Typically even a time-only motion’s debut might be an thrilling improvement — and who else to depend on than Bulgari for such a premier? Behold the Bulgari Girl Solotempo Automated, often known as the Bulgari BVS100 Automated caliber, which is totally new for the model and was designed particularly to energy watches wherein the model hitherto kind of solely used quartz actions. Simply as thrilling, Bulgari developed this motion not only for itself, but in addition for its sister manufacturers inside LVMH.
The Bulgari BVS100 — or Girl Solotempo, which sounds a lot nicer and extra romantic — is the third caliber the Italian-Swiss watchmaker developed for ladies’s watches. It follows in a path solid by the ultra-compact BVL150 Tourbillon, one of many smallest formed tourbillon watches accessible as we speak (pictured left, under), and the Piccolissimo which is among the many smallest mechanical actions produced as we speak (pictured proper, under). We regarded on the “artwork of miniaturization” and the creation of Piccolissimo right here. As you possibly can see, the Girl Solotempo matches in between the 2 and since it’s bigger it definitely provides a extra strong building, comparatively simpler manufacturing in larger portions, and an extended energy reserve (50 as an alternative of 30 hours).
Bulgari selected the 12 months of the snake to equip its serpent-themed Serpenti watches for what the model emotionally calls “eternity.” Certain, a mechanical motion does mission the perfect of everlasting sturdiness and sustainability, however I doubt the quartz variations of those mighty superb and equally costly gold (and generally metal) Serpenti watches would ever be thought-about disposable by their house owners. In any case, the place do you go from a Serpenti? I lamented that thought late final 12 months.
Based on the model, the BVS100 took three years to develop and is produced and assembled totally at Bulgari’s Swiss manufactures. The model wanted its personal motion as a result of none in the marketplace met the scale and quantity standards of the Serpenti watch head — which, thoughts you, needed to be redesigned barely, however extra on that later. I usually marvel why sure manufactures, when creating a brand new motion, don’t all the time push for larger efficiency or extra consolation options like an extended energy reserve.
Regardless of its tiny measurement — simply 19mm vast and three.90mm thick — the Bulgari Girl Solotempo motion provides a 50-hour energy reserve. Not too shabby from a motion that weighs a barely plausible 5 grams with all components absolutely assembled. That’s 0.176 ounces. That autonomy is replenished by a self-winding system with an oscillating weight adorned with the Serpenti scales — although they remind me much less of scales and extra of glazed home windows and medieval ceiling buildings in structure. Within the metallic, the BVS100 is a pretty-looking motion that doesn’t attempt to cover behind a contemporary industrial look. It seems strong, colourful, and complicated. I significantly preferred the little cut-out to evaluate the connection between the pallet jewel and the tooth of the escape wheel, which might be extra for high quality management functions than ornamental.
It’s all the time a deal with to see an uncased motion, because it permits for unobstructed and extra in-depth scrutiny. Maybe essentially the most shocking and overwhelming feeling I obtained from dealing with the Bulgari Girl Solotempo motion was simply how strong it felt. Small and skinny actions tend to be fragile, and even giant and complicated calibers can at occasions look (and, of their operation, really feel) fragile, too. I’d not go as far as to name the BVS100 a “workhorse” motion, though it does have the proportions and options of 1 — like the huge ball bearing that holds the rotor and the traversing steadiness bridge.
The watch head of each the Serpenti Tubogas and the Serpenti Seduttori (the one with out the wrap-around bracelet) needed to be redesigned to include Bulgari ladies’s watch mechanical motion. My long-term impression of Bulgari’s largely unchanged design crew is that they take pleasure in a problem — solely to create one thing that appears good with out conveying simply how tough the method might need been. It’s like with automotive design: Sure shapes and options seem easy till you are taking a paper and pencil and check out to attract the identical — not invent one thing new, or higher, simply replicate on paper what’s already carried out and is correct there in entrance of you.
Whereas the Serpenti Tubogas tends to steal the present more often than not, on this event, geared up with the mechanical caliber, it was the Serpenti Seduttori that actually stood out. Whereas the Tubogas has what seems to be a thicker case profile (using compound curves to cover its further heft from each angle apart from precisely sideways), the Seduttori obtained a thick and convex case profile. This super-smooth, dense-feeling, closely curved edge feels incredible to the contact. It begins from below 6 o’clock because it extends into the lug that holds the bracelet, arches out and in the direction of a redesigned crown (that’s bigger for simpler use of the motion) and narrows proper down because it turns into the higher lugs. It seems to have all the time been this manner, however for some purpose, the mechanical motion actually introduced this to the fore.
It’s also price noting simply how pure a match this motion is to those ladies’s watch circumstances. This can be very uncommon to search out actions which can be proportionate to the scale of the case — the large-watch pattern has all however destroyed even the consideration of this matter by most watchmakers and we’ve got begun a sluggish return to a greater case-movement steadiness solely not too long ago. With the Girl Solotempo, Bulgari has created a motion that does, certainly, make a bespoke impression, one which seems to be in its third or fourth technology with a number of rounds of fine-tuning and evolution.
From the entrance, a distinguished “computerized” label on the dial reassures the wearer — and their friends — that these are, certainly, the mechanical variations of Bulgari’s well-known ladies’s watch collections. How a lot of a distinction this may make actually is dependent upon who you ask. Some will proceed to want the quartz-powered variations which, make no mistake, will very a lot stay in manufacturing. Their reasoning could be the truth that a few of these will not be precisely daily-wearer watches (the Seduttori definitely is, and a few argue that even the Tubogas mannequin might be worn day-to-day as a result of it’s rather more snug than its form would recommend), and with a quartz motion, they will all the time anticipate these to be on time. An necessary consideration may also be worth, because the Serpenti Seduttori in metal with a diamond bezel goes from $7,550 USD to $10,200 USD, whereas the Serpenti Tubogas that you just see above in rose gold with diamonds goes from $47,100 USD to $52,000 USD.
Final, however definitely not least, it needs to be stated that Bulgari high quality continues to be spectacular. Sure, these are very costly merchandise, but when a robust sense of high quality from wrist-feel to shut scrutiny have been a common factor amongst luxurious merchandise, we might not have to focus on this particularly. Alas, we do. It might be assumed that Bulgari would need to get away with the distinctive design and standing of its high-end ladies’s watches, however an in depth take a look at that dial (see above, for instance), the ending of the case (take a look at that caseback above) or the execution of the brand new BVS100 motion, all point out the model’s intent to match an elevated worth level with high quality.
A cool element that’s necessary to notice with regards to this new Bulgari ladies’s watch mechanical motion, the Girl Solotempo, is that will probably be included sooner or later catalog of in-house actions accessible to different LVMH group manufacturers. As well-equipped a watch manufacture as Bulgari is, it doesn’t seem to have the capability to ship such manufacturing portions, so the group confirms that the BVS100 shall be produced by Zenith in its manufacture. The model says, “Bulgari is proud to contribute to the manufacturing ecosystem established by LVMH in help of Watchmaking excellence and craftsmanship in Switzerland” — I’m certain it’s. Isn’t it unusual how Bulgari turned the movement-developing powerhouse in a bunch of Zenith, TAG Heuer, and Hublot?
The Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori Automated in metal with a diamond bezel is priced at $10,200 USD, whereas the Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas Automated in rose gold with diamonds is priced at $52,000 USD. You’ll be able to be taught extra on the model’s web site.
