Bulgari’s Aeterna collection celebrates 140 years of Roman and Greek heritage with a gem-setting masterclass

Buffy Acacia

140 years have passed since the Greek-born Sotirios Voulgaris opened his first store in Rome, having italicised his name to Bulgari. The brand became an expansive family business, skyrocketing in popularity from the ‘20s to the ‘60s, then boasting silver-screen clients such as Elizabeth Taylor and Ingrid Bergman. The new Bulgari Aeterna collection is not only a celebration of the company’s legacy, but also a culmination of the Roman and Greek cultures which form its heritage. Six watches bring together generations of the best jewellery and watchmaking expertise.

Bulgari Fuochi d’Artificio High-Jewelry Manchette

Arranged in an organised chaos of colour and shapes, the Fuochi d’Artificio High-Jewelry Manchette is a semi-flexible bracelet depicting vibrant fireworks across a night sky. It’s an astounding effort to meticulously plan something which looks totally random, but there’s no room for error. The watch itself is hidden behind a hinged setting of blue titanium and 18k rose gold, with an eye-drawing 2.93ct ruby of stunning clarity and an array of round, brilliant-cut diamonds. The sheer number of jewels glittering above the black onyx background is staggering, with all of the rubies, sapphires, rubellites, garnets, tanzanites, tsavorites, tourmalines, peridots, and emeralds totalling 62.05cts, and another 13.05cts of diamonds. It’s powered by the in-house Bulgari Piccolissimo, which is the smallest round mechanical movement in the world at 12mm in diameter, and its 30-hours of power reserve can be topped up by the crown on its reverse.

Brand	Bulgari
Model	Fuochi d’Artificio High-Jewelry Manchette
Reference	104098
Case Dimensions	TBC
Case Material	18k rose gold, blue titanium set with 1 round mixed ruby (2.93ct), round mixed, cabochon and pavé-set blue sapphires (38.35ct), round mixed, pear-shaped and baguette cut rubellites (3.18ct), yellow sapphires (4.60ct), round mixed and pear-shaped mandarin garnets (1.26ct) and tanzanites (1.91ct), pear-shaped and baguette cut tsavorites (1.77ct), pear-shaped pink and green tourmalines (4.85ct), topazes (1.22ct) and amethysts (0.92ct), round mixed rubies (0.49ct), peridots (0.29ct), emeralds (0.28ct). Round brilliant and pavé-set diamonds (13.05ct)
Water Resistance	N/A
Crystal(s)	Sapphire
Dial	Diamond-set
Bracelet	Cuff bracelet
Movement	Piccolissimo BVL 100, in-house, manual winding
Power Reserve	30 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes
Availability	On request
Price	On request

Bulgari Fuochi d’Artificio High-Jewelry Petite Watch

While the Petite Watch version of the Bulgari Fuochi d’Artificio may not have as much heft in gold and gemstones as the Manchette, it is debatably the more extravagant piece. Centred on a single explosion from the hidden watch dial, segments of gold and titanium support their treasures as though they’re suspended in mid-air. Rather than a fractured backdrop of onyx, the Petite Watch uses aventurine glass to evoke a starry sky behind each of the jewels which cascade down the 18k rose gold bracelet. All of the coloured gemstones have a total weight of 25.45cts, while the pavé-set and round brilliant-cut diamonds weigh 13.50cts. The workmanship really exemplifies Bulgari’s mastery of both watchmaking and jewellery, and the avant-garde style is truly timeless.

Brand	Bulgari
Model	Fuochi d’Artificio High-Jewelry Petite Watch
Reference	104048
Case Dimensions	TBC
Case Material	18k rose gold set with one round mixed ruby (2.11ct), pear-shaped yellow sapphires (5.61ct), rubellites (3.50ct), pink tourmalines (3.14ct), peridots (2.45ct), amethysts (2.18ct), tanzanites (1.94ct), topazes (1.34ct), green tourmalines (1.01ct), oval mandarin garnet (0.81ct), round mixed rubies (0.46ct), pear-shaped and cabochon cut sapphires (0.90ct) and pavé-set and round brilliant cut diamonds (13.50ct) and aventurine glass
Water Resistance	N/A
Crystal(s)	Sapphire
Dial	Diamond-set
Bracelet	18k rose gold
Movement	Piccolissimo BVL 100, in-house, manual winding
Power Reserve	30 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes
Availability	On request
Price	On request

Bulgari Fenice High-Jewelry Watch

The Ancient Romans adopted plenty of Greek mythology, just as Rome itself adopted the Greek Bulgari family in the 1880s. From the Mycenaeans to Roman coins, the mythical phoenix has been an important symbol of strength, rebirth, and eternal life. To Bulgari, it represents the longevity of the brand and its ability to reinvent itself according to each age. The Fenice High-Jewelry Watch took over 3,000 hours to complete, and it would take just as long to even begin comprehending its complexity and structure. With the head of the phoenix to the right and the tail to the left, the wings fold down across the wrist in an elaborate arrangement of red, pink, violet and blue gemstones to form a breathtaking gradient. A jaw-dropping 127.97cts of sapphires, rubies, tanzanites, tourmalines, aquamarines, iolates, garnets, rhodolites, and amethysts and 22.55cts of diamonds make up the bulk of the watch, while the central 9.78ct paraiba tourmaline hides the Piccolissimo-powered watch dial as the heart of the phoenix.

Brand	Bulgari
Model	Bulgari Fenice High-Jewelry Watch
Reference	104053
Case Dimensions	TBC
Case Material	18k white gold and rose gold with 1 pear-shaped paraiba tourmaline (9.78ct), baguette cut, oval mixed & pavé-set blue sapphires (51.74ct), pink (19.61ct) and purple sapphires (27.54ct), rubies (2.97ct), tanzanites (1.12ct), paraiba tourmalines (2.94ct), aquamarines (7.50ct), iolites (3.87ct), pink garnets & rhodolites & rubellites & pink tourmalines, (5.23ct), amethysts (5.45ct), and diamonds (22.55ct)
Water Resistance	N/A
Crystal(s)	Sapphire
Dial	Diamond-set
Bracelet	18k white gold
Movement	Piccolissimo BVL 100, in-house, manual winding
Power Reserve	30 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes
Availability	On request
Price	On request

Bulgari Fenice Octo Roma Secret Watch

Even the Bulgari Octo Roma, which is the only “standard” watch among the Aeterna collection, is absolutely overcome by the Fenice addition. With a solid platinum case completely set with 11.42cts of baguette-cut diamonds, the dial is hidden by a hinged lid depicting the classical phoenix out of sapphires, aquamarines, rubies, amethysts, and a small amount of tourmaline. White and rose gold beams radiate behind it, capturing the majesty of its presence. Behind it, the dial reveals the in-house BVL 268SK movement and its near-symmetrical skeletonisation. The calibre boasts a flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock, a 52-hour power reserve with a 3Hz beat rate, and an ultra-thin height of just 1.95mm.

Brand	Bulgari
Model	Bulgari Fenice Octo Roma Secret Watch
Reference	104050
Case Dimensions	44mm (D)
Case Material	Platinum set with baguette cut diamonds (11.42ct) and a phoenix with round brilliant blue sapphires (2.12ct), pink sapphires (0.68ct), aquamarines (0.58ct), purple sapphires (0.47ct), rubies (0.06ct), amethysts (0.04ct), tourmaline Paraiba (0.01ct), bezel set with round brilliant cut diamonds (3.60ct).
Water Resistance	30m
Crystal(s)	Sapphire
Dial	Skeletonised
Bracelet	Blue alligator leather strap with 18k white gold buckle set with baguette-cut diamonds
Movement	BVL 268SK, in-house, manual winding
Power Reserve	52 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes, flying tourbillon
Availability	On request
Price	On request

Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Chimera

Of course it would hardly be a celebration of Bulgari without including the Serpenti, but here the Serpent Misteriosi Chimera blends its signature snake with yet another mythological beast. Half snake and half lion, the Misteriosi Chimera is inspired by a 1950s archival watch but executed in stunning contemporary fashion. The 18k white gold bracelet twists once around the wrist with a lion’s head on one end and the serpent’s head on the other, with the latter opening up to reveal the Piccolissimo watch. The watch is removable for the purposes of winding it, and it too is. encrusted in diamonds. The elongated hexagonal scales of the snake carry a beautiful Art Deco feel to them, while the lion’s mane flows more freely in contrast to its angular face. There’s a total of 4.34cts of emeralds, and 22.06cts of diamonds, with a single 0.07ct sapphire as the lion’s nose.

Brand	Bulgari
Model	Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Chimera
Reference	104078
Case Dimensions	TBC
Case Material	18k white gold set with 4 marquise cut emeralds (3.24ct) and 2 diamonds (2.00ct), round brilliant cut diamonds (19.78ct), 2 pear-shaped emeralds (0.60ct) and 2 fancy cut emeralds (0.50ct) eyes, 1 fancy cut sapphire (0.07ct).
Water Resistance	N/A
Crystal(s)	Sapphire
Dial	Diamond-set
Bracelet	18k white gold
Movement	Piccolissimo BVL 100, in-house, manual winding
Power Reserve	30 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes
Availability	On request
Price	On request

Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Dragone

Styled after the Serpenti worn by Elizabeth Taylor during the production of Cleopatra, the Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Dragone also gives a nod to the folkloric dragon in 2024 – the year of the dragon in the Chinese zodiac. With a head and tail of 18k white gold, the snake’s scales are made up of 18k yellow gold with a wavy stripe of diamonds travelling down its length. The bracelet is a flexible tubolari, which means the links overlap as opposed to the smooth links of the famous tubogas. Its three twists wrap around the wrist securely, and its direction is reversible because the watch dial in the mouth of the snake can be rotated however you like. Two emeralds form its eyes with a total of 0.49cts, and the total diamond weight is 31.18cts.

Brand	Bulgari
Model	Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi Dragone
Reference	104044
Case Dimensions	TBC
Case Material	18k white gold and yellow gold set with baguette cut diamonds (26.76ct), marquise cut diamonds (1.28ct), round brilliant cut diamonds (2.88ct) and 2 pear-shaped emeralds eyes (0.49ct).
Water Resistance	N/A
Crystal(s)	Sapphire
Dial	Diamond-set
Bracelet	18k white and rose gold
Movement	Piccolissimo BVL 100, in-house, manual winding
Power Reserve	30 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes
Availability	On request
Price	On request