New Launch: The BVLGARI Serpenti Misteriosi ‘Secret’ Watches

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There are a few watch companies that will always be associated with certain watch models. For instance, the 911 Carrera will always be associated with luxury carmaker Porsche. Similarly, talking of watchmakers, Audemars Piguet has the Royal Oak, Patek Philippe has the Nautilus, and Jaeger LeCoultre has the Reverso. As far as Bulgari is concerned, a good example is the Octo. The collection has managed to become a significant watch family. But long before the Octo line came along to change the rules of the watchmaking domain, luxury goods powerhouse Bulgari had the Serpenti collection, luxury watches for women.

A serpent-shaped high jewellery watch that symbolised opulence.

The All-New Bvlgari Serpenti Misteriosi Watch

The snake-like motif in high jewellery goes back thousands of years. In watchmaking, however, it’s much younger as it began in the 1940s. The Serpenti “secret” jewellery watches are even more recent. British-American actress Elizabeth Taylor was famously photographed wearing one in 1962, on the set of the film Cleopatra.

The term “secret” is figurative. These are essentially jewellery watches that get their name from the fact that despite looking like pieces of high jewellery, they are watches that reveal themselves when one presses a hidden clasp.

An Icon and a Marvel

Bulgari introduced four new Serpenti “secret” watches for women during the LVMH Watch Week 2022. Named the Serpenti Misteriosi High Jewelry Watches, these high jewellery timepieces are extravagant pieces art that only solidify Bvlgari’s position in the market further.

These are nothing but spectacular pieces of jewellery that also introduce the new “ultra-small” mechanical movement, the BVL 100. At merely 12.30mm x 2.50mm in dimensions, the movement is evidence that Bvlgari is much more than just a pretty face.

A New Collection From Bvlgari

There are four brand new references in this Bulgari watch collection. Ref. 103559 offers a black-lacquered rose gold case.

The Bulgari Serpenti Ref. 103560 offers a white gold case with green lacquer.

Bulgari Serpenti Ref. 103558 offers a rose gold case with diamonds and turquoise inserts.

Finally, Serpenti Ref. 103561 will have a white gold case and head, set with diamonds.

Every single one of these watches have a dial hidden inside the serpent’s mouth, which one can open by holding down the forked tongue.

To wear a Serpenti watch on your wrist is to have a snake twined around it. The secret to the embrace of the serpent is hidden the magnificent construction of these extremely complex cases. The luxury women’s watch cases are crafted in segments. These are then fitted around a coiled blade-shaped spring that gives the watch its elasticity and fluidity.

The Bvlgari BVL 100 – The Little Wonder

Despite the BVL 100’s miniscule size, the movement manages to cram a 170 mm long mainspring into a 5 mm wide barrel, offering up to 30 hours of power reserve. The watch possesses a lever escapement with a unique side-lever configuration, something that is not common anymore.

The mechanism is back-setting as well as back-winding. Additionally, in order to maximize the inertia of the balance, the Maison opted to make it entirely in white gold.