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Marina B is known for its use of gemstones, as evidenced by this emerald, sapphire and diamond ring that brought $3,250 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2022. Image courtesy of Hindman and LiveAuctioneers.

Italian jeweler Marina B succeeded on her own terms

Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Sheila Gibson Stoodley

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Marina B is known for its use of gemstones, as evidenced by this emerald, sapphire and diamond ring that brought $3,250 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2022. Image courtesy of Hindman and LiveAuctioneers.
Marina B is known for its use of gemstones, as evidenced by this emerald, sapphire, and diamond ring that brought $3,250 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2022. Image courtesy of Hindman and LiveAuctioneers.

NEW YORK — Marina Bulgari (b. 1930-) was destined by birthright for the jewelry business but determined to find her own path. She began her career working in the family business, Bulgari, which her grandfather started. After studying art and design in college, she joined the company and began designing, eventually helping run Bulgari when her father died in 1973. She spent nearly five years there before launching her own jewelry firm, Marina B. Because she was not able to use the company name for her fledgling business, she went with a modified version of her own name, reducing the ‘B’ in ‘Bulgari’ to its first letter. She debuted her first collection in 1978 and soon had legions of devotees captivated by her bold and colorful designs.

Many of her best-loved pieces date from the 1980s, when her designs were worn by the likes of royalty and celebrities such as Grace Kelly, Jackie Onassis, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Sinatra, and Queen Noor of Jordan. Her designs are still popular now, well into the 21st century.

“Collectors are looking for bold and strong Italian designs from the 1980s with important center stones, and Marina B is known for mixing silver and gold, as in her Soleil collection, for example,” said Nathalie Combe, jewelry and watches department manager at Piguet HDV Hôtel des Ventes in Geneva, Switzerland. Combe noted that collectors are drawn to her interchangeable Pneus pieces. “You can easily change the Pneus in amethyst, for example, to one with citrine. It’s very fun to change part of your earrings without buying a new pair,” Combe said, adding, “You can match with your outfit.”

This gold and blackened gold choker necklace by Marina B made CHF190,000 ($225,530) plus the buyer’s premium in June 2023. Image courtesy of Piguet Hôtel des Ventes and LiveAuctioneers.
This gold and blackened gold choker necklace by Marina B made CHF190,000 ($225,530) plus the buyer’s premium in June 2023. Image courtesy of Piguet Hôtel des Ventes and LiveAuctioneers.

She also said that another key part of a Marina B collection would be a choker necklace with a gold mount. Combe sold just such a necklace in June 2023 at Piguet Hôtel des Ventes — a gold and blackened gold example centered on an 18.04-carat diamond flanked by two smaller diamonds, which earned CHF190,000 ($225,530) plus the buyer’s premium. The piece is notable for its bold curves and the stark, restrained appearance that comes courtesy of the blackened gold.

“The diamond of the necklace has a very nice reflection of light due to the bezel set and the special cut of the diamond,” Combe said. “This piece is unique with an impressive and well-matched brilliant-cut diamond to contrast with the sobriety of the mount.”

A circa-1980s-1990s pair of Marina B gold and blackened gold earclips set with diamonds attained CHF400,000 ($475,490) plus the buyer’s premium in June 2023. Image courtesy of Piguet Hôtel des Ventes and LiveAuctioneers.
A circa-1980s-1990s pair of Marina B gold and blackened gold earclips set with diamonds attained CHF400,000 ($475,490) plus the buyer’s premium in June 2023. Image courtesy of Piguet Hôtel des Ventes and LiveAuctioneers.

Also emblematic of the designer’s 1980s aesthetic is a pair of gold and blackened gold earclips set with diamonds, which attained CHF400,000 ($475,490) in June 2023 at Piguet Hôtel des Ventes. Their chestnut shape was a favorite motif for the brand.

Combe also recommended the Triangoli collection for novices looking to build a collection of Marina B jewelry, suggesting a bracelet or necklace in plain gold or augmented with diamonds. Translating to the word “triangles,” the name of this collection — and its look — is heavily influenced by geometry. Reportedly, a gem dealer in Antwerp, Belgium presented a group of triangular diamonds to Marina Bulgari in 1978, and she drew inspiration from their shape. A set of three gold Triangoli necklaces and a pair of earclips brought CHF26,000 ($30,925) plus the buyer’s premium in June 2023 at Piguet Hôtel des Ventes.

A 1980s Marina B set of three Triangoli gold necklaces and a pair of earclips took CHF26,000 ($30,925) plus the buyer’s premium in June 2023. Image courtesy of Piguet Hôtel des Ventes and LiveAuctioneers.
A 1980s Marina B set of three Triangoli gold necklaces and a pair of earclips took CHF26,000 ($30,925) plus the buyer’s premium in June 2023. Image courtesy of Piguet Hôtel des Ventes and LiveAuctioneers.

The market for Marina B pieces has been robust of late. Collectors from both Europe and the United States compete heavily with each other for her vintage pieces. “Marina B jewelry is definitely on the rise in the secondary market,” said April Matteini, an associate director of jewelry and watches at Hindman, based in Chicago. “Many of the pieces coming up at auction now are from the original owners. While beautiful, well-crafted jewelry never goes out of style, Marina B’s bold, gold and colorful design style is trending.”

A pair of Marina B diamond and cultured pearl earclips sold above its $8,000-$12,000 estimate for $17,000 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2022. Image courtesy of Hindman and LiveAuctioneers.
A pair of Marina B diamond and cultured pearl earclips sold above its $8,000-$12,000 estimate for $17,000 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2022. Image courtesy of Hindman and LiveAuctioneers.

Diamonds and pearls are always a popular combination in jewelry, and a pair of Marina B diamond and cultured pearl earclips proved the point by selling above its estimate for $17,000 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2022 at Hindman. “The diamond and cultured pearl earrings that sold in a Hindman Important Jewelry auction for $21,250 [with buyer’s premium] against an estimate of $8,000-$12,000 were a contemporary take on traditional materials — diamonds and pearls. Despite their size, they are extremely comfortable, which should always be a consideration when purchasing jewelry,” said Matteini. “While the earrings are not the bold gold associated with Marina B, they incorporated a stylized wave motif, which is often used in her designs.”

A Marina B 18K gold demi parure with necklace and earrings earned €22,000 ($24,290) plus the buyer’s premium in May 2023. Image courtesy of Finarte and LiveAuctioneers.
A Marina B 18K gold demi parure with necklace and earrings earned €22,000 ($24,290) plus the buyer’s premium in May 2023. Image courtesy of Finarte and LiveAuctioneers.

Marina Bulgari enjoyed designing pieces that featured lively combinations and contrasts of gemstones or black onyx against gold or diamonds. While these jewels are highly sought after, she also created many stunning pieces solely in gold, such as the 18K gold demi parure with necklace and earrings that made €22,000 ($24,290) plus the buyer’s premium in May 2023 at Finarte.

While Bulgari no longer owns her brand — she sold it in 1999 — Marina B lives on, and several of her signature collections are still in production. One of those is the Onda collection; the name translates from Italian as “wave.” An Onda diamond necklace with clusters of pavé diamonds realized CHF14,000 ($16,640) plus the buyer’s premium in June 2023 at Piguet Hôtel des Ventes.

An Onda diamond necklace by Marina B realized CHF14,000 ($16,640) plus the buyer’s premium in June 2023. Image courtesy of Piguet Hôtel des Ventes and LiveAuctioneers.
An Onda diamond necklace by Marina B realized CHF14,000 ($16,640) plus the buyer’s premium in June 2023. Image courtesy of Piguet Hôtel des Ventes and LiveAuctioneers.

As with other examples of superior design, Marina B jewelry stands the test of time and continues to lure new generations of collectors. “Similar to pieces by the house of Bulgari, where Marina began her career, Marina B jewelry has an easily recognizable aesthetic, which many collectors appreciate. Her pieces are usually on a grand scale, chunky, often convertible, and always colorful,” said Matteini. “I think of the brand as being one of the pioneers in marketing to women buying for themselves. I expect Marina B pieces to continue gaining in popularity. I hope to see a few of them at this year’s Met Gala.”

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