How Bvlgari’s Serpenti Timepieces Are Taking Horological Innovation By Storm
As Bvlgari celebrates 75 years of its iconic Serpenti, the maison renews its focus on pioneering movements and haute horlogerie savoir-faire
Whenever CEO of Bvlgari Jean-Christophe Babin travels to Dubai, he is seemingly always happy. Hardly a surprise, as his visits usually reveal another triumph of the all-Italian behemoth brand. The latest tour de force? A new, miniature mechanical movement making its debut in the Serpenti Seduttori collection, along with certain models of the Serpenti Tubogas – part of the maison’s 75th anniversary celebration of the Serpenti.
Why is the maison so gleeful? The new BVS100 Lady Solotempo automatic movement, produced by Bvlgari in Le Sentier, furthers the maison’s mastery of movement innovation, joining its ground-breaking Piccolissimo movement and ultrasvelte BVL150 tourbillon – both critically acclaimed for their accuracy and engineering despite their diminutive silhouette.
While the Piccolissimo – the smallest round mechanical movement in the world – serves the maison’s high jewellery watches perfectly, Jean-Christophe felt something was lacking when it came to the maison’s everyday timepieces, which had been running on quartz since the 1970s. “We were the only major ladies’ watch manufacture without mechanical movements in our daily wear ladies watches,” explains Jean-Christophe. There simply wasn’t a movement that existed on the market to suit the cases of the Seduttori or the Tubogas; so the mission to build one began.
Bvlgari’s first challenge was to deliver a movement with enough stamina to suit everyday wear. “The Piccolissimo has a very small barrel, and a 30-hour power reserve, which is perfect for a high jewellery watch. They’re crafted for special occasions,” says Jean-Christophe, who points out that an everyday watch needs a 50 hours power reserve minimum, and thus the BVS100 Lady Solotempo had to be self-winding, too. “Obviously, as a woman wearing a regular watch, you don’t want to take it off on Friday evening and find it stopped by Sunday. So, we had to rethink everything,” he quips.
The focus on micro-mechanics paid off – with a diameter of just 1.9cm and a profile of just 3.9mm thick, the BVS100 Lady Solotempo may be little, but she is fierce. The movement also comprises a micro-rotator which is bi-directional, and doubles the winding efficiency. Crafted from tungsten carbide – heavier than platinum – the rotor spins with the slightest movement, meaning extra oomph from every swish of the wrist, and plenty of power reserve.
While the new Serpenti designs fly the flag for Bvlgari’s engineering innovation, its newest high jewellery watches illustrate its panache for gemstone sourcing and talent for glorifying that which comes from Mother Nature. A new cuff design, the Fenice High Jewellery watch, features a showstopping rare 9.78 carat Paraiba tourmaline. “Price per carat higher than diamond, the Paraiba tourmaline is the gem that best speaks to the heart of our clients, because it’s evocative of the Caribbean Sea. We choose gems that evoke earth, water, wind and fire, which have existed since human kind, says Jean-Christophe. “We choose those gems because they’re visceral – when you see them, it’s emotion only.” It’s true – whether you look at the Serpenti with your head, or the high jewellery watches with your heart, for Bvlgari, this is a bumper bonanza year.
Lead Image: Bvlgari’s Fuochi d’Artificio High Jewellery Petite watch
Images supplied
From Harpers Bazaar Arabia’s 2025 March issue