the record breakers
Meet the 400 people (give or take) behind bvlgari’s four world records and amazing novelties
earlier this year, at the annual baselworld fair, bvlgari made waves once again with yet another world record broken. actually, make that two records. first is the octo finissimo automatic tourbillon, the world’s thinnest automatic tourbillon wristwatch. and then there’s the diva finissima Minute repeater, which is the slimmest minute repeater wristwatch for women.
These two masterpieces follow a succession of record-breaking milestones set by bvlgari starting in 2014 with the octo finissimo tourbillon, followed by the octo finissimo Minute repeater in 2016 and then the octo finissimo automatic just last year. taken together, these made for the perfect lead up and crowning point to bvlgari’s celebration 100 years of jewelry watchmaking.
now, as exciting as it is to pore over the “what” parts of these record-breaking feats and the “why” of how these pieces scored their respective victories, going over the “who” made all of that possible is no less interesting. with that in mind, we invited you to delve into the world of bvlgari horlogerie.
Over the Mountains
two elements sit at the center of bvlgari watchmaking: italian values and swiss expertise. and, for sure, timepieces from the brand carry the stylistic hallmarks of the former, while staying in line with the traditions and innovations of the latter. and driving all of these are 400 people working in four production sites spread across the Jura mountains of switzerland—the heart of swiss watchmaking.
“Two elements sit at the center of Bvlgari watchmaking: Italian values and Swiss expertise”
it should also be noted that bvlgari has claimed mastery of the entire spectrum of mechanical watchmaking. from the movements to cases and dials, everything is made in-house.
back to the aforementioned four production seats, each of these are established in regions well-known for pure watchmaking traditions and—more importantly—specialized skills.
Mechanical movements, for one, are made at le sentier, a village in the vallée de Joux in the canton of vaud which is home to numerous legendary watchmakers. cases—whether they’re made in steel, titanium, gold or platinum—are crafted at saignelégier. dials, on the other hand, are made at the bvlgari Manufacture de cadrans in la chaux-de-fonds, yet another hub of watchmaking. finally, assembly and final testing of bvlgari watches are handled in neuchâtel, perhaps the most celebrated town in the world of haute horlogerie.
The Italian Touch
when talking about bvlgari’s craftsmanship, one can never forget that the house is known primarily as an italian jewelry brand. as such, there is a close synergy between bvlgari horlogerie and bvlgari Jewelry, as craftsmanship of the latter is just as important in the production of jewelry watches from the former.
to that end, the jeweled elements of bvlgari watches are crafted in the bvlgari Jewelry manufacture in valenza or in the high Jewelry workshop in rome, depending on the features or level of preciousness that is required for a certain product. in any case, the type of production carried out in either location uses the traditional lost-wax casting technique, which is also used for all of the brand’s jewelry, from the serpenti bracelets to the b.zero1 rings. bracelets for watches and stone-set cases are cleaned, assembled and finished by expert goldsmiths. as can be imagined, special attention is given to the small details, as every element of a watch needs to interlock perfectly with each other, so that the watch as a whole follows the natural shape and movements of the wearer’s wrist.
These stone-set cases and bracelets will eventually join the other watch elements— from movements to dials—in neuchâtel to be assembled and put through rigorous quality control tests before being shipped to boutiques all over the world.
it is often said that the journey matters more than the destination. when it comes to bvlgari’s fine watches, both are just as important—and as impressive. and so are the 400 maestros that make it all possible.