Category: Bvlgari

Frank Geelen’s Baselworld 2017 Top 10 and Musing about the Fair

Back in 2008 the world faced a new challenge. The worldwide financial crisis began with the collapse of Lehman Brothers. The following year the watch industry was kind of nervous and saw a small drop in sales. And while the financial crisis went on, on a global scale (we’re still recovering from that), the big crisis in the watch industry didn’t really come through… yet. Last year was the first year that brands and luxury groups published numbers that showed serious signs of the crisis, and this year’s numbers are actually more than worrisome. This year the crisis could also be felt in the novelties as presented by the brands, not only during the SIHH in January, but also at the 100th edition of the Baselworld Watch & Jewelry show that has just come to an end. Still, it was possible to list ten watches that got me exited! However first some musings about this year’s edition of Baselworld…

7 years ago

Xavier Markl’s Top 10 of Baselworld 2017

The 100th anniversary edition of Baselworld has just came to an end. It has been another packed event, despite a strange overall impression and the current situation that prompted brands to be more cautious. As for each fair, the offerings are diverse but we have to come with our highlights. A tough choice but as we had to pick ten, here are the Baselworld 2017 watches that have caught my eyes – presented without specific order… But as always with Monochrome watches, it is guaranteed 100% quartz- and android-free!

7 years ago

Baselworld 2017 – Shine a Light – The Bulgari Octo Tourbillon Sapphire

In early 2017, Bulgari unveiled a new addition to its emblematic Octo collection. True to the designs codes of the collection, (in particular a circle framed by an octagon), the lines of Roma have been smoothed featuring only 58 facets instead of the traditional 110 of the regular models. The Roma captures the traditional chic of the collection with urban, universal appeal. Inspired by a bold and nonconformist vision of watchmaking, the Roma is now enhanced with a luminescent tourbillon movement, revealing its inner workings in complete transparency. Meet the Bulgari Octo Tourbillon Sapphire.

7 years ago

Baselworld 2017 – Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic & The World’s Thinnest Automatic Movement

Bulgari makes headlines again, this time with “the world’s thinnest automatic movement“. After presenting the thinnest Tourbillon watch and movement (Baselworld 2014) and thinnest minute repeater (Baselworld 2016), we hoped Bulgari would set its sights on breaking yet another record. We were not disappointed…! Presenting the Octo Finissimo Automatic powered by a staggering thin 2.23 mm self-winding movement. Let’s take a closer look at the new world record holder.

7 years ago

First Look – Bulgari Octo Roma, When The Iconic Octogonal Watch Becomes Softer

Since over a decade now (designed by Bulgari’s Roman design department in 2004), the Octo has become the iconic watch collection of the brand, known for its delicate and precious jewellery creations but also now for some distinctive watchmaking products (see the Finissimo collection and you’ll understand…) Yet, as desirable this watch is, it is a razor-sharp design, with no fewer than 110 facets and a shape that can’t go unnoticed. This year, the brand gives an answer to those for whom the Octo is simply too bold, with a more delicate and softer creation, still impregnated with the Octagonal DNA, the Bulgari Octo Roma.

7 years ago

The Record-Breaking Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Now In Skeleton Version

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton – The record-breaking Octo Finissimo Tourbillon now comes in a ‘skeleton’ version. The perfect opportunity to satisfy our curiosity, taking advantage of the now unobstructed view of the inner workings of the thinnest Tourbillon ever. A testament of the Bulgari watchmaking expertise, the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton combines several smart technical solutions. More than that, its open-worked movement illustrates the brand’s design capabilities down to the very last details.

7 years ago

VIDEO – 5 Questions to Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari (2017 Collections, 2016 Year Report…)

It will be hard to hide the fact that, since a few years, the brand Bulgari has become a major actor in the field of watchmaking. What has long been a superb jeweler and a manufacturer of jewelry-oriented watches is now recognized as a proper innovator and a respected high-end watch brand, showing to the world an great expertise in ultra-thin movements (in-house developed and produced) mixed with a unique design inspired by Roma. In order to understand the changes operated by Bulgari and to see what will be the coming developments of the brand, we sat down with Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari, talking about his nearly 4 years as CEO, about the iconic Octo design and about the new models for 2017.

7 years ago

Christmas Shopping Guide – The Best Ultra-Complicated Watches of 2016

After going through some of 2016’s best sport watches and 2016’s best dress watches, it is now time for our Christmas shopping guide to gather some of the most striking complicated watches released in 2016. Be ready to break the piggy bank open as we’ll go at the cutting edge of watchmaking, with some of the most inventive, complex and intricate mechanisms unveiled in 2016. We sat down with the team aiming at picking 5 and we ended up with 8 watches (it has been a tough choice and we do what we want…), and a few special mentions.

7 years ago

Taking a closer look at the Bulgari Octo Finissimo collection (Specs and Pricing)

Debuted in 2014, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo (Italian for extra-flat) collection is both a design statement and a testament to the brand’s watchmaking expertise. This collection is part of Bulgari’s Octo line that comprises of three collections: the Octo Solotempo, the Octo Velocissimo (two years ago we showed you the special edition for Masserati) and the Octo Finissimo collection. Today we’ll take a closer look at 3 models from this last collection, the quintessential Finissimo Small Seconds and two of the expressive black-clad ‘ultranero’ versions that were introduced earlier this year.

7 years ago

The Elections… for the Watch of the Year and the GPHG that is!

While the race for presidency in the USA is going on until the last minute, we’ll of course focus… on watches! And in the world of watches, we also have elections. Just two weeks ago I attended the gala award ceremony for the election of the Watch of the Year, organised by our friends of Chronos24 in Poland. And this Thursday, when we finally know who’s going to be the new tenant of the White House, is the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève – a.k.a the 2016 Edition of the GPHG. While the first becomes a bit international due to several international jury members – including yours truly – the latter can best be compared to the Oscars in the world of movies.

7 years ago