A solid eighteen carat yellow gold Bulgari "Bulgari" wristwatch with nephrite stone dial and diamond hour markers. This is perhaps the most well known of all wristwatches produced by the most luxurious name in Italian jewellery production.
Following the death in 1966 of Giorgio Bulgari the future and direction of the business was entrusted into the hands of his two sons; Gianni and Paolo. It was not an easy time domestically in Italy. The ensuing oil crisis gripping the world took a particularly heavy toll on Italy's economy in the 1970s. So, the decision was made to expand the reach of the business outside of Rome, and Italy. In 1972 a new storefront was opened at the Pierre Hotel in New York city. Geneva, Monte Carlo and Paris locations soon followed.
Not only did the business change, but also the designs and the items being proceed under the umbrella of the Bulgari name. From Sotirio's creation of the brand, which was as much an antique store as it was producing pieces, the acquisition of fine and rare silver items contributed to the DNA of the brand. Watches had featured before the sons took over the running of the business, but they were few and far between and were powered by watch companies such as; Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-Le Coultre, Vacheron Constantin and Movado.
The brand had begun to gain global recognition and success with the introduction of the iconic Serpenti, and as they established a more successful watch collection in the late 1970s, "Bulgari Time" was established in Switzerland. This department oversaw all watch development for the brand. By 1989 Bulgari was now partnering with Girard Perregaux for all the technical research production and development of watch movements. Partnering with one of the oldest, and respected brands in Swiss watchmaking Bulgari ensured that they would be able to grow this now important part of the retail empire with a competent and historical guiding hand.
The watch we see here was part of the brand's continued expansion and success in the watch business. The initial concept for this top selling model came from a limited edition digital gold watch that Bulgari had released earlier. This previous example had the words, "BVLGARI ROMA" inscribed on the bezel. Created in 1975, only one hundred pieces were made to be given as gifts to Bulgari clients.
So successful was the promotional watch, Bulgari used the same cases for their mechanical watches and later created and released the BVLGARI-BVLGARI watch in 1977. It was an overnight hit, and remains a mainstay in their watch offering today. Since the introduction of the BVLGARI-BVLGARI watch, there have been several different iterations released to the public. The initial one was in yellow gold with a tan leather strap. A steel version was introduced with different coloured leather straps. It was available with a mechanical or quartz movement, with or without a date display window and in different sizes to suit male and female customers. They made versions with white gold, platinum, stone or diamond encrusted dials, metal bracelets, and chronograph functions.
This example is the BB 26 DGL and is the smaller size of the watches in the collection. The case is in excellent condition and unpolished. It is paired with its original, signed, Bulgari iconic tan leather strap with the original Bulgari eighteen carat yellow gold signed pin buckle. The watch is powered by a quartz movement. The dial is what makes this example very special and rare. As noted prior, there were a few examples that were not classic models either in platinum, or with stone or diamond encrusted dials. These were made in a very small production run, and very rarely come to market. This green nephrite dial is stunning. A very complex matrix of veins and deposits rung throughout it, and each hour is marked out with a small princess cut diamond. A stunning and great looking watch that is only becoming more desirable with every passing year.
