Unlike some high-fashion brands that play hard to get by putting you on a waitlist for years, Bulgari is booming, expanding in size and ambition with the world’s largest jewelry manufacturing plant. Located in the countryside of Valenza, Italy, the facility has grown from 204,514 square feet to 355,209 square feet, with two new units added to the original building. The largest single-branded precious jewelry manufacturing facility in the world seamlessly combines style and sustainability, with a strong focus on renewable energy. The structure features over 4,100 photovoltaic panels that cover up to 50 percent of the site’s energy needs, while the remainder is sourced from other renewable energy sources.
The facility also enforces a plastic-free policy and even houses a bee farm that produces Bulgari honey. With production scaling up, Bulgari plans to hire 500 new craftsmen, creating a total of 1,600 jobs by 2029. To ensure that craftsmanship remains at the highest level, a new building will house the Scuola Bvlgari, launched in partnership with TADS (Tarì Design School). The professional training school in goldsmithing and gemstone setting, spanning 1,000 square meters, will open in September, welcoming 80 students per year.
According to the Fashion Network, Jean-Christophe Babin stated, “It will be the first jewelry school located inside a manufacturing facility, welcoming students who will attain a diploma validated and recognized by the Italian government. At the end, graduates can either start their careers at Bulgari or explore opportunities around the world.” The facility, which produces between 6 and 7 million pieces annually, is divided into offices, a quality control department, and about 20 workshops. These workshops are designed to inspire artisans, offering brightly lit workbenches equipped with microscopes or magnifying glasses. Tens of thousands of jewelry pieces are produced each month at Valenza.
The Roman luxury label, acquired by LVMH in 2011 for €4.3 billion, plans to double its production capacity by 2029 and grow its staff from 370 to between 1,600 and 1,700 employees. The Bulgari site, the first and only jewelry manufacturing facility in the world to be 100% powered by renewable energy, has been built using innovative technologies and low-impact materials to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification, one of the most rigorous sustainable construction standards.
