Bvlgari Launches Global Diwali Campaign in Jaipur ‘Passing the Light’

What happens when the humble Diwali diya meets the world of Roman high jewellery? In Bvlgari’s universe, it becomes an artistic installation of 4,500 hand-sculpted terracotta elements, where centuries-old Indian craftsmanship meets the distinctive geometry of one of the Maison’s most recognisable motifs.

Unveiled on October 11 at the Jaipur Centre for Art, Passing the Light marks Bvlgari’s first-ever global Diwali campaign, created in collaboration with Indian artist Doyel Joshi. Rather than interpreting the festival through the familiar vocabulary of festive opulence, the project turns its attention to the diya, the hands that shape it, and the traditions passed down through generations.

At the heart of the installation is a meeting of two distinct artistic languages. The terracotta forms draw inspiration from traditional Indian diyas, while their arrangement echoes the scales of Bvlgari’s iconic Serpenti motif.

A dialogue between clay and gold

For Joshi, the choice of terracotta goes beyond its visual appeal. The material carries a deep cultural history in India, where it has been used for centuries to create objects that are functional, sacred and deeply personal. During Diwali, the diya becomes a symbol of hope, renewal and togetherness, its significance extending well beyond the brief moment in which its flame burns.

The installation brings this symbolism into conversation with Bvlgari’s own legacy of craftsmanship. Founded in Rome in 1884, the Maison has built its identity around exceptional jewellery-making, distinctive design and an adventurous approach to colour. Its ateliers rely on specialised techniques and knowledge passed from one generation of craftspeople to the next. In Passing the Light, that continuity finds a parallel in India's terracotta traditions.

“Terracotta is not a humble material. It is a universal one. A diya belongs to the street and to the palace equally; it transcends socio-economic structures,” Joshi said of the collaboration. She described the project as a conversation between two histories of making: one shaped in clay, the other in gold, united by a shared language of craftsmanship and transmission.

The hands behind the light

The installation comprises 4,500 individually hand-sculpted terracotta elements, created in collaboration with members of the traditional kumhar community and local craftswomen through a dedicated social enterprise. Their contribution is central to the project, positioning the artisans as co-creators rather than simply participants in its making.

Each element carries subtle variations in texture and form, reflecting the nature of a material shaped by hand. When brought together, these individual pieces create a larger composition inspired by Serpenti’s repeating scales, demonstrating how a familiar motif can take on a different character when interpreted through another material and cultural context.

This emphasis on collective craftsmanship also gives the project its name. Passing the Light refers not only to the illumination associated with Diwali, but to the transmission of skills, stories and traditions between generations. It is a reminder that heritage remains alive because people continue to practise, reinterpret and pass it on.

The collaboration also reflects a wider conversation about how luxury houses engage with India's artistic traditions. Rather than treating Diwali as simply a seasonal backdrop, Bvlgari has approached the festival through a contemporary artwork rooted in the material culture of the country, bringing an Indian artist's perspective to the centre of the project.