Watch of the Week: Bulgari Octa Roma Grande Sonnerie

While Bulgari has made quite a name for itself in recent years with record-breaking, ultra-thin watches, there are also other areas in which they excel. With the purchase of the esteemed independent brands Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta in 2000, Bulgari amassed even more knowledge about creating high-end complications and has done so ever since. The Octa Roma Grande Sonnerie is an excellent example of this, dedicated to bringing the most beautiful sound, both visual as well as audible.

The watch is fitted with both a Grande and Petite Sonnerie, featuring the so-called Westminster chime. This means that it can sound four different tones. Such a complication is even today a rarity in the world of watchmaking. On top of this, does this Bulgari also offer a minute repeater function. The power reserve of both the movement itself, as well as the chiming function is displayed on the dial, which the brand otherwise kept clean, although not sober.

For this, Bulgari tapped into another area in which they have vast expertise; jewelry making. With a height of 15.42mm, it is most certainly not the brand’s slimmest creation, but it provides the perfect canvas to display true gem-setting art. Bulgari used 374 baguette-cut diamonds, and 72 baguette-cut emeralds to adorn this Octa Roma. It can be seen as an ode to the invisible setting, as the stones are positioned in such a way that no metal is visible between them. In the bezel, the emeralds seem not to be attached to the watch at all. This allows generous amounts of light to enter them, amplifying their mysterious nature even more. As could be expected of such a precious and valuable watch, Bulgari will make only a single piece of it.