Bvlgari has long been known as the Master of Coloured Gemstones, artfully combining brilliant gems in daring ways. Colour is in the Maison’s DNA, and one of the most recognisable and iconic features of every Bvlgari creation. Now, the extravaganza of colour continues with the launch of the new Diva’s Dream styles that celebrate the beauty of colour in the purest, most saturated hues yet.

Crafted using some of the world’s most prestigious decorative arts, the new Divas’ Dream watches are a glorious synthesis of haute joaillerie and haute horlogerie, uniting irresistible style and jewellery-making know-how with rare Swiss watchmaking precision and expertise. Drawing on Bvlgari’s enduring fascination with natural world, the three new models represent a continuation of the Maison’s Divas’ Dream Peacock collection. This magical theme is brought to life on the dial through such ancient, intricate techniques such as marquetry, miniature painting and champlevé that Bvlgari has employed for over 130 years.
 

The Divas’ Dream watch collection tells a tale of beauty, of the remarkable elegance of Divas throughout history – women who have the power to captivate with their exquisite style and charm. Inspired by the divas of Dolce Vita - those stars of Cinecittà that have become iconic through the years - the watches define modern glamour with unapologetically feminine and distinctly Italian flair. A nod to Bvlgari’s Roman heritage, the peacock series of Divas’ Dream watches pays homage to their charms, channeling the preening spirit of nature’s most diva-like figure: the peacock. This is an entirely natural choice, since this sensual watch with its highly distinctive character draws inspiration from the fan-shaped mosaics of the Caracalla thermal baths, which also portray peacocks. This bird, conveying a wealth of symbolism, has been repeatedly represented in countless guises for more than four thousand years. In Medieval times, it was thought to be immortal. A symbol of fertility and permanence in India, the peacock is also featured on either side of the tree of life in the Middle East. Also known as the favourite creature of Juno, the wife of Jupiter in Roman mythology, its colourful depiction appears on a number of ancient mosaics.

Precious and brilliant, the new Divas’ Dream watches are exuberant with colour, using unexpected materials and metiers d’art to create wearable masterpieces.

Crafted in a limited edition of 50 pieces, the Divas’ Dream Peacock Dischi features a natural peacock feather marquetry dial. Using this inlay technique that dates back to antiquity and was a popular technique in Renaissance Italy, before being revived by Bvlgari in the 1970s, the dial is set with 24 natural hand-cut feather elements with a central circle fully depicting the “eye” of the peacock feather. The feathers are the result of a careful selection process that involves sorting through nearly 500 to find the greatest colour, texture and harmony. Once selected, each feather is passed over an antique brass steam engine to reveal its natural brilliance. They are then trimmed, glued, cut and pieced together to create the watch’s silky and reflective mosaic finish. The elegance of the feather marquetry dial meets watchmaking expertise in the in-house BVL 308 "dischi" automatic movement, an exquisite technical solution based on the rotation of two discs indicating hours and minutes respectively through a round and a pear brilliant-cut diamond. The case is embraced at either end by two fan-shaped motifs that connect to a deep blue alligator bracelet.
 

Next in the magnificent series, the Divas’ Dream Peacock Diamonds features a peacock motif set against a mother-of-pearl backdrop. The bird appears in all its glorious majesty, delicately hand-painted with meticulous partitions evoking the precious Roman mosaics in blue and green shades. This refined and precise work requires 20 hours to apply the 14 colours needed to complete the decoration. To create the peacock outline that adorns the dial, Bvlgari used a goldsmithing technique called champlevé. Dating back to the Middle Ages, this method allows material to be engraved so that miniature painting, enamel and marquetry can be applied. It leaves the outline of the design slightly raised, creating delicate contours which can then be filled in. In this iteration, the dial’s rich hues are crowned with diamonds for a spectacular effect and enhanced by a supple bracelet featuring the Diva signature fan-shaped motif, entirely set with diamonds. The mechanical self-winding movement, Calibre BVL 191, powers the watch.
 

A masterpiece of haute joaillerie and haute horlogerie in a 10-piece limited edition, the Divas’ Dream Peacock Tourbillon Lumière features a 37mm rose gold case, bezel and lugs set with brilliant-cut diamonds and a skeletonized dial decorated with natural peacock feather marquetry and snow-set diamonds. The eye is naturally directed down to the sophisticated skeletonized tourbillon movement, that is the BVL 208 caliber. Exquisite in every way and decorated with real peacock feathers, each dial is created by a single artisan in a process that takes some six weeks to complete. A truly meticulous process, the gold dial must first be laser cut using a cloisonné technique to make room for the peacock feathers. Only the iridescent part is used, and it is a rare challenge to find the perfect form — 80% of the dials proposed are rejected in order to find 10 perfect ones. The small feather elements are cut one by one and glued to the dial to create a work of unparalleled brilliance and beauty. The haute gamme hand-finishing of the movement brings further luminosity and brilliance to its precious metal, evoking the radiant hours of romance from the magical Dolce Vita of Rome.
 

With the introduction of these three new Divas’ Dream Peacock styles, Bvlgari casts a spell of sheer beauty, painstakingly rendered using the world’s most delicate art forms — and paves the way for a new definition of unapologetic feminine glamour.

(Images © Bvlgari)