(Clockwise from left) Octo Roma Blue Carillon Tourbillon, Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi, Zenith Defy 21 Chroma, and Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu II
At the third edition of LVMH Watch Week — featuring Bulgari, Hublot, Zenith and Tag Heuer — the watches are dearer, yellow-gold cases are back, and a mechanical movement in a high-jewellery watch is a deliberate nod to the serious woman watch collector.
The Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi
2022’s Serpenti ‘secret’ watches – dropping the guise when you press the reptile’s forked tongue – have a new mechanical movement. At 12.3 x 2.5 mm, the BVL 100 micro-caliber can detach from the head. Featured here, the 40 mm rose gold case set with diamonds, turquoise inserts, and rubellite eyes. Approx ₹1.5 crore onwards, from April.
Octo Roma Blue Carillon Tourbillon
Featuring three gongs and a superior sound, this update to the Octo Roma Carillon with calibre BVL 428 is a tourbillon minute repeater. It has a striking blue carbon-based coating on the movement and is a modern take on a heavy-duty chiming complication. Approx ₹2.5 crore onwards from April and limited to 30 pieces.
Hublot Big Bang Sang Bleu II
Don’t miss the serious investment in yellow gold cases at Hublot. As well as the Sang Bleu collaboration that keeps giving. Swiss tattoo artist Maxime Plescia-Buchi’s experiment this time is in Magic Gold and (featured here) ceramic. His geometric design teases out the HUB1240 manufacture self-winding Unico chronograph movement, visible through the skeleton dial. Limited to 200 pieces, ₹20.5 lakh approx
Zenith Defy 21 Chroma
Zenith is no stranger to colour, but this limited edition takes a different route to the rainbow parade. Take the matte white ceramic case and the shots of colour on the hour markers, the movement bridges, the rubber strap. Fitted with the El Primero 9004 caliber and impressive for its 1/100th of a second chronograph mechanism. 200 pieces and ₹11.6 lakh approx.
Read Rosella Stephen ’s interview with Antoine Pin , MD of Bulgari’s watch division on weekend.thehindu.com