AS 2019 MARKS FIFTY YEARS SINCE THE LATE Gérald
Genta started his eponymous brand, Bulgari adds a special
Gérald Genta 50th Anniversary watch to its collection. The
platinum-cased 41mm jumping hours watch with
retrograde minutes and retrograde date reminds us of
Genta’s role as arguably the most important watch designer
of the past five decades. The release, seen first in Geneva
in January, also recalls Bulgari’s acquisition of the Gérald
Genta and Daniel Roth brands in 2000, a purchase that
has played a significant role in building Bulgari’s haute
horlogerie expertise.
Gérald Genta, who died in 2011 at the age of 80, designed
many of the icons of modern watch design, including the
Universal Genève Polerouter, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak,
the IWC Ingenieur, Cartier’s Pasha, the Omega Constellation,
the Bvlgari Bvlgari and the Patek Philippe Nautilus. Many of
these designs remain bestsellers for their respective brands.
As a result of the Bulgari acquisition of the Gérald Genta
studio, Bulgari watchmakers were a step ahead of many other
global luxury brands in the realm of complicated watches.
Bulgari notably debuted a wider selection of complicated
timepieces than did many competitors in the years following the
purchase, notably showing watches with chiming mechanisms
and jump hours. This deep knowledge base also led the
company to develop its Finissimo ultra-thin movements as
well as its ability to create simpler calibers in-house.
Bulgari has placed the new Gérald Genta watch inside a
well-known round Arena case that features a wide, curved
bezel. Bulgari also places the watch’s characteristic jumping
hours in a large window at 12 o’clock while the minutes
are tracked on an arc that spans the top half of a rich blue
lacquer dial. As with most Genta jumping hour watches of
the past, the minute hand travels across the top of the dial,
snapping back to zero every sixty minutes. The date is seen
in a smaller arc at the lower end of the dial over the cool,
and original, Gérald Genta logo.
Powered by the BVL 300 Caliber with jumping hours,
retrograde minutes (210°) and date (180°). The watch’s
bidirectional self-winding movement boasts a 42-hour power
reserve and is visible through the clear sapphire case back.
The watch comes on a blue alligator strap with white gold
folding clasp. Price: $59,000
58 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | SPRING 2019