When Italian mechanical motorcycle excellence meets Italian mechanical watchmaking excellence, the Bulgari Bulgari Aluminium Chronograph Special Edition Ducati is what you get. It’s the result of a new collaboration between Bulgari and Ducati, and the embodiment of their shared obsession with performance, design and cutting-edge technology. This latest watch marks the start of a new chapter for the Roman manufacture, which has traded urbane Italian sophistication for bad-boy good looks and racer chic. A confident departure from the norm, this 1000-piece limited edition is a faithful reflection of the high-performance spirit of the motorcycle builder, with its eye-catching Ducati red dial.
Made from aluminium (40 mm case), titanium (case back) and rubber (bezel), this robust self-winding watch is capable of handling anything daily life can throw at it. I tested this out for myself, on a motorcycle outing from Geneva (Switzerland) to Mont Salève (France). After arriving at Ducati in Geneva I pull on my protective trousers and boots, shrug into the black leather jacket, zip it up, put my helmet on, strap the Bulgari Aluminium Chronograph Special Edition Ducati onto my wrist (it’s extremely comfortable, with its rubber strap and aluminium links), then pull the leather gloves over the top. I straddle the Ducati Monster (937 cc), step on the clutch, and the bike roars to life. The smooth throb of the Monster takes my heart rate up a notch. Impatient for the adventure to start, the other bikers assemble ahead and behind me. I see Ducatis everywhere: Multistrada, Supersport, more Monsters – the ride turns out to be quite the parade. In town, in the countryside or in the mountains, the powerful engines cope easily with every type of terrain.
At the top of the Salève I unpack my camera, roll up my left sleeve and take a few shots of the Bulgari Aluminium which, with its 100m depth rating, could almost pass for a dive watch. I change my focus: mirror, handlebars, fuel tank, engine and wheels – no part of the Ducati Monster is safe from my lens. Up ahead, other riders are being filmed as they ride. There’s nothing for it: I decided to engage the chronograph. Seems like the right time to put it through its paces. Apart from the precision, what strikes me is how easy the pushers are to activate. No frantic pressing needed. And I could have played with the pushers for quite some time – 42 hours to be precise, given that that’s the length of the watch’s power reserve. To be sure I haven’t missed anything, I turn the watch over to look at its full caseback, featuring the Ducati logo in the centre. After securing the watch on my wrist once again, I glance at the date display and realise it’s my mum’s birthday. Time to get back on the bike and head straight for the nearest flower shop!
