Bulgari: The MAGNIFICA New Collection of Secret Watches

Many contemporary high jewellery trends were set at the turn of the 20th century. Jewellery and precious home décor that concealed mechanisms of enhanced secrecy, accuracy and complexity, were especially chic, enchanting and remarkable. Historically, this trend has migrated to and become rooted in the art of watchmaking, combining functionality with aesthetics. Following in these footsteps, Bulgari has created a new high-end collection of secret watches called MAGNIFICA.

The Roman jewellery maison never ceases to amaze with its new timepieces, which I would sooner call “jewels that tell the time”. The Serpenti Misteriosi Cleopatra bracelet, which I wrote about just a couple of weeks ago, deserves to be described that way! The company, under the guidance of Fabrizio Buonamassa, CEO of Bulgari Product Creation, keeps proving to us that beauty, craftsmanship and inspiration can be transformed into outstanding works of art with breath-taking designs.

Would it be an exaggeration to say that, through the MAGNIFICA collection, Bulgari’s craftsmen have outdone themselves? I think you will be able to answer that for yourself after taking a look at four of the new secret watches. Each of them fully embodies the iconic Bulgari style, combining bold designs, a notable heft, cabochons and the vibrant colours of various gemstones.

To start with, I would recommend inspecting the most expensive precious watch that Bulgari has ever produced: Ruby Metamorphosis. The centrepiece is a stunning 6.30-carat cushion cut Mozambican ruby, which Bulgari describes as “a magnificent Italian sunset” owing to its intense hues. It is this ruby that decorates the lid hiding the dial. Baguette-cut rubies and diamonds set on a platinum base provide the bracelet, which sensually wraps itself around the wrist with flexibility. It took the jewellers as many as 1,650 hours of painstaking work to create this masterpiece.

Celestial Sky celebrates Rome as a timeless source of inspiration for Bulgari. The bright blue oval 6 carat Sri Lankan sapphire, which stands out on this unusual platinum secret watch and hides the diamond dial, evokes the characteristic shades of the Roman sky. The curved shapes and bold size of the rigid cuff bracelet are inspired by sinuous Baroque motifs accentuated by tourmaline cabochons, baguette cut sapphires and diamonds.

The Baroque Spiral watch, made alongside a necklace of the same name, is also distinguished by the characteristic architectural and artistic features of the iconic style that is unique to Roman art. Spiral geometry, which symbolises life and evolution, has featured in the brand’s high jewellery designs on more than one occasion. The diamond curls are harmoniously intertwined with each other, creating organic forms, complemented here and there by cabochons of sapphires, rubies and emeralds. Rock crystal of incredible clarity, which covers the dial, also lends the watch a certain sophisticated air.

You will find the same bevelled quartz design on the only monochrome watch: Diamond Swan. As the name suggests, the design was inspired by the graceful snow-white bird. The bright flickers of the diamonds are accentuated by the matte shimmer of mother-of-pearl and enhanced with rock crystal. The miniature dial, inlaid with snow-white pavé, is hidden under a transparent cover made of a faceted, 7 carat rock crystal and is easy to read. The touching feminine splendour of this watch is heightened by a bracelet made of a cascade of ‘floating’ diamonds of various cuts. The difference between this model and other iconic diamond watches is that the focus is not on precious stones, but on an expressive design, one of my favourites, that creates the illusion of stones floating above the wrist.

Time is perhaps the most valuable resource that can never be replenished. MAGNIFICA masterpieces gracefully remind us of eternity and timeless values that are worthy of your precious minutes.