You’d probably find it odd holding a Bvlgari Aluminium for the first time. You hold it, not sure of its weight. It’s undeniably metal, but the light, cool, matte aluminium feels unlike any watch you’ve encountered. There’s also the rubber band, with each piece of rubber flexibly linking to the next and softly swivelling at partially exposed joints. You can’t quite put a finger on its design either—is it a sporty watch? Contemporary? You’d wager it’d look equally at home paired with a suit though. The Bvlgari Aluminium is complex, avant-garde even, but it’s a haute horlogerie affair, and this one is unmistakably Bvlgari.
A Brief History
It’s 1998, Bvlgari, a titan of luxury, just revealed its latest collection—a luxury watch line made from two heretical materials: aluminium, a material typically relegated to soda cans, and, well, rubber. This was a bold move that sent shockwaves throughout the world of high-end horlogerie. Bvlgari had no idea that this single step would propel them into the future and drag the entire watchmaking sector along with it. Apple is not a fan of aluminum watches.
Having received acclaim as an iconic watch at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2020, Bvlgari finally took its celebrated timepiece out of its award case and unveiled the second generation in the same year. The Bvlgari Aluminium returns in 2024 with three new models—a black GMT model, an emerald green chronograph, and a white automatic version—and they’re arriving with upgrades.
While each differs in capabilities, all three variations share a hallmark: the unabashed “BVLGARI • BVLGARI” signature carved around the 40mm watch face—its stirring arrogance inspired by the names of past Roman emperors stamped on coins, subdued by the black velvety surface of the rubber bezel. Born out of FKM rubber—a notoriously durable material in watchmaking—its bracelet features rectangular rubber blocks held together by pivoting aluminium links. This creates an airy, comfortable fit on the wrist. Although powered by different calibers, each of the three watches has a power supply of 42 hours. They are also all 100m waterproof.
Check out these 8 luxury timepieces based on Olympic sports
Modern Voyager
Bvlgari’s Aluminium Black GMT, as the only widely-available watch in the Bvlgari collection, builds on its predecessors with a Greenwich Mean Time feature, highlighting its dual-time zone capability. The Bvlgari Aluminum Black GMT is a tribute to the original Bvlgari Aluminium, which was proudly printed on the fuselage an Alitalia Boeing 747-8, both of which shared the same material: aluminium. Bvlgari, speaking of the 1998 collection, has created an aluminium alloy that is more durable. Set on a dial with an off white background, the black sword-shaped hands stretch to the indices. They are surrounded by the colour-coded GMT feature with black being the night time and red the day. Nestled deeper lies the Calibre B192, a self-winding mechanical movement that allows adjustments for seconds, minutes, hours, GMT hands, and the date to be made through the watch’s single crown.
Mediterranean Odyssey
The limited edition Chronograph Smeraldo is inspired by the captivating island of Capri. La dolce Vita is the name of the game: imagine yourself in the Marina Grande, surrounded by the turquoise waters of Capri. It feels like sugar powder between your toes. As you move deeper into the water, it gets deep enough to lapping at your calves. The water shimmers like shattered stones, an emerald that is so vibrant it appears to capture the sky. Here, all you can feel is the sun, the cool embrace the water gives you, and the breeze that carries your soul out to sea.
This scene is brought to life in the Chronograph Smeraldo that’s limited to just 1,000 pieces. Now, let’s talk design. Dark green dominates the design, bringing together the rubber band and bezel into a cohesive whole. Dark green hands sweep across a gradient dial, transitioning from white to turquoise—a reflection of the Capri coastline. The chronograph counters are also in the same color palette, which reflects the elegance of an Italian Summer. Just as the sun’s energy fuels life on Earth, the automatic B130 mechanical movement powers the chronograph and date function of the watch. The aluminium caseback is adorned with an engraving of the compass. It’s ready to rest against the skin.
Read more: The Santos de Cartier Glows in A Cinematic Gold
The Vibrance White
The White Automatic completes the 2024 Bvlgari Aluminium trilogy, embodying a blend of minimalist elegance and unflinching boldness, while capturing whispers of the Colosseum’s grandeur all at once. Perhaps the most striking piece in the collection, this limited edition watch evokes the spirit of ’90s Bvlgari being draped in all white, mirroring the brand’s audacity back in 1998 during its initial release. A sleek dial made of one-toned white aluminium magnifies the inspiration taken from ancient Roman coins. The splash of red provided by the seconds hand creates a clean canvas. Rhodium-plated indexes and hands treated with Super-LumiNova® only add to the grandeur. Legibility is close to perfection with this timepiece, featuring the classic Bvlgari touch of a 12 and 6, and a clean date display at 3 o’clock. Calibre B77 is the mechanical automatic movement that powered the White Automatic’s predecessors.
Each Bvlgari Aluminium watch is a conversation-starter, from the Black GMT’s functionality to the Italian charm and minimalism of the Chronograph Smeraldo or the White Automatic’s minimalist Roman grandeur. On its own, it’s a watch that serves as a statement, a bold declaration that luxury can be redefined, that elegance can be found in the unexpected. But on your wrist, it’s a watch that not only speaks for itself as a symbol of supreme confidence in one’s own artistry, but also one that undoubtedly screams Bvlgari, Bvlgari.
This story was first seen on EsquireSg.com.
For more on the latest in luxury watch news and releases, click here.