Marina B Trisolino — Three Spinning Elements on a Shared Axis
Marina B Trisolino — Three Spinning Elements on a Shared Axis
An extension of the Cardan principle to multi-element rotating jewellery
The Trisolino is a Marina B design that extends the Cardan rotating-setting principle to a three-element arrangement: three gem-set or polished-gold spheres or discs mounted on a shared horizontal axis, each free to rotate independently. The design appeared in the Marina B production in the 1980s and has been re-issued at intervals since. It is among the more mechanically ambitious of the maison's signatures and one of the pieces in which the engineering of the rotating mounts is most visible to the wearer.
Mechanical principle
The Trisolino consists of three rotating elements — typically two gem-set spheres flanking a central element, or three matched gem-set spheres of the same diameter — sharing a common pivot axis through their centres. Each element is independently free to rotate, so the wearer can spin them individually to display different faces or to vary the arrangement. The pivot axis is mounted in a frame that attaches to the ring shank, pendant bail, or earring fitting; the engineering of the bearings and the precision of the centring on each element are the technical challenges of the design.
Design vocabulary
Most Trisolino pieces use cabochon-domed spheres or shallow-domed discs in 18-karat yellow or rose gold, with cabochon coloured stones (sapphire, ruby, emerald, tourmaline, citrine, lapis lazuli, onyx) on the visible faces. The composition is generally architectural — the three elements forming a horizontal bar — and the proportions are bold, in keeping with the broader Marina B house style. Polished-gold elements alternate with gem-set ones in some configurations, providing visual rhythm.
Application
The Trisolino has been applied principally to rings and earrings. The ring format is the most common: the three rotating elements form a horizontal bar across the finger, with the wearer able to spin individual elements with the thumb. Earring Trisolinos are less common, and pendant configurations are rare because the rotating mechanism is less visible in pendant wear. The format is mechanically demanding to manufacture at scale, and Trisolino pieces are typically produced in smaller numbers than the broader Cardan and Mei lines.
Position in the line
The Trisolino is one of the more specialised Marina B signatures — less commercially central than the Cardan or Mei, but among the maison's more technically ambitious pieces and a recognisable signature within the collector community. Trisolino pieces from the 1980s and 1990s appear at auction and in private dealing, generally in smaller numbers than the broader Marina B production.
Position in the market
Trisolino rings and earrings from the original Marina Bulgari-era production trade in the four- to low five-figure range in the secondary market, with major Trisolinos in fine coloured stones reaching higher. The mechanical complexity and the smaller production volumes mean that documented Trisolino pieces are relatively scarce and generally sell well when they reach the market. Provenance to the Marina Bulgari era — confirmed through the maison hallmark and dating — adds modest premium.
Identification
Authentic Trisolino pieces carry the Marina B hallmark, the gold karat mark (typically 750 for 18-karat), and the maker's mark of the workshop. The mechanical action of the rotating elements is a key authentication point — well-made Trisolinos rotate smoothly with light pressure and hold position when released, and the centring of each element on its axis should be consistent across the three.
In the trade
For dealers and collectors of late-20th-century jewellery, the Trisolino is one of the recognisable Marina B mechanical-jewellery designs and a piece that demonstrates the maison's engineering ambitions in the period. The smaller production volumes mean that Trisolino pieces are less commonly encountered than Cardan or Mei pieces but command corresponding interest when available.