The chief watch designer at Bulgari on the brand’s latest novelties
Bulgari is largely inspired by its Italian roots. In what ways has this impacted this year’s novelties?
We are an Italian brand but, more important than that, we come from Rome. We’re a unique brand in the world of luxury that comes from the Eternal City. This inspiration is particularly present in our Divas’ Dream collection, for which we showcase great savoir-faire.
Tell us more about this year’s Divas’ Dream watches.
This collection is about the very best in métiers d’art. This year, we have an amazing dial that’s decorated with peacock feathers. We also have tourbillon and skeletonised versions, which are similarly adorned with feathers and diamonds.
Which is your favourite Divas’ Dream watch from this year’s releases?
The Divas’ Dream Peacock Dischi has a dial that’s just absolutely incredible. It showcases the very best in feather marquetry.
Your latest chiming watch, the Octo Roma Carillon Tourbillon, is also a big release.
Yes, it is. Whenever we design a grande sonnerie, which automatically chimes the hours and quarters, the most challenging thing is to ensure we have the best quality of sound possible.
How was that achieved?
We used an ultra-thin titanium case with a diamond-like carbon coating, and the inner workings are open-worked to amplify the sound. We also changed the shape of the hand-wound movement and a number of its 432 components. This watch was a long time in the making—it took about two years to complete its movement.
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