in, loved, and passed on. It’s an extension of who wears it, and nobody knows that better than the woman who brings it to life.