Our calendar of watch events for 2022 kicks off with the LVMH Watch Week starting from the 24th-28th of January 2022. The event is being held digitally with new watches from Bvlgari, Hublot, TAG Heuer and Zenith.
We begin the first day of the digital fair with the main highlights from Bvlgari:
Bvlgari: Time is a Jewel
The central theme for Bvlgari’s 2022 novelties is “Time is a Jewel”, where the brand hopes to delicately craft time rather than merely indicate it. The brand is dedicated to meeting different challenges in creating each new timepiece. From the Serpenti that returns with multiple facets and the Piccolissimo edition to the arrival of the new Octo Roma Grande Sonnerie and open-worked Octo Roma Carillon, each timepiece unveiled by Bvlgari for LVMH Watch Week 2022 is dedicated to excellence and preciousness.
Serpenti Misteriosi High Jewellery:
Under the iconic Serpenti collection, Bvlgari releases new editions to the Seduttori and Tubogas collection and high jewellery masterpieces like the Serpenti Misteriosi.
After topping one record after the other for seven consecutive years, Bvlgari has become the Master of ultra-thin movements, so it comes as no surprise that for 2022 the brand has chosen to use its expertise on the Serpenti Misteriosi High Jewellery watch.
The High Jewellery timepiece is a masterpiece featuring a new in-house micro-movement and embodying new miniaturization feats in jewellery and decorative excellence. Revisiting the iconic design from the 1950s, the new watch marks four new editions of the Serpenti-secret watches equipped with one of the smallest mechanical movements in the world – the Piccolissimo. Measuring in at just a thickness of 2.50mm, the BVL 100 calibre sits in the head of the reptile within a dedicated container and weighs only 1.30 grams. The snake’s tongue on the Serpenti Misteriosi has to be pressed for the watch to reveal its dial. The manual winding of the movement and the time setting is controlled via the bidirectional crown located on the caseback.
The Serpenti Misteriosi High Jewellery timepiece comes in a variety of case materials, dial colours and gemstones. From a black-lacquered gold case to a green-lacquered white gold double-tour bracelet set with brilliant-cut diamonds, each of the four editions offer various degree of watchmaking expertise and style.
OCTO ROMA Masterpieces of Sound
With the OCTO ROMA collection, Bvlgari has unveiled a range of high complication timepieces in the past. It has established itself as the Master of the Estetica della Meccanica with its earlier pieces from the OCTO Finissimo Minute Repeater to the OCTO Roma Grande Sonnerie. This time around, Bvlgari explores the new facets of the world of music and sound and brings us two exciting yet highly complicated timepieces – the OCTO ROMA Emeral Grande Sonnerie and the OCTO ROMA Blue Carillon Tourbillon.
The OCTO ROMA Emerald Grande Sonnerie is a timepiece that harmoniously brings together the marvel of sound and precious gemstones in a modern mechanical masterpiece. The watch elegantly fuses Haute Horlogerie with Haute Joaillerie by featuring a four-gong mechanism combined with a dial and case set with shimmering baguette-cut emeralds and diamonds. Isn’t that something!
As a chiming watch, the new Grande Sonnerie joins the orchestra of the Sinfonia della Meccanica offering its wearer to experience the wonder of the mechanism inside through the medium of sound. This four gong mechanism that creates the sound is one of the most complex timepieces unveiled by Bvlgari to date, rightfully called the queen of complications. Powered by the BVL703 automatic winding, tourbillon-regulated calibre, the watch offers a harmonious Westminister chime that can be activated or deactivated on-demand via the side buttons. The OCTO ROMA Emerald Grande Sonnerie comes in a 44mm white gold case set with a total of 446 baguette-cut Zambian emeralds and diamonds.
The OCTO ROMA Blue Carillon Tourbillon is a contemporary interpretation of two traditional complications of the tourbillon and the striking mechanism. Further adding to the “Master of Sound” theme of the OCTO ROMA, the Carillon Tourbillon is limited to 30 pieces. The watch comes in a 44mm platinum case encircled by a blue titanium caseband that amplifies the sound rendition and clarity. Its generous proportions ensure maximum sound propagation and greater sound power production.
The watch is powered by a highly graphic skeletonized hand-wound Calibre BVL428 movement comprising a total of 432 components.
LVCEA INTARSIO
Called “Sculptures of Light”, the final release from Bvlgari for LVMH Watch Week 2022 is the Lvcea Intarsio collection. The collection is home to a range of timepieces meant to “translate, retransmit and enhance the characteristic luminescence of the distinctive Roman sky in its blue and pink pearlescence.”
The Lvcea collection, since its introduction, signifies the Maison daily round watches that pay homage to the sundials of ancient Rome that captured light to signal the passing of time. Similarly, the 2022 editions reflect the same theme in new colour palettes with three-dimensional dials crafted in materials such as pink mother-of-pearl and aventurine. These two new materials used for the Lvcea Intarsio collection ensures maximum chromatic effect. Each dial is assembled using the marquetry technique in a pattern called Intarsio.
Here the 37 mother-of-pearl and blue aventurine micro-elements are cut and then faceted by hand, creating a three-dimensional surface on the dial. The new timepieces are available in two dial sizes; 28mm and 33mm. These case versions are crafted out of stainless steel set with the two dial options of pink mother-of-pearl and blue aventurine. The 28mm versions are powered by a quartz movement driving hour and minutes indications, while the 33mm pieces house an automatic movement beating inside. The Lvcea Intarsio collection comes in blue and pink alligator leather strap options.
Image Courtesy: Bvlgari
