there are openings in the back case.”
Buonamassa adds that Bulgari can produce three grand sonneries each
year, but each will be different. “This collector who want these pieces wants a
unique piece.”
ANCIENT COIN
The second unique piece from the fall debuts is the Bulgari Octo Monete, a
44mm gold watch that can also be worn as a pocket watch. It arrives with
an 18-karat gold chain and is quickly converted using supplied, removable
attachments. The rare ancient Roman coin is set into the cover of hinged
case that opens to reveal a thin skeleton tourbillon movement surrounded by
baguette-cut diamonds. It’s a dramatic presentation of several over-arching
watch design characteristics that set Bulgari apart from its Swiss-based peers.
“I love the new coin (Octo Monete) piece,” says Buonamassa. “For the first
time we’ve made a watch that can also become a pocket watch. The idea was
to play with this large Roman coin. The watch is a unique blend for Bulgari.
On the case we have the Roman heritage using coins similar to what Bulgari
has used since the 1970s. But here when you open it you have the tourbillon
skeleton ultra-thin execution. It’s the past and the future of Bulgari combined
into one watch. I love its aesthetic in terms of evolution of the Octo Roma case,
this coin as a jewel.”
ROMAN NIGHTS
Bulgari has also expanded its Divas’ Dream collection with Roman Nights, a
37mm watch offered in rose gold or white gold. The jeweled piece indicates
hours and minutes on two overlaid aventurine discs in the tradition of
so-called ‘mystery watches’ pioneered by Cartier and others. Each disc is set
with a diamond pointing to the hours and minutes as shown by sapphires and
diamonds on the outer track.
Bulgari also showed new bluer colors within its titanium Octo Finissimo
collection. The first is equipped with the automatic Finissimo movement and
a dial with newly blued hands and hour-markers. The second, Octo Finissimo
Skeleton, has the same color theme but with blue hands, small seconds,
counters, power reserve, minute scale, and matching alligator leather strap.
The Bulgari Octo Monete
Roman Nights, two
additions to Bulgari’s
Divas’ Dream collection.
70 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | WINTER 2019
The Bulgari Octo Monete
opens to reveal a thin
tourbillon caliber.