SpotlightBulgari’s Elegant New Watches For Men and Women Revealed At Baselworld 2018
With this year marking 100 years of watchmaking for the brand, Bulgari champions watchmaking with a strong claim in feminine watches with their 2018 novelties
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There are some brands that always manage to surpass expectations at Baselworld. Bulgari’s stupendous form makes it one such brand. Over the past decade, they have emerged as a truly well-diversified luxury company with interests spanning from watches to jewellery to leather to perfume to eyewear and more recently to hotels. At this year’s Baselworld, their three major highlights have been the launch of the thinnest automatic watch, extending the Tubogas bracelet to the Lucea line of feminine watches and the combination of three different hues of gold in a single Serpenti bracelet.
Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic – The World’s Slimmest Self-winding Watch
A couple of months ago, Piaget had introduced the thinnest automatic watch at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie Genève (SIHH) and set a new record. At Baselworld 2018, Bulgari beat them to reclaim their leadership in the world of slender watches with the launch of Octo Finissimo Automatic, featuring a tourbillon, measuring just 3.95mm in thickness. With this unveiling, Bulgari has set the world record of thin watches for the fourth time, after breaking grounds with the thinnest minute repeater, tourbillon and automatic watches since 2014. Measuring just 1.95mm, the Caliber BVL 288 Finissimo comes with a 52-hour power reserve. Housed in a case of sandblasted titanium, the Finissimo movement is entirely skeletonised.
Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater Carbon
Another Bulgari watch that took my breath away is the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater in carbon. Weighing just 47g and measuring 6.85mm in thickness, the watch uses epoxy thermosetting resin called Carbon Thin Ply, which also includes thin carbon fibres guaranteeing robustness. The manual winding minute repeater movement – Calibre BVL 362 – is the thinnest in the world, measuring just 3.12mm. Bulgari has also introduced two new versions of Octo Finissimo Automatic in sandblasted rhodium-plated steel and rose gold.
An Ensemble Of Gold In The New Serpenti Tubogas
Over the years, the most famous icon of the Maison from Rome has been the Serpenti, distinctly known for its snake-head dials and Tubogas bracelet in one, two or even more coils. The Serpenti watches have mesmerised women for generations and Bulgari has always managed to surpass expectations by launching newer references. Their outing at the Baselworld 2018 is no exception. Bulgari presents a double tour bracelet combining three different colours of 18k gold, yellow gold and white gold. The elegant look of the watch is enhanced with a bezel with brilliant-cut diamonds, a 18k rose gold crown set with a cabochon-cut rubellite.
New Additions To The Lucea Family
Other show-stealers launched by Bulgari this year include two new models in their Lucea family: the Lucea Tubogas and Lucea Skeleton. Lucea, which means light in Latin, gets a beautiful companion in a Tubogas bracelet for the very first time in as many as five new Lucea models. Available in 28mm or 33mm sizes, these watches come in steel, steel and gold and gold versions in black lacquer or white mother of pearl dials. While the smaller size is powered by a smart quartz movement, the bigger size is a mechanical automatic watch. A date window at 3 o’clock, diamond hour markers and pink cabochon-cut gemstones complete the look.
With the introduction of a skeleton model, Bulgari achieves another first in the Lucea line. Designed for women who appreciate the complex world of mechanical fine watchmaking in their feminine watches, Lucea Skeleton is the answer. There are two outstanding aspects about this watch: first, a complicated automatic BVL 191 skeleton movement, and second, the letters of the Bulgari logo being a part of the striking design.
By exhibiting its exemplary technical prowess, Bulgari has carved a space for itself in the world of fine watchmaking, winning hearts in the process.
Which new Bulgari timepiece won your heart? Let us know in the comments section below. For live coverage and exclusive insights from Baselworld 2018, follow the Ethos team here.
