The Bulgari Collezione Mediterranea is a sea of colours and shapes. And its beauty as an extraordinary form of inspiration. Nature once again takes centre stage in the Bulgari universe. The Roman maison wanted to pay tribute to it with an extraordinary collection of high-end watches designed to celebrate, starting with the name, the richness of the fascinating underwater world of the Mediterranean Sea. (Here all our posts about Bulgari).
A miniaturised movement
To achieve this goal, the Maison also drew on its enormous wealth of artistic and craftsmanship skills, which have in the Piccolissimo BVL 100 calibre one of their highest expressions. Characterised by its miniaturised dimensions, this mechanical movement was the basis from which the creative work began to give life to an exclusive collection of timepieces for men and women that are part of the Mediterranea collection.
Bulgari a gorgeous presentation in Venice
A contamination, that between the world of time and haute joaillerie, which found in Venice, which has always been a fervent crossroads of culture and art, the ideal setting for this extraordinary representation of Bulgari’s savoir-faire. Here, the 14th-century loggia of the Doge’s Palace, a stone’s throw from Piazza San Marco, was the catwalk on which 400 unique pieces were paraded, some of them worth millions.
This appointment comes at a time when the market is giving Bulgari great satisfaction. “The whole high-end segment, i.e. high jewellery and watchmaking, has been the big winner post-Covid,” Jean-Christophe Babin, Bulgari’s CEO, told Il sole 24 Ore. ‘There is emotion in these creations, but also investment possibilities, especially in times of inflation and high liquidity like these. Coloured stones in particular are highly sought-after, and we have been among the promoters of this appreciation precisely because of our historical passion for such gems.
We have also ‘discovered’ new ones, such as the Paraiba tourmaline, which no one was talking about ten years ago and which today fetches higher prices than diamonds’. Yes, because the absolute stars of the Giardino Marino Grande and Giardino Marino Piccolo are precisely them, the precious stones.
Giardino Marino Grande
In this coral reef teeming with life, two treasures of the underwater world can be discovered: a starfish with a 3.96-carat rubellite cabochon at its centre and a shell studded with diamonds and Paraiba tourmalines, both of which can be removed to be worn as earrings in a parure with the watch. Another shell, embellished with pavé sapphires, can instead be opened by pressing on the round diamond to reveal the precious pearl inside.
The last treasure is hidden behind the central fish, which houses the watch face powered by the Piccolissimo mechanical micro-movement. With a diameter of 12 mm, a thickness of 2.50 mm and a weight of just 1.30 grams, Bulgari’s Piccolissimo movement is the smallest round mechanical calibre on the market and a unique testimony to the Maison’s art of miniaturisation. Exceptional craftsmanship and vibrant coloured stones meet watchmaking know-how to create a true masterpiece.
The result of no less than 3,900 hours of workmanship, the Giardino Marino Grande secret watch captures every gaze with its extraordinary combination of fish, shells, anemones set on tremblers, mobile corals and decorated beads, totalling more than 4,800 coloured gemstones, combined in unique and vibrant colours.
Bulgari: Giardino Marino Piccolo
A magnificent blue and green degradé characterises the Giardino Marino Piccolo secret watch, where a coral reef with fish, anemones and shells has been recreated in a vibrant colour palette inspired by Southern Italy, using diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, Paraiba tourmalines, Tanzanites, green tourmalines, tsavorites, topazes and peridots.
A transparent central topaz reveals the watch face with the round Piccolissimo micro mechanical movement inside.
Bulgari Divas’ Dream Acquarium
Under a dome inspired by the volumes of the iconic cabochon cut, Bulgari has recreated a miniaturised living aquarium for the Divas’ Dream Acquarium watch.
Above a dial paved with pavé Paraiba tourmalines, sapphires and diamonds, two fish – embellished with two pear-cut rubies and rubellites the first, and two Paraiba tourmalines and sapphires the second – appear to literally swim inside the aquarium, thanks to the adoption of a sophisticated goldsmith’s technique.
At the same time, corals, shells and stones mounted on tremblers float as if on a seabed. Adding further preciousness, the flexible white gold bracelet is studded with Paraiba tourmalines, sapphires and diamonds, while the case back is hand-engraved with a dedicated marine-themed design.
Matteo Zaccagnino
