Italian high luxury at its best is encapsulated in this latest collaboration between Bulgari and Maserati – two new special-edition Octo Maserati timepieces, the GranSport and the GranLusso. Baroque Access finds out all about them
Whilst Bulgari and Maserati have collaborated with timepieces before, their latest creations are very different. The brand new GranSport and GranLusso Octo Maserati timepieces are very unique and unusual in their design. The inspiration for their design was the rev counters found on the dashboard of Maserati motorcars and they also feature a combination of retrograde minutes and jumping hours to show the time.
In fact, all the materials and colors used, as well as the numerals, are reminiscent of Maserati designs, but the new timepieces also have distinct Bulgari Octo features – there’s the multifaceted, octagonally structured watch case, which bows to Italian architecture (a signature feature of Bulgari’s timepieces, rooted in Italy but made in Switzerland).
The Maserati trident emblem is located underneath the round hour display window at 3 ‘o clock. This signature element is an historic reference to the statue of Neptune located in Bologna, the town where Maserati was founded in 1914. In addition, the leather straps with their top stitches are reminiscent of the plush upholstery found in the interior of a Maserati vehicle.
And then there’s Bulgari’s Octo case, which is 41.5mm for these two special edition timepieces. The watches’ timekeeping combination of jumping hours and retrograde minutes is powered by Bulgari’s in-house calibre BVL 262, a unique self-winding 33-jewel movement that boasts a power reserve of 42 hours and a frequency of 28,800-vph.
The GranSport edition is, as its name implies, the sportier of the two versions of the new Octo timepieces. It boasts a black DLC-crated carbon case and a black dial that is highlighted by indicators (numerals, hour indices and counters) in silver and blue. It is mounted on a black perforated strap with blue top-stitching.
The GranLusso is a more elegant model and boasts an 18-karat rose gold case with the same black dial but with rose gold indicators. It features a brown perforated strap with white top-stitching.
Both of these exceptional timepieces are available at Bulgari boutiques around the world. The GranSport is priced at $11,350, while the GranLusso will set you back $30,100.