LVMH Watch Week 2024: Bulgari Highlights ‘Time is Gold’
At LVMH Watch Week 2024, Bulgari shines the spotlight on the Roman maison’s three iconic classics: Bulgari Bulgari, Octo Finissimo and Lucea, all with a touch of gold.
“The greatest challenge is to give shape to an emotion, especially when that emotion is measured in time,” Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari, says in ‘Bulgari Beyond Time’. But the maison’s answer to capturing timelessness is pretty close: gold.
This precious metal has been a hallmark element of Bulgari since the Art Deco era, beautifully embodying eternal elegance as it weaves itself into the fabric of Bulgari’s horological narrative. In myths and legends, it’s an allegory of the sun, representing the warmth, enduring luminance and the rich legacy of civilisations that have long appreciated its value and radiant allure.
At LVMH Watch Week 2024, Bulgari unveiled three of its iconic classics with the golden touch, unfolding a new chapter in the continuing story of time in the way the Roman maison tells it best – a unique fusion of Italian flair and elegance, exceptional watchmaking and the legendary radiance of gold.
BULGARI BULGARI
Envisioned by Gianni Bulgari and designed by the legendary Gerald Genta, the icon of icons was born in 1975 with an avant-garde approach inspired by a deep passion for the arts and architectural riches of Italy. Its name was emblazoned on a bezel forged in yellow gold. Now, with its 50th anniversary on the horizon, the Bulgari Bulgari is rekindled with two alluring charismas.
The first is crafted in a luxurious yellow gold complemented by a black dial, in a gender-neutral 38 mm case with a transparent caseback for a stunning view of the gears and finishes of the self-winding mechanical BVL 191 caliber. Due to the striking contrast between the gold and black, the gilded condensed Arabic numerals at 12 and 6 o’clock, together with the elongated baton indices, immediately stand out. The finishing touch is the ‘BVLGARI BVLGARI’, engraved on the bezel.
Meanwhile, housed in a 26 mm case at a mere 6.35 mm thickness, the second is bathed in a gorgeous rose gold paired with a silver opaline dial and a quartz movement. Exuding an irresistible watch-as-jewellery vibe, it presents a softer, harmonious visual appeal.
OCTO FINISSIMO
The Octo Finissimo has been a testament of Bulgari’s mechanical and stylistic vision, having consistently broken records for its horological slimness and elegance. It has proven to be a design that’s astoundingly versatile yet geometrically precise.
LVMH Watch Week 2024 saw the reimagination of its iconic character, clad in the vintage charm of yellow gold and paired with Bulgari’s signature blue sunray lacquered dial. The maison named it the Octo Finissimo Yellow Gold. Basked in the yellow gold’s sun-like glow, the watch’s bold lines and Roman-inspired geometry glistens with the play of light as it draws further attention to the case with its 58 facets, a satin-finished yellow gold bracelet and a triple-blade folding clasp. Additionally, the transparent caseback reveals the art of Swiss mechanical excellence: the in-house BVL 138 caliber, extraordinarily slim at just 2.23 mm, is beautifully adorned with hand-finished chamfers, circular graining, and Côtes de Genève stripes.
Bulgari also unveiled its venture into new creative realms. Clad in steel, the Octo Finissimo Tuscan Copper is a statement piece and a highly coveted rarity among Bulgari connoisseurs for its sunray Tuscan copper dial in a salmon hue. Reminiscent of a Mannerist painting, the dial is fitted with rhodium-plated hands and indexes for a subtle yet elegant contrast. The watch is also paired with a case and bracelet in 904L stainless steel – the same grade that is used in the aerospace industry. At its heart sits the caliber BVL 138, providing an ample power reserve of 60 hours.
LUCEA
For the maison’s chapter of jewellery watches, Lucea comes into the light as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. Crafted in either the radiance of steel or the warmth of gold, Bulgari has meticulously refined its case and reimagined the bracelet’s design. The polished bezel has been elegantly slimmed down to frame a captivating dial of either mother-of-pearl Intarsia or malachite marquetry.
The former showcases the organic iridescence of mother-of-pearl, rearranged painstakingly by the artisans so the ‘rays’ create a sunburst pattern with three-dimensional pleating. The latter features meticulously-cut and hand-assembled pieces of the mineral to create a unique masterpiece with a mesmerising, vibrant hue. To top it off, twelve brilliant-cut diamonds, claw-set in square, sparkle as the hour markers on these beautiful dials.
