LVMH Watch Week 2022: Bvlgari
By Stephen Watson | 4 minute read
This Bvlgari article is part of our spotlight on LVMH Watch Week 2022.
Bvlgari's reveal for LVMH Watch Week promises "this is just the beginning," but wow, what a beginning! You may immediately think of jewelry when Bvlgari comes to mind, but their watchmaking prowess has been explosive as of late, with groundbreaking innovations and world records smashed. For 2022, the biggest news was the smallest, with the introduction of a miniature in-house caliber delightfully given the name Piccolissimo, a mind-blowing mechanical micromovement about the size of your fingertip. Add Bvlgari's incredible artistry and precious materials, and you've got one dazzling timepiece collection.
Serpenti Misteriosi High Jewelry Secret Watch
The perfect combination of fantasy, craft, creativity, and history, the wrist-wrapping Serpenti might be the most iconic of all Bvlgari watches. 2022 marks a significant development of the Serpenti with the reveal of the BVL100 caliber micromovement named the Piccolissimo. Measuring only 12.30mm in diameter and 2.50mm thick, the mechanical movement takes its place as one of the smallest in the world with an exceptional power reserve of 30 hours for such a tiny manual wind micro-movement.
The demand for mechanical high-jewelry watches has increased dramatically over the past few years, so the Piccolissimo caliber is a noteworthy development for Bvlgari. The change in size allows for a rethink of the beloved snake watch, permitting a redesigned slimmer body, neck, and head. A slight push to the tongue releases the jaw to reveal the hidden watch inside. The watch itself works as a separate component of the body, easily removable. The timepiece comes out with a simple click like early incarnations of the Serpenti, allowing for easy time-setting, winding, and service.
Four new Serpenti Misteriosi High Jewelry secret watches take advantage of the new movement: black lacquer set with stones, green lacquer set with stones, rose gold set with turquoise and diamonds, and a white gold snake with emerald eyes and diamonds with a yellow gold body encrusted in brilliant-cut diamonds. A marvel of mechanics and design, the Serpenti Misteriosi is simply magnificent.
Serpenti Seduttori
The Seduttori was first introduced in 2019, glamorously adapting the Serpenti's codes to an everyday-wear timepiece. The snakehead-shaped dial and the unique construction of the bracelet cleverly mimic the scales of the snake’s skin. For 2022, black dials are combined with steel, steel and rose gold, or full rose gold cases. Set with 38 brilliant-cut diamonds, the Seduttori features a Bvlgari-personalized quartz movement for ease of use and water resistance to 30 meters.
Serpenti Tubogas
As we've seen from other LVMH brands this week, the appetite for yellow gold has been growing worldwide. The single wrap "single-tour" Tubogas is now available in either yellow gold and steel or all yellow gold. An interpretation of the Serpenti through the lens of industrial design, the initial inspiration came from the workings of a simple gas pipe. A Bvlgari-personalized quartz movement powers the Tubogas with a water resistance of 30 meters. First introduced as a watch by Bvlgari in the ‘40s, the Tubogas was later revived as a complete collection in the ‘70s. Like a spring, bands of gold or steel spiral around a steel core, ingeniously giving the watch its coiled grip, magically without any soldering.
Octo Roma Blue Carillon Tourbillon
The watchmaking prowess of Bvlgari is entirely on display with the Octo Roma Blue Carillon Tourbillon. When you think of minute repeaters, you are reminded of the illustrious past of haute horlogerie, whereas the Octo Roma Blue is entirely futuristic. Comprised of 432 components, the manual wind BVL428 caliber designed and built in-house features a minute repeater, three-hammer carillon tourbillon, and a 75-hour power reserve.
Blue details can be found throughout the 44mm platinum case, from the graphic openworked movement, the blue titanium case band, to the blue alligator strap. The hammers, gongs, and tourbillon cage are visible from the front of the dial, producing clear, crisp striking tones for hours, quarters, and minutes. A limited-edition of only 30 pieces.
Lvcea Intarsio
A beautiful dial effect called "Intarsio" gives the Lvcea its name, a radiant three-dimensional faceted sunray marquetry technique that refracts light and provides the watch with enchanting sparkle. The Lvcea comes in either 28mm with a quartz movement or 33mm with a date window powered by Bvlgari's caliber B77, a mechanical self-winding movement with a convenient 42-hour power reserve.
New colors come into play for 2022: a midnight sky aventurine with navy alligator strap and pale pink mother-of-pearl with a red alligator strap. All models include either diamond-set lugs or bezels with cabochon-cut rubellite crowns and diamond-set indices. The optical effect is mesmerizing, creating kaleidoscopic reflections of light inspired by Bvlgari’s ever-changing Roman sky.
Discover more from Bvlgari here at Mappin & Webb.
Author credit: Stephen Watson serves as an authority within the US watch industry. He is currently the Editor in Chief of Modern Luxury's Watches International following his post as the Editor in Chief of Revolution USA, Watch Journal, and Executive Editor of Surface Magazine. Stephen Watson is a GPHG academy member.
