Since 2000, Bvlgari has built up an integrated production in Switzerland to inhouse manufacture all components for its most advanced movements. This extremely competent savoir-faire perfectly marries the brand’s legendary Italian jewelry skills. So, let’s take a closer look at miniaturization, elegance, architecture, and sound in these pieces, Serpenti Misteriosi Dragone Secret Watch, Divas’ Dream Minute Repeater, Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chrono, and La Sinfonia Della Meccanica Octo Roma Carillon Tourbillon.
Pillar 1: Miniaturization
The first Serpenti came in 1948, the flexible Tubogas concept developed in the 1950s, and the Serpenti was immortalized by Elizabeth Taylor wearing it in the 1962 Cleopatra movie. Which was, by the way, filmed on Bvlgari’s home turf in Rome.
On the Serpenti Misteriosi Dragone Secret Watch every scale unique, and yellow gold is combined with ~30.54 carats of diamonds. They are mainly baguette-cut, but there are also marquise-cuts on the snake’s head, which is also around with smaller, round, brilliant-cut diamonds. And let’s not forget the two sparkling green emerald eyes.
This jewelry of a timepiece is also a feast of technical watchmaking: The watch hiding in the snake’s mouth is powered by the manual Picolissimo, BVL 100. With a 12-millimeter diameter and a thickness of 2.5 millimeters this and a weight of 1.3 grams, this 102-part movement with a 30-hour power reserve is the smallest round movement on the market. It really combines haute horlogerie with the know-how of jewelry and a deep understanding of what women want.
Pillar 2: Elegance
Another sparkling example of Bvlgari’s art of combining jewelry and watchmaking is the Diva’s Dream Minute Repeater. The 37-millimeter white gold case is fully set with round brilliant-cut diamonds, and the bezel is set with baguette-cut diamonds. On the dial and the dangling charm activating the minute repeater it introduces the art of diamonds mosaic. And it is not just any mosaic – the curved triangular Caracalla pattern was made for the Roman Baths of Caracalla some 1,800 years ago. Again, we have the epitome of Roman opulence combined with top-notch Swiss watchmaking: the manually wound BVL 362 movement is at 3-12 millimeters the thinnest minute repeater movement on the market. In an unusual construction solution, its gongs fixed directly to the case, which transmits the vibrations and the chime directly to the case, which becomes a resonance box. So, even at its most elegant, form follows function.
Pillar 3: Architecture
Form follows function leads us to the architecture of Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chrono, a great example of the comeback of yellow gold. And, as is expected today, both the case and the supple bracelet offers both satin brushed and mirror polished surfaces. The open-worked dial reveals the components of the BVL 388 – at 3.5 mm the world’s thinnest automatic movement with chronograph tourbillon. The design focus that naturally comes with a watch based on a round face atop a square backdrop with stepped sides, is also given an extra architectural element of symmetry. How? Thanks to the fact that the two subdials at 3 and 9 are flanked by a similarly sized barrel at 12 and the tourbillon cage at 6.
Pillar 4: Sound
Another strong architecture – but combined with the fourth pillar of sound is The La Sinfonia Della Meccanica Octo Roma Carillon Tourbillon. Its 44-mmillimeter satin-polished platinum case is complemented by a titanium middle case, which is blued with atomic layer deposition.
Here we have the open worked caliber BVL 428, a minute repeater with 3 hammers and gongs for the carillon minute repeater – carillon meaning that you have at least three notes for the quarter sound. The case is extremely specialized to be the ultimate chime resonator. For instance, by making the middle case of titanium you get several advantages: Titanium carries sound better than platinum, and it has also been designed with acoustic gills, which improves the resonance. Another example is the honeycomb-shaped micro-holes on the back, which also amplifies the sound.
So, there you have it: Miniaturization, elegance, architecture, and sound – all mastered by Bvlgari.
