Learning Jewellery Craftsmanship Where It’s Actually Made
The Manifattura Bvlgari in Valenza, Italy, is a place where tradition meets utility. It is not just the home of Bvlgari’s production,it is now a school.
Scuola Bvlgari is the brand’s first jewellery training centre open to the public. Its launch is scheduled for September 2025. Two core programmes,goldsmithing and gem-setting will offer direct access to the methods used in professional jewellery ateliers.
The facility forms part of Bvlgari’s expanded manufacturing campus, now measuring over 33,000 square metres. This is the largest single-brand jewellery production site in the world. It combines operational output with structured skills development.
Who Is Bvlgari?
Founded in Rome in 1884, Bvlgari is one of Italy’s most recognised luxury brands. Known for its distinctive style, the brand has played a defining role in modern jewellery design. Throughout the years, a fragrance line, a hospitality sector, and more accessories have been added to the collection. As a former Italian brand, the stylistic approach of Bvlgari has always focused on design accuracy, daring colours, and working influences of constructions. Today, Bvlgari is a member of LVMH—the largest luxury group in the world. Its craftsmanship still works around Italian tradition.
Scuola Bvlgari serves to reflect and uphold high working standards while nurturing a new age to master the brand’s techniques, making it a focus of concern for Bvlgari.
Who Can Apply?
The school is open to individuals aged 18 and above with a high school diploma. Prior jewellery-making experience is not required. The focus is on manual aptitude and a willingness to learn.
Courses are accessible globally. Applications are open to international students and are processed through the school’s website.
Programme Details: Practical Training, Real Techniques
The goldsmithing course spans 1,680 hours and is conducted over approximately 20 months. Sessions run weekdays from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Training includes fundamental skills in soldering, bending, polishing, and lost-wax casting. Additionally, students are taught 3D rendering and technical design.
The gem-setting course is shorter in length and spans 600 hours from September 2025 to June 2026. It focuses on precision techniques, including pavé, claw, bezel, and prong settings. The curriculum also integrates gemological study to support technical accuracy.
Both programmes are led by certified professionals and take place within specialised laboratories equipped with production-grade tools. These include binocular microscopes, GRS spheres, pneumatic gravers, and CAD design systems.
Why Valenza?
Valenza has been a known centre of jewellery craftsmanship in Italy since the 19th century. Its infrastructure and skilled labour base made it a natural site for Bvlgari’s manufacturing expansion.
From 2017 to 2025, the Manifattura Bvlgari has grown from 14,000 to 33,000 sqm. This scale-up is aligned with the brand’s goal to employ over 1,600 people in Valenza by 2029. Current figures show more than 50% of employees at the facility are women, with global leadership at Bvlgari comprising 62% women managers.
Global Accessibility and Industry Relevance
The Scuola Bvlgari programme is designed for a diverse global applicant pool. Students from a variety of countries and backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The language of instruction is English, with no Italian language skills required.
By situating the school within a live manufacturing context, Bvlgari offers not just theoretical education but exposure to real production settings. This is a key differentiator for those seeking employment or freelance work in the global jewellery industry.
The school operates in partnership with Tarì Design School (TADS), based in Marcianise, which brings pedagogical structure and a background in Italian design education.
Admissions and Daily Expectations
The application is straightforward. Prospective students submit a form through the official Scuola Bvlgari website. Some candidates may be invited for an interview to assess manual aptitude and motivation.
Classes run on-site in Valenza. There are no remote learning options. Attendance is required during weekday morning sessions. Tuition details have not been made public as of this writing.
Students must make independent arrangements for accommodation in Valenza. Informal networks are reportedly available to help with relocation support.
Craftsmanship as a Corporate Strategy
The unveiling of Scuola Bvlgari signals a shift in luxury: brands are funnelling funds into training centres to battle the lack of certain skills and to keep the craftsmanship at its height.
This approach champions vertical integration and maintains the aura of a brand. Furthermore, it sets up a clear and formalised route for fresh talent, which is almost always funnelled through sketchy and unstructured apprenticeship networks.
For businesses annoyingly dealing with skill-set growth issues, the way Bvlgari did, this is a blueprint that can be followed—particularly if combined with regional academic institutions.
Takeaways for Global Readers
For those considering a transition into hands-on, production-based roles, Scuola Bvlgari presents a credible option. It is one of the few publicly accessible programmes housed inside a functioning luxury jewellery facility.
For global brands, the school offers insight into how craftsmanship and workforce development can coexist within a single operational site. Training is no longer confined to workshops or academia—it now sits at the heart of production.
Bvlgari’s initiative in Valenza may mark a turning point in how luxury brands approach skills, training, and legacy-building in a globalised world.