Bvlgari participated for the first time at Watches and Wonders. The House presented the world record-breaking Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon and reimagined the Maison’s iconic reptile with the new Serpenti Aeterna.
Just about a week before the opening of the fair, LVMH announced Jean-Christophe Babin’s appointment as CEO of its watches division. The well-known veteran watches & jewellery executive from within the group takes over the role from Frederic Arnault. Babin has headed Bvlgari for the past 12 years and remains the CEO while the new job for the group commenced on April 1. Bvlgari is the fourth LVMH brand joining the Watches and Wonders exhibition next to Zenith, Tag Heuer and Hublot.
‘We are thrilled to join Watches & Wonders for the first time, especially in a space designed to fully express our DNA as both a jewellery and watchmaking Maison. Over the past decade, we have cemented our position at the forefront of horology, seamlessly blending Swiss innovation with Italian creativity and design genius. As we celebrate 25 years of exceptional watchmaking innovation under LVMH impulse, and the ‘creative passion’ motto, we reflect on the innovation, and craftsmanship that define our vision. …’
– Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO LVMH Watches and Bvlgari.
The new and very spacious Bvlgari exhibition space invited visitors to immerse themselves in the Maison’s Italian culture, distinctive elegance, and avant-garde creative vision – with marble hues and a blend of precious materials.
As you step into the booth, the scent of the Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert instantly puts you in the right mood, while seven displays guide you through the highlights of Bvlgari, with archive photographs providing historical context for the creations.
Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon
Several Swiss watch brands are well-known for producing thin and ultra-thin watch calibers, often competing for the title of the thinnest mechanical watch or movement. Piaget, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin or Jaeger-LeCoultre all have their ultra-thin line, which may include different complications, like perpetual calendar or a tourbillon.
Bvlgari has been strongly pushing the boundaries innovation and aesthetics in ultra-thin design in the last decade. The Octo Finissimo Tourbillon was launched in 2014 and started the pursuit of extreme thinness – it had a 1.95 mm thick hand-wound movement. The research and development fuelled by the success of the piece resulted in a total of 10 record setting and 60 award winning timepieces.
Bvlgari’s 2025 Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon is now the thinnest tourbillon watch ever. Measuring 40 mm in diameter and just 1.85 mm in thickness – the entire watch, not only the movement., It is powered by the manually wound 4Hz BVF 900 tourbillon calibre, that is capable of running 42 hours with one winding.
These results are greatly supported by the skeletonisation of the timepiece. Each skeletonised component must have the right balance between efficiency and aesthetics, between resistance, reliability, and ornamentation.
‘The idea was to create a watch that encapsulates all our expertise. It’s not just about having the finest design but achieving a precise execution that tells the story of the Octo Finissimo series, while respecting the integrity of its distinctive aesthetic codes. Every detail, from the indexes to the tourbillon skeleton, bears witness to our commitment to excellence’, said Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Product Creation Executive Director at Bvlgari.
Serpenti Aeterna
Many great jewellery House has their emblematic animal – the panther for Cartier, the bee for Chaumet, ladybug for Van Cleef & Arpels and the serpent for Bvlgari.
Representing eternity, rebirth, and feminine power, the serpent has been a powerful symbol since ancient times in many cultures. Bvlgari’s Greco-Roman heritage has been serving as a great inspiration source for the master artisans.
The first Bvlgari Serpenti piece, a bracelet-watch in gold with a square head for the dial, was designed in 1948. Through the decades, the stylised initial interpretation of the snake became a more lifelike representation. The British and American actress Elizabeth Taylor was among the famous jewellery aficionados. Her jewellery collection was considered one of the most important out there. She owned notable Bvlgari pieces and she bought a Serpenti watch in Rome while filming Cleopatra at Cinecittà Studios – cementing the icon status of the piece.
The evolving designs incorporate many different materials including different golds, enamels and gemstones (lapis lazuli, coral, jade, onyx or turquoise) and different finishes. Many of the Serpenti pieces feature the now-famous Tubogas bracelet; a flexible, coiling metal band that wraps around the wrist like a snake.
The Serpenti Seduttori automatic watches have a drop-shaped watch head and a more simple but elegant metal bracelet, decorated with hexagonal elements, evoking the serpent’s scales. Other models, such as the Infiniti or Seduttori are also important milestones of the Serpenti history.
2025 is the year of reimagining the iconic animal.
‘Aeterna is more than a timepiece or jewellery – it is the ultimate expression of Bvlgari’s avant-garde vision. I wanted to capture Serpenti’s DNA, distil it to its essence, and project it into the future.’ – says Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani.
The Aeterna novelties have a pure, contemporary style, with few decorative elements. The rose gold model has a curve case and head set with round brilliant-cut diamonds, diamond-set crown and a brilliant-cut diamonds pavé dial. The bracelet has a very easy-to-handle mechanism to open and close the watch, but it stills sits securely on the wrist.
The white gold model is a high jewellery piece, fully set with diamonds and an emerald for the crown.
The quintessence of Serpenti was designed to pair seamlessly with Bvlgari jewellery.
Earlier this year the Bvlgari Serpenti Seduttori debuted with the new Lady Solotempo BVS100 Automatic movement. The calibre features a ‘Solotempo’ (time-only) display, indicating hours, minutes, and seconds. Measuring just 19 mm in diameter and 3.90 mm in thickness, the Lady Solotempo weighs only 5 grams yet delivers an impressive 50-hour power reserve. The novelty has a 34 mm rose gold (or yellow gold) case and its bezel set with 36 round brilliant-cut diamonds. The crown is decorated with a cabochon-cut pink rubellite. The Serpenti Seduttori, with its second-skin bracelet and hexagonal scales, gently wraps around the wrist.
The Serpenti Tubogas automatic watch in 18 k rose gold with diamond-set bezel also houses the automatic Lady Solotempo caliber – this model features the double-spiral bracelet.
Photo credits: Bvlgari. Loupiosity.com
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