Bulgari and MB&F join forces today in a decidedly unexpected collaboration that reinterprets an icon of the Roman fashion house and combines the designs of Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Bulgari’s Head of Design, with the out-of-the-box technique of the independent fashion house founded by Maximilian Büsser.

Following the previous collaboration between the two houses, which resulted in “MB&F x Bulgari LM FlyingT Allegra,” a watch that combined the style of Legacy Machines with the elegance of Roman high jewelry, today the two brands are presenting three brand-new timepieces that will leave many fans speechless: Bulgari x MB&F Serprenti.

For this second collaboration, the two brands drew on one of Bulgari’s most iconic elements, the Serpenti, an unmistakable symbol since 1948 that has inspired jewelry and watches.

Redesigning such an important object for the Roman maison posed a considerable challenge, requiring a complete overhaul from both an engineering and design perspective.

Let’s find out the details of these three new Bulgari X MB&F signatures together.

The characteristics of the Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti

Inspiration drawn from the animal kingdom is nothing new for MB&F, which has always drawn on this world through its Horological Machines. This is the case, for example, with the HM 10 inspired by a bulldog, the “Machine” created for Only Watch 2021 inspired by the Panda, and the HM 3 inspired by frogs.

The goal of rethinking what the Serpents represent for Bulgari proved to be a complex process, both from a design and technical standpoint, particularly in the construction of the movement that animates these three new creations.

As for the design of the watch, the biggest challenge was to create a case that evoked Bulgari’s iconic snake and was harmonious from every angle. To achieve this, the metal structure was alternated with five sapphire crystal elements, which are also curved like the rest of the case, two of which allow us to admire the most fascinating part of the reptile: the eyes.

The desire to make this incredible “Machine” waterproof up to 30 meters posed an additional challenge for the brand, which had to work on alternating metal and glass parts. This aspect gives the watches an even sportier character in keeping with the distinctive qualities of the animal kingdom.

Inside the case, the movement is equally complex. In this case, developed entirely by MB&F, it stems from the idea of infusing a soul into the creation, bringing the snake’s eyes to life thanks to the two dedicated discs for displaying the hours and minutes (a technical choice already employed in several Horological Machines over the years).

Both domes-the one on the left, indicating the hours, and the one on the right, marking the minutes-are embellished with hand-applied Super-Luminova inserts to make the snake’s gaze seem to glow even as darkness falls.

Completing the reptile’s look is the flying balance wheel, a true MB&F signature, with a diameter of about 14 mm that goes to represent the “brain” of the entire creation. Similar to the Panda- and Bulldog-inspired Machines we mentioned earlier, in this new Machine the winding and time setting are operated by two separate crowns positioned near the back lugs of the watch.

The part in contact with the wrist is equally interesting, showing some of the 310 components of the hand-wound movement, entirely finished by hand. In particular, the power reserve can be seen through the transparent sapphire crystal case back.

Configurations of Bulgarians x MB&F Serpents

Each of the three versions presented of the new Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti will be limited to 33 pieces. The first is made with a grade 5 titanium case with blue details, including the domes of the hour and minute indicators.

As for the second version, it is made of rose gold and features deep green snake eyes; this variant, more than the others, faithfully captures the essence of the snake.

Finally, the third, equally fascinating version features a black PVD-treated steel case enhanced with red details.

Prices

List prices for the new Bulgari and MB&F signature Machines are EUR 161,000 (excluding tax), for the rose gold version, EUR 140,000 (excluding tax), for the titanium version, and EUR 140,000 (excluding tax) for the black PVD steel version.

Conclusion

In itself, a collaboration between MB&F and Bulgari-two of the brands that, in my opinion, have most marked the last decade in the industry by innovating and surprising-is already incredible news. However, what has come from the brilliant minds of Max Büsser and Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani makes these creations among the most interesting of recent times, and I am sure that fans will not miss the chance to add them to their collection.

Also not to be underestimated is the ability of the two maisons to make watches water resistant up to 30 meters. The more one experiments with different case shapes than usual, the more difficult it is to reach certain standards. Having succeeded in this allows the wearer to enjoy extreme peace of mind in daily life, fully appreciating this work of art designed for the wrist.

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