Bulgari: Time is a Jewel

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Shaping time, rather than simply indicating it. Projecting it into a dimension where its scope and meaning are enhanced by an extraordinary craftsmanship: this is the challenge for Bulgari for its new watchmaking creations. The new Bulgari models that mark the beginning of 2022 are all part of a path permeated by excellence and preciousness. The iconic Serpenti revisits its innumerable features by welcoming Piccolissimo – a true jewel of microtechnology as well as one of the smallest mechanical movements in the world -, while Lvcea celebrates the theme of light thanks to its new pink mother-of-pearl and aventurine dials meticulously carved in relief in order to capture every single ray perfectly. With the new Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie, a watch that strongly reminds us of the value of each passing moment, Bulgari offers a tangible expression of the concept of “Time becomes a jewel”, the theme of this edition of the LVMH Watch Week. With this roundup of news, Bulgari has started the year at its best … and it’s just the beginning! Bulgari is introducing four new Serpenti secret-watches. In ancient Roman times the snake symbolized immortality and was often used in talismans that people wore for good look. The snake alias serpente is a signature design of the Roman Maison which started to produce this motif since the 1940s.

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Each model is equipped with the new Piccolissimo mechanical movement. Measuring 12.30 mm in diameter and 2.50 thick, the BVL100 calibre indicating the hours and minutes is housed in the head of the reptile within a dedicated container. Pressing the snake’s tongue on the Serpenti Misteriosi opens the head to reveal the watch. A bidirectional crown located on the case-back enables manual winding and time-setting.

This dual function operates by means of a system of reversers. After exploring the limits of ultra-thin mechanical watchmaking, Bulgari now lays a new milestone in the field of ultra-small with Piccolissimo, the Italian for “very small”. With it, the brand opens new territories of expression for its ladies’ watches and celebrates the brand’s first iconic Serpenti secret timepieces which return in radiant splendour, embellished with gold, diamonds, lacquer and hard stones.

Serpenti Misteriosi High Jewellery secret watches are all equipped with mechanical manual winding micro-movement, BVL 100 Piccolissimo calibre. These timepieces are opulent and sensual a perfect union between High Jewellery and Haute Horlogerie.

The Serpenti Misteriosi Romani High Jewellery secret watch represents another magnificent example of this motif. This high-end timepiece takes its inspiration from classical Rome and was honored by the Jury of the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) with the Jewellery Watch Prize in 2019.

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The snakes’s head is crowned with a 10-carat cushion-cut Sri Lankan sapphire and a total of more than 60 carats of diamonds while 35 carats of buff-top cut sapphires form the serpent’s body and scales. Pear-shaped sapphire form the eyes. Quartz movement. To reinforce the theme the cuff is embellished with baguette-cut diamond scales. This is a one-of-a-kind piece.

With Tubogas Bulgari marks the return of yellow gold. This design, similar to a lowly woven-metal gas pipe, was popular since the 1940s. Later it was revived in the 1970s. Very complicated to produce, the Tubogas is formed by long bands of gold or steel that are wrapped around a steel core. The flexibility of the colled bands is what gives the Tubogas its characteristic bounce.

On the occasion of the LVMH Watch Week, Maison Bulgari reveals a mechanical masterpiece that combines the marvel of sound and gemstones in a precious modern style. Not only the Grande Sonnerie with its four-gong mechanism represents a pinnacle of horological prowess, but the dial and case are now set with shimmering baguette-cut emeralds and diamonds. The new bejewelled Grande Sonnerie joins the orchestra of the Sinfonia della Meccanica along with other masterpieces that allow the wearer to experience the wonder of the mechanical heart of the watch through the pure emotion of sound. The Grand Sonnerie with four hammers and gongs is the Queen of complications and sounds the hours, quarters and minutes. A jeweller at heart, Bulgari’s Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie follows on from the all-diamond version and is set with 446 baguette-cut Zambian emeralds and diamonds totalling over 30 carats. Crafted in white gold with a sapphire crystal case-back, this outstanding creation reveals a graphic, architectural look featuring a pattern of jointed elements that harmoniously conveys a sense of dynamic lightness and eternal beauty. Presented on a vibrant green alligator strap to match the emerald-set bezel, the watch is a one-of-a-kind creation and its arrival confirms Bulgari’s prowess both as the most revolutionary and exciting watchmaker as well as a refined jeweller to gentlemen.

The Lvcea timepieces as its name suggests are conceived around the theme of the light and remind us the blue Roman sky and the pink of its sunsets. Since its introduction, the Maison’s signature daily round watch pays homage to the sundials of ancient Rome that captured light to signal the passage of time. The new 2022 models add new colours to the palette, with their three-dimensional architectural dials crafted in materials that capture and enhance the light. Pink mother-of-pearl and aventurine compose the two new Lvcea shades ensuring a great chromatic effect and infusing the collection with an additional jewellery touch. Furthering a classic métiers d’art technique applied to the mother-of-pearl, each of the dials is assembled using the marquetry technique in a pattern called Intarsio. In both cases, each of the 37 mother-of-pearl and blue aventurine micro-elements are cut and then faceted by hand before being assembled according to a precise and regular geometry to form the three-dimensional surface of the dial. This complex and refined handcrafted construction captures all the variations in light, like the skies of the Eternal City, to reproduce its full brilliance, as seen through the diamond hour-markers dotting the rims of these sophisticated dials.

I wish to conclude with a saying by Louis Bourdaloue that it seems to me the perfect finish for this article.

“Il n’est rien de plus précieux que le temps, puisque c’est le prix de l’éternité”.

(Nothing is more precious than time since it is the price of eternity)

Indeed, Bulgari with its exclusive and spectacular creations and timepieces embodies the eternity of Rome and the mystery of the Snake, a thaumaturgical and immortal symbol.

Discover more @ Bulgari.com

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