High watchmaker and jeweller Bvlgari’s latest Mediterranea High-End Watches 2023 Collection evokes fantastical underwater gardens, seascapes and flowers through its fabulously crafted jewellery watches that are a feast to the eyes
SOUTHERN RADIANCE
The Bvlgari watch design studio – based in Neuchatel in Switzerland – celebrates and interprets the richness of the Mediterranean underwater world. The brand’s skilled artisans and colour gemstones experts gave life to two underwater gardens: the Giardino Marino Grande and Giardino Marino Piccolo. The flexible structure, along with a variety of hidden treasures and living reef convey a sense of vibrancy and joy. All the elements – fixed, moving or set on tremblers – are assembled on a flexible bracelet made of coral-shaped parts in white gold evoking the movement of sea waves while providing comfort on the wrist. All watches are mechanical and powered by Bvlgari’s high horology calibres, notably the Piccolissimo calibre BVL 100, featuring miniature dimensions.
Giardino Marino Grande secret watch
The Giardino Marino Grande secret watch required more than 3,900 hours to be completed. Crafted from over 4,800 colourful precious stones and gems, an exceptional combination of fishes, seashells, anemones set on tremblers, mobile corals, and decorated beads match to obtain vibrant colour effects.
A starfish showing a central 3.96-carat cabochon rubellite and a seashell paved with diamonds and Paraiba tourmalines are both detachable and can be worn as earrings. Another sapphire-paved shell opens by pressing the round diamond revealing a pearl inside. The last treasure is hidden behind the central fish: the dial of the watch powered by the Piccolissimo micro mechanical movement. With a 12mm diameter, a thickness of 2.50mm and a weight of just 1.30 grams, Bvlgari’s Piccolissimo is the smallest round mechanical calibre on the market and a testament to the Maison’s art of miniaturisation. Exceptional craftsmanship and vibrant colourful stones meet watchmaking know-how to reveal a true masterwork.
Giardino Marino Piccolo secret watch
An impressive degradé of blue and green defines the Giardino Marino Piccolo secret watch, where a reef featuring fish, anemones, and seashells is recreated in a Southern Italy-inspired vibrant colour palette, with the use of diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, Paraiba tourmalines, tanzanite, green tourmalines, tsavorites, topaz and peridot. A central see-through topaz reveals the dial of the watch featuring the Piccolissimo mechanical micro round movement.
Divas’ Dream Acquarium watch
Under a cabochon-inspired dome, Bvlgari has recreated a miniaturised living aquarium in the Divas’ Dream Acquarium watch. Over a dial paved with degradé Paraiba tourmalines, sapphires, and diamonds, two fishes – each of them enriched with two pear-shaped stones: the former with rubies and rubellites, the latter with Paraiba tourmalines and sapphires – swim thanks to a sophisticated jewellery technique. At the same time, set on tremblers, corals, shells, and stones float like in the sea world. Adding extra preciousness, the white gold flexible bracelet is paved with Paraiba tourmalines, sapphires, and diamonds, while the case back is hand engraved with a dedicated marine drawing.
EAST MEETS WEST
Oriental Buds high jewellery secret watch
Presented with a matching necklace, the Oriental Buds high jewellery secret watch evokes a lush exotic garden, its geometric symmetry inspired by Byzantine architecture. Bursting with life and energy, this exceptional timepiece, that required 900 hours to be completed, features a stunning combination of diamonds, tourmalines, emeralds, and sapphire beads infused with dynamic vibrancy. The secret watch is dominated by a 5.65-carat Colombian cushion-cut emerald nested in a pavé-diamond setting of Indian Mughal-inspired motifs. Pushing the central emerald, the flower opens revealing the dial enriched with sparkling diamonds.
