Ring the changes: Bulgari and Zaha Hadid

Since its creation 17 years ago to mark the new millennium, Bulgari's B.Zero1 ring has been regularly reimagined in different materials and finishes by the Italian jewellery house and its collaborators.

Bulgari's strong Roman heritage is reflected in the ring through a design that's based on the emblematic Colosseum. Since it was first unveiled, the B.Zero1 has become an icon of the brand and a symbol of Bulgari's classic style and innovation.

Now it has been given a new lease of life thanks to the creative magic of the late, great British architect Zaha Hadid, who was asked in the summer of 2015 to reinterpret the B.Zero1. Her response was to weave the design into a fluid representation of the Colosseum, using sinuous strands of filigree gold to create a delicate and beautiful three-dimensional spiral.

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While the Italian jewellery house and the Iraqi-born British architect have very distinct creative identities, the B.Zero1 shows just how complementary their two approaches can be. As it happens, Bulgari and Hadid have collaborated before. During the Salone del Mobile furniture fair in 2015, the architect designed an installation at the Bulgari Hotel that paid tribute to the brand's famous Serpenti collection.

This is sadly the last project born of the partnership, but one that will be held in high esteem.

bulgari.com