Selling fresh meat to flog luxury watches

Wide audiences

While the brand is looking to wider audiences, it is also holding on tight to its heritage. It held the Heritage Collection Exhibition in Beijing SKP recently, with more than 110 pieces on display, including 40 pieces of precious heritage jewelry from the 1920s to today.

Highlights included an Indian-influenced set worn by the actress Keira Knightley on the red carpet at the 2006 Oscars, jewelry featuring coins from ancient Rome that Elizabeth Taylor, Andy Warhol and Grace Kelly and other celebrities are known for having worn, and a high jewelry platinum tiara adorned with diamonds made for divas.

"Not everyone has the chance to travel to Rome," Pin says. "We are taking the opportunity to bring a bit of Italy to China. The idea is to give people a flavor of the Italian spirit. We allow them to feel, to touch, to try and to experience. ...We are inviting people to get into the intimacy of the brand and to get behind the scenes."

The luxury market in China has been under pressure for the past several years, and Pin says Bulgari will continue to invest in the country because it is still one of the most important markets.

"What we try to do is to go beyond the good and bad moments and continue what we do. There is not a good or bad moment; there is the continuous moment.

"We need to talk to people, we need to romance them, educate them. That's what we do right now. We ask our team to engage and take more care of the customers."

Strong character

In China the signature Serpenti collection has been very successful because its recognizable and symbolic design appeals to the strong character of the women here, Pin says.

"In China, women are considered as strong. We have lots of business partners who are women. Many women keep their own names while in Europe women take their husbands' name. They pick the pieces themselves. It's a strong design, and it fits with the strong character of Chinese women."

The brand is going to open the first Bulgari Hotel in China in Beijing in November. It will open another in Shanghai next year. This follows the opening of the Bulgari Residences in Shanghai last year.

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