Bvlgari x MB&F Serpenti
Snake Eyes: Hands-on with the New Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti
Bulgari’s Executive Director of Product Creation, Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, talks to Watchonista about what draws two forces together.
By Rhonda Riche
Editor-At-Large
At LVMH Watch Week in New York this January, Watchonista was treated to a sneak peek of the latest Bulgari x MB&F (Maximilian Büsser & Friends) collaboration – a wholly original and truly outrageous take on the Serpenti.
We also enjoyed having Bulgari’s Executive Director of Product Creation, Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, present this preview.
Drawn Together
Stigliani is one of the greats of watch design, yet his worldview is not limited to horology. During his career, he has designed chairs, shoes, sunglasses, jewels, motorcycles, and cars, to list but a few of his creative outlets.
During his 20-plus-year career at Bulgari, he has continued expanding his horizons, even designing 2023’s Bulgari Aluminium Vision GT concept hypercar at the Gran Turismo World Series Finals in Barcelona. During the presentation, Stigliani’s spark was also on display. The man even live-sketched details of the collaboration as we talked. While he spoke passionately about the project, his hands floated calmly over the page, visually animating the various details of the watch.
Fun Fact: After we left the interview, one of Stigliani’s colleagues said, “We call him the Michelangelo of watches.” (I seriously regret not trying to swipe one of the sketches.)
If Stigliani is an illustrator, MB&F’s Büsser is a sculptor. His three-dimensional Horological Machines have been inspired by themes as diverse as science fiction, supercars, and the animal kingdom.
For the first collaboration in 2021, the MB&F x Bulgari Legacy Machine Flying T Allegra, the duo delved into the Maison's colorful world of jewelry.
For this second collaboration, Stigliani and Büsser decided to take one of Bulgari’s most defining creations – the Serpenti (which first appeared in Bulgari’s catalog in 1948) – by making the snake head into something more mechanical and race car-like.
According to Stigliani, it was an intense design process. He proved this by taking out his phone to show us some of the hundreds of sketches the pair messaged each other via WhatsApp over the course of three years.
The challenge was that the nature of the Serpenti’s curved case meant the view was radically different depending on the angle you look at it. As a result, dozens of 3D-printed models were also produced.
As Büsser said in the press release for the collaboration, “At MB&F we specialize in ‘kinetic sculptures which give time’ so it was definitely our calling. Nevertheless, the biomorphic design of this watch created enormous challenges in terms of the case but also the movement.” In person, Stigliani also pointed out that the complex curves extend beyond the machinery.
In fact, one of this watch's most visually arresting aspects is the five sapphire crystals that make up the snake’s eyes and its multi-faceted rear section. To reveal the movement, these apertures had to be treated and individually fitted to make them water-resistant to 30 meters.
Live Action
One of Stigliani’s objectives in working with the Serpenti collection was to bring the reptile to (mechanical) life by animating its eyes. The pair manifested this dream using revolving hour and minute domes.
The left “eye” makes a full rotation in 12 hours while the right one in 60 minutes. These paper-thin domes are machined from solid aluminum to make them as light as possible. Both are decorated with hand-applied Super-LumiNova, providing a luminous glow.
The mechanical mind of the snake is powered by a manual-winding MB&F in-house movement with an oversized 14mm flying balance wheel with four traditional regulating screws that beat at a rate of 2.5Hz (18,000bph) floating above the domed dials.
Thanks to a 3D balance bridge bearing the two partners’ names. Winding and time-setting use two separate crowns found in the rear lugs.
The look of this serpent owes as much to Stigliani and Büsser’s shared passion for automotive design. Flipping the piece over reveals a power reserve indicator and the 310 components of the hand-finished movement. “We moved the power reserve to the back change to show off the engine,” Stigliani said.
It’s a meticulous process that explains why the artisans at MB&F can only craft and assemble six to eight Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti movements each month, which will take over a year to deliver.
Three Degrees
Another important aspect of this big and bold timepiece is that it is the first Serpenti for men (although we all know boys who wear the wrap-around Tubogas versions and girls who would rock this collab). He also hints that it will be the last.
“I drew this watch every day for three years,” explained Stigliani. Thus, it is fitting that there are three different versions to choose from, each limited to 33 pieces. The first comes in a grade 5 titanium case with blue hour and minute domes.
The second is housed in an 18K rose gold case with glowing green eyes. Finally, the third iteration is crafted from black PVD-coated stainless steel and features piercing red eyes. It also comes delivered in a case that could easily double as sculpture on its own.
When speaking with my fellow journalists at LVMH Watch Week, the only contentious detail of the Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti was its Velcro strap. But Stigliani told me that this bracelet was as carefully considered as the rest of the piece.
“The first idea was a double strap with scales,” he said. But a snake shedding its skin is an integral part of its symbolism. “The strap is leather lined, so it's still luxurious, but the Velcro makes it easy to wear.”
Later, after our meeting in Manhattan, Stigliani summed up Bulgari and MB&F’s objectives: “The aim was to have a totally different vision. The snake is a magnificent object that appeals to many collectors. I think we succeeded in giving the Bulgari serpent a new horizon.
“It is not just a feminine object linked to the brand’s DNA but, for the first time, a technical object that speaks to the Bulgari aesthetic and showcases MB&F’s expertise. Like all good collaborations, it is a win-win project.”
For more information, including pricing and availability, check out the Bulgari website.
