SJX Watches
MB&F; and Bulgari Reimagine the Serpenti
MB&F; turns 20 this year, and is celebrating in style with a number of new releases planned. The first was the launch of the Legacy Machine Longhorn editions just under a month ago, and today the brand has partnered with Bulgari to unveil the Bulgari x MB&F; Serpenti, a new take on the Italian jeweller’s iconic Bulgari creation. Available in three separate limited editions of 33 pieces each in titanium, rose gold, and steel (pictured above, left to right), the Serpenti takes on the provocative form of a serpent’s head, with the time read via rotating domes inside the creature’s “eyes”. Initial thoughts I’ve always appreciated the Bulgari Serpenti, arguably the only successful watch model to break with conventional bracelet design. So I was intrigued to see the brand’s collaboration with MB&F; dispense with the iconic spiral-shaped bracelet and focus instead on the serpent’s head. The intrigue of this Serpenti is centered on its case, which is understandably complex to create, given its flowing, organic shape and the need for enough precision to seal all five oddly shaped sapphire crystals well enough to earn a 30 m water resistance rating. With hinged lugs front and rear, the Serpenti will likely wear well on most wrists, despite its 18 mm thickness and 53 mm case length. The Serpenti is brought to life by a bespoke movement born from the HM10 Bulldog. Like its predecessor, the time is read via the “eyes” which are comprised of paper-thin aluminium domes; ...