I am not sure exactly what is happening to the Daniel Roth visual aesthetic now that Bulgari has officially sunken its teeth into the each watch by having Bulgari branding. A small “Daniel Roth” label lives at the bottom next to the name of the movement. Looks like the branding message going forward is Bulgari design and character, with Daniel Roth movements – or something like that.

This watch takes the (presumably new or newer) Calibre 8300 manually wound tourbillon movement with rattrapante (split second) chronograph and fumbles with a design to stick it in. From an academic standpoint the Calbire 8300 is an interesting a well laid out movement. The dial has a subsidiary watch face, with an emphasis on the 30 minute chronograph mechanism. It also has an exposed tourbillon window, and a power reserve indicator for the movement.

All necessary things, and laid out well, in a logical, user friendly way. Though. when it comes down to it, this is a watch almost exclusively for collectors. The pool of people that need a very expensive watch that gives most of the dial real estate to a split second chronograph is minimal.

Bulgari has had my eye for a while because the company has been making some bold moves. This year it “ate” sub-brands Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta, and last year it started released much more “powerful” designs. That doesn’t mean you have to love the designs, but they are certainly strong in the “brand DNA” department. A lot of their new watches for 2010 were actually re-branded, face-lifted Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta watches. Though a few new models did come out and this Bulgari Sotirio Bulgari watch for 2010. Sotirio was the founder of the brand, and in the last couple of years the brand has been releasing watches with his name.

Here is a Sotirio Bulgari watch from last year that I talked about. The new watch collection for 2010 changes things up a bit with a more straight forward dial and design. The most interesting elements are in the case design as well as the available metal and gold bracelet.

The case is 43mm wide in steel with some gold or in all 18k gold. Sapphire crystal over the dial and caseback. Inside the watch is an in-house made Bulgari Caliber 168 automatic movement. The movement has a unique Bulgari shaped automatic rotor, and some perlage decoration, but otherwise nothing too special other than the fact that it is in-house made. In addition to the time, it has a date complication that displayed the date around the periphery of the watch. I personally don’t like reading the date this way as I find it distracting when attempting to read the time. The prior Sotirio Bulgari watch did have the date on a disc though.

For me, the style of the watch is held back, but in a good way. Bulgari was making some wild looking watches for a while that I didn’t see too many people buying. While this watch has a lot of Bulgari DNA and a quirky style, it is relatively held back. Part of the reason for this is likely due to Bulgari’s cost cutting needs as the brand hasn’t been fiscally outstanding lately. Look for the new Sotirio Bulgari watches in Bulgari stores soon.

Right out of house Bulgari continues to slither new Serpenti models, the collection of watches and jewelry for (mainly) women. I reported on the collection last year here, and above you will see a new model in the snake inspired collection. Snake-like? Worm-like? Feminine-look? Sometimes your guess is as good as mine. The watches clearly are based on animals with segmented bodies, but this newest version could be an Earthworm and I wouldn’t know the difference.

The complex segmented gold body of the watch (in 18k gold or steel) is cambered, and done in a way to wrap around your wrist like an Egyptian style upper arm adornment. In typical Bulgari fashion the piece can be have with or without diamonds on the case (if you opt for the stones you’ll find 38 of them on bezel). The face of the watch takes the form of the serpent’s head, though here in a less dangerous “clock face form.” The dial is pretty easy to read being in black or silver, with a Bulgari B033 quartz movement inside to power it.

The dial is covered with a sapphire crystal, and the little crown has a pink rubellite cabochon placed in it. It is certainly an interesting piece with a design finish worthy of the brand – but a fan base that will be no doubt niche.

In order to know where we are going we need to remember where we come from. Apparently, creating a watch collection in tribute to Sotirio Bulgari, who founded the firm in Rome 126 years ago, Bvlgari was guided by these very considerations.

To celebrate its 125th anniversary, the Italian company introduced a new timepiece – the Bvlgari Sotirio Retrograde. As its name suggests, the watch was named after the brand’s Greek founder. The designers of the company chose a classic round case for the watch – you can never go wrong with a round case. However, the case is not as simple as it seems at first sight. It is constructed in a unique way, with lugs on the case back in order to provide greater shock resistance. Brushed and glossy, polished surfaces are alternated for aesthetic effect. It is in the smallest details that craftsmanship reveals itself – the crown of the Bvlgari Sotirio Retrograde is monogrammed.

The dial of this slim, elegant watch is also unique. It is decorated with the sunburst pattern, representing the rays of the sunset. The hand-applied Roman numerals, indexes, as well as skeletonized hour and minute hands are faceted. The dial of the timepiece features an in-house 150° retrograde date indicator at 6 o’clock.

The technical of the watch is as interesting as its design. The Bvlgari Sotirio Retrograde is powered by a self-winding manufacture movement, the caliber BVL250. The heart of the watch is assembled entirely by hand and requires 165 operations to be produced. The construction passes quality inspection at each stage, as each component of the movement is added.

The heart of the watch is the movement. Apparently, Bvlgari tried to emphasize this by naming the watch after the movement that beats inside its case – the Bvlgari Diagono Calibro 303. The movement of the timepiece has a particularly important function. Thanks to its small size, the Bvlgari Diagono Calibro 303 is the world’s thinnest self-winding watch.

Just 5.5 mm thick and 42mm wide, the round case of the timepiece is made from stainless steel. At first sight, it seems that the bezel of the Bvlgari Diagono Calibro 303 is also crafted from this material, but, after looking at it attentively, it becomes clear that it is made from white gold. The bezel has the distinctive “Bvlgari” signature engraved across it.

The inside of the case contains the Calibro 303, composed of 303 elements and set with 37 jewels. The movement of the watch is aesthetically pleasing as well as functional – it provides a power reserve of 45 hours and beats 21,600 times per hour, ensuring an immaculate performance of the timepiece. As usual, the movement can be admired through a transparent case back.

But what is truly worth admiring is the dial of the Bvlgari Diagono Calibro 303. It has a three-layer structure with various kinds of finishing. The first layer is a metal base decorated with a sunburst pattern. Then comes the anthracite layer with vertical treatment, and the upper layer is represented by three sub-dials and faceted hand-applied markers.

The hands of the watch, as well as the hour and minute counters at 3 and 9 o’clock are rose-gold toned, while the seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock comes in different colors, depending on the color pattern of the dial.

Italian luxury goods stalwart Bulgari continues its celebration of 125th anniversary, this time with the launch of the new Sotirio Bulgari collection in Singapore. Planned as an exhibition, it will take place on the second floor of the brand’s store at Takashimaya from 21-28 September 2009.

The entire second level will be transformed to reflect the anniversary and to showcase new watch novelties of the Sotirio Bulgari collection.

As you might expect, the 2009 novelties are statements of Bulgari’s commitment to the haute horlogerie segment and the virtues of fine Swiss craftsmanship. Among the highlights to look out for is the limited edition Sotirio Bulgari Tourbillion wristwatch.

If you missed the celebrity-studded castle party that Bulgari threw in Rome last month to mark the brand’s 125th anniversary, you can still get in on the action.

The iconic jewelry company — favored by legendary actresses such as Ingrid Bergman and Elizabeth Taylor, among others — presented its new Serpenti collection Thursday at its Fifth Avenue flagship in New York City.

The new sparkling assortment of accessories includes watches, bracelets and rings that slither (rather sensuously) around wrists and fingers in links of gold, pavé diamonds, onyx and mother of pearl.

The entry price for one of these precious creatures is a cool and goes up to 85,000.00 $ for a pavé diamond and platinum watch.

The snake motif has adorned the limbs of beautiful women since the ancient Greeks (hello, Cleopatra!) and is traditionally believed to offer talisman-like powers to its wearer. Bulgari’s initial foray into retail reptilia began in the 1940s when it designed snake’s-head watches.