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Bulgari Serpenti Ladies Watch Hands-On

Easily one of the coolest watches around is the Bulgari Serpenti. I think it was soft-launched last year, but really is available now - and in many forms. The Serpenti concept is not new, as the watch that wraps around your wrist like a snake is a vintage concept for the Italian brand. Though Bulgari has re-released it in a new form. What impressed me most is the execution. The watch is essentially many from one long wrapped strand of steel or gold. Inside is a complex system to make it elastic. It feels refined, as though it would last for a long time - really nice engineering here.

The "snake head" is the watch dial, and again it comes in a few styles. There are a few different faces and the Serpenti models come with and without diamonds. There are also some very high-end versions that are totally covered in precious stones. These also require you to open the snake's mouth to reveal the watch face. In the past the Serpenti watches didn't use Bulgari watch faces, but where make for a host of other brands. Today, as Bulgari makes their own watch, there is more brand uniformity.

There are a few coil sizes I believe for different wrists, but concept is more or less "on size fits all." As a man I'd never be able to wear one of these, but I was impressed with how cool and elegant they look on women. I could easy see these watches as casual wear for the right lady. As a concept they are cool, as a watch they are refined, and as a style statement they are unmatched. Prices start at $4,050 in steel and $6,800 for steel and diamonds. More for gold, while the pictured model in gold with diamonds retails for $29,900 . Check out more images in the galley below.

Ariel Adams publishes the wrist watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Bulgari Serpenti Watches

Tags: Bulgari, bvlgari, hands-on, review, serpenti, watch

LVMH To Buy Up Bulgari

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Recently we've been so busy watching the drama as luxury mega-conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton makes moves on French luxury brand Hermes that we didn't even see them sneaking up on Bulgari. The NY Times reports that LVMH is set to announce on Monday that it is taking control of the luxurious Italian jeweler. According to the NY Times DealBook, Bulgari's founding family is exchange its 51 percent stake in the jeweler to LVMH for stock in LVMH and it will also have seats on LVMH's board. With those shares in place, it's said that LVMH is planning to make offers to acquire the rest of the shares.

LVMH is proving to be an unstoppable luxury juggernaut with over 60 of the world's most prestigious brands in tow including the ones in its name as well as Christian Dior, Fendi and Céline. Other luxury mega-groups include PPR and Richemont. The 127-year-old Bulgari brand is one of the most prestigious names in the jewelry and watches arena and is particularly popular in European and Asian markets. The brand also has several luxury hotels.

Tags: bulgari, bvlgari, lvmh, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, LvmhMoetHennessyLouisVuitton

Bulgari Serpenti Forearm Watch for Women

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

House Bulgari (Bvlgari) is taking their Serpenti watch concept a step further my offering a new version for 2011 that literally snakes all the way up your forearm. I first talked about the Serpenti watch here. You can see how Bulgari has literally lengthened the idea. For 2011 the watch is longer and offered in more jewelry-style versions with diamonds all over the face. Several versions of the Serpenti watch dial are offered, and inside the watch is a Swiss quartz movement.

The watch bracelet is flexible and likely needs to be stretched a bit to get around the lady wearer's arm. You literally need to slither your hand into this one. Bulgari will adjust the length of the Serpenti to the wearer. The watch is done in steel or gold, and can be made up to five meters long. This has got to be the talking piece of timepieces for women this year.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: Bulgari, Bvlgari, forearm, serpenti, watch

Bvlgari Gerald Genta Magsonic Grande Sonnerie Tourbillon Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

After Bvlgari engulfed the brand Gerald Genta (that it already owned), it took most of the brand's contemporary timepieces and "Bulgarized" them! Sorry, I had to say that - it made me laugh. What this means is that they took existing designs and reshaped them a bit to bit Bulgari's DNA.I was impressed they they decided the Grande Sonnerie Tourbillon should be kept alive. They barely made any changes to it at all actually! I first wrote about this watch when it was called the Gerald Genta Arena Metasonic Sonnerie. Renamed the Bvlgari Gerald Genta Magsonic Grande Sonnerie Tourbillon, the watch seems to only change the case material (looks to be in rose gold now), and the text on the ring around the dial.

Because the watch is so complex with its tourbillon and sophisticated chiming functions, Bulgari created an iPad app that explains the watch. An incredible piece, this was originally retailed for $900,000 - I wonder what it goes for now in Bvlgari form.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Bvlgari Gerald Genta Magsonic Grande Sonnerie Tourbillon Watch dial

Tags: bulgari, bvlgari, magsonic, sonnerie, tourbillon, watch

Bulgari Opens Jeweled Retrospective In Paris

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

On December 9, Nicola Bulgari, Chairman of the Bulgari Group, and Francesco Trapani, CEO of Bulgari, hosted a private cocktail celebration at the Grand Palais in Paris to celebrate the opening of its jewelry retrospective. It's the first exhibition in the 110-year-old hall that is entirely dedicated to jewelry. This is Bulgari's second retrospective exhibition ever and it runs through January 12, 2011.

Tags: bulgari, bvlgari, grand palais, jewelry, paris

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Bvlgari Parentesi Diamond and Gold Limited Edition Sunglasses

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Sunglasses are one of those accessories that although small have the uncanny ability to make or break an entire look. Bvlgari's limited edition Parentisi Diamond & Gold Sunglasses are both classic and glamorous, and all but guaranteed to upgrade any ensemble they're paired with. Boasting temples embellished with 18k gold and 206 pave diamonds (2.5 carats total) they also feature a strong geometric twist design and the iconic Parentesi pattern. And the best part? Only ten pairs exist in the world.

Presented in an embossed Bvlgari gift box with a case, cleaning cloth, and certificate of authenticity treat someone special to a pair of these this Christmas and you're sure to score serious brownie points. £20,000 ($31,000)

Source

Tags: bulgari, bvlgari, sunglasses

Julianne Moore Sparkles At Bulgari's Save The Children Event In Rome

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Events, Charity

On November 3rd, Bulgari CEO Francesco Trapani, Nicola Bulgari and Paolo Bulgari hosted a lavish fundraising event during the Rome Film Festival to benefit Save the Children. The event at the Salone delle Fontane included a cocktail reception, seated dinner, benefit auction and a special performance by Lenny Kravitz. Face of Bulgari's ad campaign, Julianne Moore, was in attendance wearing the emerald and diamond earrings she had worn in the print advertisements. Other notable guests included Delfina Delettrez, Isabella Ferrari, Valeria Golino, Martina Codecasa, and many more.

Event designer Simon Costin created a glamorous atmosphere reminiscent of Grand Central Station during the 1950s. All of the auction sales and the evening's ticket sales (€850 each) are being donated to Save the Children's worldwide education programs. Since 2008 Bulgari has contributed to support quality education programs for over 10 million children worldwide.

Check out a couple of pictures from the event after the jump (or visit Bulgari's Facebook page for more).

Tags: bulgari, bvlgari, julianne moore, rome

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Bulgari Blue Diamond Ring Sets New Record

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Auctions

Christie's "Jewels: The New York Sale" on October 20 had some very strong results including the sale of the "Bulgari Blue," a two-stone diamond ring featuring the largest triangular-shaped fancy vivid blue diamond ever to appear at auction. The ring had an estimate of over $12 million and brought in $15.7 million, making it the top jewel sold at auction in 2010.

The ring was designed by Rome's legendary house of BVLGARI in the 1970s and is being sold by a collector who bought it nearly 40 years ago as a present for his wife after the birth of their first son. it features a triangular-shaped, colorless diamond of 9.87 carats matched with a triangular-shaped Fancy Vivid blue diamond of 10.95 carats which is the largest Fancy Vivid blue diamond of this cut ever to be offered at auction. The collector bought the ring in 1972 for around $1 million. Fancy vivid blue diamonds are among the rarest and most sought-after colored diamonds and only one stone in around 10 million has color that rates this designation. Prices for blue diamonds continue to be strong. At a Sotheby's auction in May in Geneva a 7.64 carat fancy intense blue cushion-shaped diamond mounted in yellow gold and platinum sold to an anonymous client for $8,034,503.

National Jeweler reports that the ring was the sale's grand finale piece and was won by an Asian collector for $15,762,500, with premium after a bidding battle between one client in the room and two clients on the phone.

The 448-lot auction brought in a total of $52.5 million. The sale also included a pair of Imperial Topaz earrings, from the legendary jewelry house JAR (founded by Joel Arthur Rosenthal). Ellen Barkin sold the earrings at auction in 2006 for $710,000. They were estimated to bring in $300,000 to $500,000 but sold for $650,500.

Tags: blue diamond, blue diamonds, bulgari, bvlgari, christies, diamond, jar, jewelry designers

$12 Million Blue Diamond BVLGARI Ring to Be Auctioned by Christie's

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Auctions

On October 20, as the lead highlight of its flagship Jewels: The New York Sale, Christie's will offer The BVLGARI Blue Diamond – a stunning two-stone diamond ring designed by Rome's legendary house of BVLGARI in the 1970s that's expected to fetch over $12 million. The ring features two extremely precious stones (above): a triangular-shaped, colorless diamond of 9.87 carats paired with a stunning triangular-shaped Fancy Vivid blue diamond of 10.95 carats – the largest Fancy Vivid blue diamond of this cut ever to be offered at auction. Fancy Vivid blue diamonds of this size are among the rarest of colored diamonds - only one in about 10 million will possess a color pure enough to qualify as "Fancy Vivid". The ring will be priced upon request for prospective bidders, but is expected to achieve in excess of $12 million and is positioned to become one of the top-selling diamonds at auction in 2010. The ring is being offered by a private European collector who has kept it in his family for almost 40 years.

Tags: auctions, Bulgari, BVLGARI, Christies, diamond, diamonds, jewelry, Rome

"Bulgari Man" Scent Set To Debut in September

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance, Men's Style

Bulgari will launch "Bulgari Man" in early fall with actor Clive Owen as its face. According to HAPPI, to promote the scent, the media campaign will include 13 million scented pieces (strips, catalog inserts and magazine ads) that will reach 22 million people. Industry sources estimate that Bulgari is aiming for a first-year sales target of $10 million at retail.

Perfumer Alberto Morillas gave Bulgari Man a woody-oriental scent with top notes of pear, bergamot, and violet leaves, in addition to white wood and vegetal amber that's based on a proprietary Firmenich molecule.

Bulgari Man eau de toilette sprays will be available in three sizes: $79 for a 100 ml bottle, $58 for 60ml and $42 for 30ml. A 200ml bath and shower gel, at $35; a 100ml aftershave balm, at $44; and a deodorant stick launching in January, at $25, will accompany the fragrance.

Read more at our sister site, stylelist.

Tags: Bulgari, Bvlgari, celebrity fragrance, Clive Owen, cologne, mens fragrance, scent

Bulgari Daniel Roth Tourbillon Chrono Rattrapante Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

I am not sure exactly what is happening to the Daniel Roth visual aesthetic now that Bulgari has officially sunken its teeth into the each watch by having Bulgari branding. A small "Daniel Roth" label lives at the bottom next to the name of the movement. Looks like the branding message going forward is Bulgari design and character, with Daniel Roth movements - or something like that. This watch takes the (presumably new or newer) Calibre 8300 manually wound tourbillon movement with rattrapante (split second) chronograph and fumbles with a design to stick it in. From an academic standpoint the Calbire 8300 is an interesting a well laid out movement. The dial has a subsidiary watch face, with an emphasis on the 30 minute chronograph mechanism. It also has an exposed tourbillon window, and a power reserve indicator for the movement. All necessary things, and laid out well, in a logical, user friendly way. Though. when it comes down to it, this is a watch almost exclusively for collectors. The pool of people that need a very expensive watch that gives most of the dial real estate to a split second chronograph is minimal.

Tags: bulgari, bvlgari, chrono, chronograph, daniel roth, rattrapante, tourbillon, watch

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Bulgari Sotirio Bulgari Watch Collection For 2010

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Bulgari has had my eye for a while because the company has been making some bold moves. This year it "ate" sub-brands Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta, and last year it started released much more "powerful" designs. That doesn't mean you have to love the designs, but they are certainly strong in the "brand DNA" department. A lot of their new watches for 2010 were actually re-branded, face-lifted Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta watches. Though a few new models did come out and this Bulgari Sotirio Bulgari watch for 2010. Sotirio was the founder of the brand, and in the last couple of years the brand has been releasing watches with his name. Here is a Sotirio Bulgari watch from last year that I talked about. The new watch collection for 2010 changes things up a bit with a more straight forward dial and design. The most interesting elements are in the case design as well as the available metal and gold bracelet.

The case is 43mm wide in steel with some gold or in all 18k gold. Sapphire crystal over the dial and caseback. Inside the watch is an in-house made Bulgari Caliber 168 automatic movement. The movement has a unique Bulgari shaped automatic rotor, and some perlage decoration, but otherwise nothing too special other than the fact that it is in-house made. In addition to the time, it has a date complication that displayed the date around the periphery of the watch. I personally don't like reading the date this way as I find it distracting when attempting to read the time. The prior Sotirio Bulgari watch did have the date on a disc though. For me, the style of the watch is held back, but in a good way. Bulgari was making some wild looking watches for a while that I didn't see too many people buying. While this watch has a lot of Bulgari DNA and a quirky style, it is relatively held back. Part of the reason for this is likely due to Bulgari's cost cutting needs as the brand hasn't been fiscally outstanding lately. Look for the new Sotirio Bulgari watches in Bulgari stores soon.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 2010, Baselworld, Bulgari, Bvlgari, Sotirio, watch

Matthew Williamson To Create Handbags For Bulgari

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

Bulgari has designed ultra-pricey handbags for a while but they haven't had an official designer at the helm. Vogue UK reports that the Italian jewelry brand has tapped British fashion designer Matthew Williamson to design a handbag collection for spring/summer 2011. The capsule collection will be shown during Milan Fashion Week in September. Williamson is known for his exuberant sense of color which eventually led to his stint as creative director at Pucci. In a press release Bulgari's CEO Francesco Trapani commented: "We chose Matthew Williamson for the great sense of color and design he brings to his work which resonates with our brand's rich history".

Tags: bulgari, bvlgari, handbags, matthew williamson, milan fashion week

Bulgari Serpenti Watch For 2010

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Right out of house Bulgari continues to slither new Serpenti models, the collection of watches and jewelry for (mainly) women. I reported on the collection last year here, and above you will see a new model in the snake inspired collection. Snake-like? Worm-like? Feminine-look? Sometimes your guess is as good as mine. The watches clearly are based on animals with segmented bodies, but this newest version could be an Earthworm and I wouldn't know the difference. The complex segmented gold body of the watch (in 18k gold or steel) is cambered, and done in a way to wrap around your wrist like an Egyptian style upper arm adornment. In typical Bulgari fashion the piece can be have with or without diamonds on the case (if you opt for the stones you'll find 38 of them on bezel). The face of the watch takes the form of the serpent's head, though here in a less dangerous "clock face form." The dial is pretty easy to read being in black or silver, with a Bulgari B033 quartz movement inside to power it. The dial is covered with a sapphire crystal, and the little crown has a pink rubellite cabochon placed in it. It is certainly an interesting piece with a design finish worthy of the brand - but a fan base that will be no doubt niche.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 2010, bulgari, bvlgari, gold, serpenti, watch

Bulgari Gerald Genta Octo Grand Sonnerie Tourbillon Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

I can't wait to see the whole line of new Bulgari version Gerald Genta watches at Basel. To explain what I mean by Bulgari Gerald Genta watches read here. One of the higher-end high-end watch will be this new Octo Grand Sonnerie Tourbillon. This is going to be one very expensive watch, though the dial is surprisingly simple - at least compared to the last watch that I believe had the same, or slightly different movement. That was the Gerald Genta Arena Metasonic watch that goes for $900,000. Given the almost identical features between the two watches, it is more than likely that they share movements. Small differences involve the display of the time, and the dials on the dial. Bulgari gave this Octo Grand Sonnerie a retrograde hour dial and the minutes on a disc. Looks cool, but might prove a pain to read. Then you have four subdials on the face that look like automobile gauges (purposefully done that way). These include power reserve indicators for the watch and the sonnerie (chiming mechanism). Whether you have a grand or petite ("little" as seen on this dial) sonnerie (sort of a volume control), as well as a "chimes" or "silence" indicator (basically an on or off function for the sonnerie).

You have to admit this this is one of the most logical, user friendly dials that you've ever seen a grand (grande) sonnerie watch. The other side of the 43mm wide 18k white gold watch case (not visible in this dial) liked has a series of pushers (or alike) on it. This is a pretty neat looking watch in the Octo watch line with lots of nice details and an open caseback that is sure to reveal the ultra complex manually wound mechanical watch movement. Price will easily be in the astronomical range, and no doubt that this watch will be part of a very limited edition.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 2010, Bulgari, Bvlgari, Gerald Genta, GeraldGenta, Grand Sonnerie, GrandSonnerie, Octo, watch

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