Bulgari BVS100 Lady Solotempo the New Heart of the Serpenti

Bvlgari unveiled the new BVS100 Lady Solotempo caliber and the latest Serpenti watch during LVMH Watch Week in Paris

Bvlgari has clearly focused its efforts on developing new calibers, particularly for its most historic and recognizable collection—and that, of course, is Serpenti. As Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Bvlgari’s Executive Director of Watch Design says, “Serpenti is more than an icon; it’s a signature.” This is undeniably true. In 2023, the Serpenti collection celebrated its 75th anniversary, cementing its status as one of the world’s most famous women's watches, and the company has no intention of sidelining it this year.

This is not the first caliber that Bvlgari has assembled for the Serpenti watch in its many variations, nearly all of which retain the distinctive shape of a snake's head. In 2020, the ultra-compact BVL150 Tourbillon was introduced, followed by the BVL100 Piccolissimo in 2022, which Bvlgari has highlighted as the smallest round movement on the market. That said, the Serpenti is not the only watch to feature this movement; it is also used in other Bvlgari women's timepieaces. For instance, in 2023, the Piccolissimo was incorporated into two unique Monete Catene models. Its miniature size enabled the creation of the Monete Catene Dual Time, which features two dials (and two Piccolissimo movements) to display two different time zones.

While the Piccolissimo was hand-wound, it was only a matter of time before a small automatic mechanism emerged – and that moment has arrived. In terms of size, the automatic Solotempo is slightly larger than the manual Piccolissimo – 19 mm vs. 12 mm in diameter, 3.9 mm vs. 2.5 mm in thickness, and 5 g vs. 1.3 g in weight – yet it remains an ultra-small caliber with an impressive 50-hour power reserve (compared to the Piccolissimo’s 30 hours). Fifty hours is a modern standard for “serious,” “large” men's watches, but in this case, we are talking about timepieces that are distinctly feminine and even jewelry-like. Perhaps this is how gender equality in watchmaking comes to life.

In the future, this movement will be assembled at the Zenith manufacture, renowned for its mechanisms and great potential in this field, and it will be available for use by other LVMH watch companies. For now, it is produced at Bvlgari's own manufacture in the Swiss town of Le Sentier. The BVS100 Lady Solotempo made its debut in the Serpenti Seduttori collection, and two Serpenti Tubogas creations have also been enhanced with the new automatic mechanism.

Serpenti Seduttori are flat snakes, and this Serpenti collection is the least figurative of them all. The only elements hinting at a snake are the hexagonal shape of the bracelet links, resembling snake scales, and the elongated shape of the watch, reminiscent of the iconic snake head. Several versions of the Serpenti Seduttori Automatic, featuring the new mechanism, were presented in Paris. Among them are models with a 34 mm yellow or rose gold case and a bezel adorned with 36 round brilliant-cut diamonds (0.6 ct). There is a version featuring a stainless steel case with a rose gold bezel adorned with 36 round brilliant-cut diamonds, complemented by a supple bracelet in steel and rose gold. A more refined option is available in yellow gold, featuring a bezel set with 273 round brilliant-cut diamonds (2.4 ct) and a yellow gold supple bracelet adorned with 266 brilliant-cut diamonds (5.3 ct). The most luxurious watches in the collection boast a white gold case and bezel set with 273 round brilliant-cut diamonds (2.4 ct), a pavé dial embellished with 336 brilliant-cut diamonds (1 ct), and a white gold supple bracelet adorned with 266 brilliant-cut diamonds (5.3 ct). All Serpenti Seduttori Automatic watches feature a transparent sapphire case back, revealing the mesmerizing motion of the oscillating weight.

Courtesy: Bvlgari

Text: Elena Stafyeva