WHEN PAST AND PRESENT COLLIDE

Bulgari pays homage to a watchmaking legend with its modern interpretation of a classic

THE LATE GERALD Genta never liked wearing watches. “For me, watches are the antithesis of liberty. I am an artist, a painter. I hate having to adhere to the constraints of time. It irritates me,” he once said in an interview. It’s ironic, considering that the designer was directly responsible for some of the most iconic timepieces of all time. His portfolio boasts such classics as the Royal Oak, the Nautilus, and of course the Bulgari Bulgari, which has its logotype boldly engraved on its bezel, almost like a declaration.

Bulgari’s relationship with Genta and his namesake brand went beyond design. About two decades ago, Bulgari acquired the Gerald Genta brand from Singapore’s luxury watch retailer The Hour Glass. As part of the deal, the Italian house also purchased the manufacture that produced Genta’s watches.

To say the acquisition has helped

Bulgari’s watchmaking division would be an understatement. As well, the watchmaking spirit of Vallée de Joux has thrived in Bulgari, resulting in many advances for the brand in the realm of fine watchmaking, one of which we will get to later in this story.

But first, this: 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Gerald Genta brand, and to celebrate this milestone, Bulgari has unveiled the Gerald Genta 50th Anniversary Watch (pictured above).

A Touch Of Fun

While it’s certainly not the most inspiring name, the watch itself is an eye-catching piece of work. Genta might not have invented the jumping hour mechanism but he was definitely enamoured by it, considering the number of watches designed

by him that bore this complication. The Mickey Mouse watches spring to mind.

It was only right, then, that Bulgari used it with the retrograde minutes complication ‒ another Genta signature. There’s no denying the pleasure of seeing the hand jump back to the 00 numeral at the start of every hour. The cerulean blue dial is also pleasing to the eye and a clever homage to Genta’s design language, while still retaining Bulgari’s essence with its understated look.

Enthusiasts of the late watchmaker’s work will also recognise the case and crown design, both rendered in platinum this time. The kicker? A retrograde date that runs parallel to the minutes display.

The watch is powered by Bulgari’s workhorse calibre BVL 300 beating at a standard 28,800vph, with a fairly nominal 42-hour power reserve.

Breaking Records, Again

Beyond the Gerald Genta name and the cachet that it comes with, the acquisition also gave Bulgari the push it needed to take its watchmaking efforts to the next level.

“THIS YEAR, BULGARI TOOK THE OCTO FINISSIMO TOURBILLON AUTOMATIC AND CASED THE WATCH IN BLACK CARBON, MAKING IT WEIGH ONLY 48 GRAMS”

This is most apparent in its Octo collection. First launched in 2012, the range represents Bulgari’s finest and most advanced work in haute horlogerie. Most folks will recognise the watchmaker’s continuous efforts in pushing the envelope of thinness. One of them, the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic, held two simultaneous world records ‒ world’s thinnest automatic and thinnest tourbillon.

This year, the brand took the same watch and cased it in black carbon fibre (pictured, top left). The result is a timepiece that weighs an incredibly light 48 grams. Only 50 pieces are available.

If black carbon isn’t your style but you’re still enamoured by the sculptural case of the Octo range, Bulgari has also released new editions of the Roma and L’Originale Solotempo, each a solid addition to the brand’s portfolio of timepieces that offer a decidedly Italian take on watchmaking.

We’ll be exploring more of Bulgari’s Octo pieces in the future, so watch this space. For now, we’re looking forward to the Italian watchmaker’s next record breaker. AM