What better place to debut the new Bulgari high jewelry collection than at the Oscars?
On Sunday, brand ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas was the first to wear the Serpenti Illusio necklace, which she paired with a white strapless Dior dress.
The new Eclectica collection explores painting, sculpture and architecture, with the Serpenti Illusio necklace drawing inspiration specifically from sculpture. The piece features a 14.01-carat antique cushion-cut sapphire from Madagascar, with triangular motifs, pavé diamonds, emerald accents and onyx.
“A lot of the gemstones for Bulgari come from India, so it hits really home to me, that amazing Roman craftsmanship and these beautiful Indian gemstones,” Chopra Jonas said on Saturday following a photo shoot, ahead of the big Oscars night. “But it’s amazing because I get a sneak peek before anybody else does. And I’ve worn some really iconic pieces over my association with them for the last few years now.”
Priyanka Chopra Jonas getting ready for the Oscars with Bulgari.
Greg Williams/ Courtesy of Bulgari
The Serpenti Illusio took 1,300 hours of craftsmanship to create.
“It is called a Serpenti Illusio because it’s got a secret serpent hidden within the structure of the necklace, which you don’t see until you really look for it,” Chopra Jonas said. “It has this 14-carat, cushion-cut sapphire right in the middle of it. And it has the serpentine emerald and black, which takes off from my dress because my dress has these little black accents.”
“The idea of the dress was for it to be really classically Hollywood, but at the same time have a modernity to it,” Chopra Jonas said. “It has these geometrical pieces in the silhouette of the dress, which also the necklace has. So the necklace sits in the V of the neck of the dress really beautiful. And that was intentional with both houses, [for] Bulgari and Dior to work to find both working really beautifully together.”
Priyanka Chopra Jonas getting ready for the Oscars with Bulgari.
Greg Williams/ Courtesy of Bulgari
On Oscars night, Chopra Jonas presented the award for Best International Feature alongside Javier Bardem, which went to “Sentimental Value” of Norway. While she’s attended the awards a few times, Sunday night was a special one.
“I’m going with my husband for the first time, actually. I’ve been to the Oscars a few times, but never been with him because it was before him,” she said. “So that’ll be fun as well.”
Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas at the 98th annual Oscars held at Dolby Theatre on March 15 in Hollywood.
Lexie Moreland/WWD
