Classic Cars and Classic Jewels
BVLGARI and Buick. At first glance the two appear to have nothing in common, but take a closer look and you will understand why jewelry mogul Nikola Bulgari is such a dedicated fan of the classic car manufacturer.
Created in 1881, BVLGARI is a leader in the world of luxurious jewelry. BVLGARI is based on four main concepts of excellence: outstanding quality, distinctive style, outstanding products and customer delight. It prides itself on scrupulous attention to detail and daring combinations. Standards such as these have made Bulgari into the iconic jewelry that it is today. It is more than just a gorgeous necklace or sparkling ring - BVLGARI is a lifestyle.
With similar traditions in a different industry, Buick is one of the largest carmakers in America. Like BVLGARI, Buick is based on a longstanding tradition of excellence. While many of its vehicles have evolved into American classics, Buick continues to stay on top by creating new vehicles with meticulously crafted elegance and stunning technological innovations.
As the Vice Chairman of Bulgari, it makes sense that Nikola Bulgari would appreciate the beauty of Buick classics. For more than thirty years he has been assembling one of the world’s largest collections of antique and vintage Buick automobiles. Bulgari is not the average car collector - he is not concerned with trophies or ribbons. He collects cars for no reason other than the fact that he loves cars.
Bulgari fell in love with Buick when he was a child living in Rome. Buicks were the cars driven by dignitaries, diplomats, heads of state and even the Vatican.
“I fell in love with the Buicks. To me they were a symbol of America. They had glamorous styling, personality, power and responsiveness. They are luxurious without being ostentatious and offer the quality normally associated with far more expensive import cars,” Bulgari said.
Bulgari has two Buick collections; one is kept in Italy and one in Pennsylvania. His collections have been showcased all across the country including the Antique Auto Museum at Hershey, an associate of the Smithsonian Institution.
GMnext Contributor Matt Kelly spent the day with jewelry icon Nicola Bulgari. Bulgari takes GMnext on a tour of his Cadillac and Buick vintage and classic car collection and talks about how jewelry and automotive design intersect including: a 1948 Buick Roadmaster (Dynaflow Transmission), 1941 Cadillac Series 61, 1940 Buick Super Estate Wagon (Warner Brothers gave to Bette Davis after its use in the films White Heat and Now, Voyager) and the 2004 Cadillac XLR Roadster.
Antique Auto Museum in Hershey Pennsylvania, 2008
Video Courtesy of General Motors Corporation
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