Two new special editions perpetuate the partnership between Bvlgari and Maserati
Prestige, luxury, elegance and design: these are the keywords governing and guiding the partnership cultivated by Bulgari and Maserati since 2012. After the successive launch of two Bulgari chronographs bearing the colours of the Trident brand and celebrating the joint values of these two symbols of Italian excellence, summer 2017 brings the next lap of this prestigious association. Bulgari has created two new Octo Maserati watch models – GranSport and GranLusso – officially presented on September 12th at the Frankfurt motor show alongside Maserati.
The partnership between the two Italian brands sets the seal on a set of natural values shared by both companies, each a leader its respective field. The new Octo models specially developed with Maserati symbolically embody these shared mechanics of excellence, firmly focused on exclusivity: the two Octo Maserati models are aimed for owners and aficionados of a car bearing the Trident brand emblem, and will be available in Bulgari Boutiques. They feature retrograde minutes and jumping hours displays, expressed through an aesthetic evoking the style codes of Maserati cars.
The striking and spectacular dial effect is intended to recall the rev counter of a real Maserati, combining dedicated tokens with fields of expression legitimising the rapprochement between the watchmaking and automobile worlds.
Resolutely Bulgari, subtly Maserati
Bulgari allowed this creativity to express itself boldly yet without undue emphasis. The colours, materials and fonts subtly and elegantly evoke the Maserati world without needing to rely too heavily on visual references for this watch with its dual identity. This resolutely Bulgari model smoothly flaunts its membership of the Octo family, with the powerfully structured case that has become a benchmark in terms of contemporary design and recalling the brand’s roots firmly embedded in its Italian heritage. The subtly Maserati watch is clearly proud to bear the iconic carmaker’s name, attributes and values, particularly those of prestige and Italian refinement, characterised by the modernity of the design and offering a distinctive reminder of the Maserati codes: a dial design evoking car dashboard and counters, along with a topstitched leather strap reminiscent of automobile upholstery.
The latter function is powered by the mechanical Retro BVL 262 calibre, entirely developed and produced in-house, just as the Maserati engines are made by the constructor’s engine designers and builders. This 33-jewel self-winding movement – decorated in the finest tradition using Côtes de Genève, chamfering and bevelling techniques – has a 42-hour power reserve and oscillates at a rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour, a token of optimal efficiency and precision. These qualities are matched by the instant legibility – above and beyond the complex underlying horological mechanism – of the jumping hours and retrograde minutes display, ensuring an immediate grasp of this valuable information. All of which is of course ideal when at the wheel of a Maserati. All that remains is the tricky choice of model, since Bulgari has chosen to pamper devotees of fine GT cars by offering this highly exclusive watch in two versions.
GranSport or GranLusso
Just as a Maserati is capable of smoothly transitioning from road to track, from long-haul journeys to the refined havens of grand hotels, the Octo Maserati by Bulgari can be appreciated in a sporty yet extremely elegant interpretation, or in an elegant yet relaxed expression. The former is the GranSport version in black DLC-treated carbon. The dial is black, while the indications – numerals, hour-markers, counters – and the hands are silver-toned and blue. It proudly proclaims its contemporary strength and avant-garde design. The latter is the GranLusso in 18kt pink gold. While its dial is also black, the entire set of hands and indications are in pink gold – a precious and refined touch from Bulgari the jeweller.
