Bvlgari Serpenti Tubogas

Nonetheless, Serpenti as a symbol of eternal renewal does not forget that it has become an absolute signature of the Rome-based Maison when its head is prolonged by the famous Tubogas bracelet. This formal, emblematic attribute is unique to Bulgari, which has drawn from the roots of industrial design. The single-tour Serpenti Tubogas wristwatch is now available in a bimetallic combination of yellow gold and steel, or exclusively in yellow gold set with diamonds on either side of the reptile’s head, embellished with a white opaline guilloché dial. Undeniably unique in the way it adorns the female wrist, while undeniably Bulgari.

Christened Tubogas because of its similarity to a lowly woven-metal gas pipe, the technique has been used in jewellery making since the late 1940s. An elo- quent example of industrial-inspired design, it was popularised in the Art Deco period when the challenge of miniaturising large engineered objects, and using them for novel purposes, took off. In the 1940s, Bulgari inserted a watch dial into a Tubogas bracelet to create a highly stylised serpent watch. The design was revived in the 1970s when Bulgari introduced it into watches, bracelets, necklaces and rings. The effect of a stark, engineered coil combined with coins and richly coloured precious gems created a fascinating contrast that marked Bulgari’s style of jewels, intended to be worn and enjoyed every day.

Complicated to produce, the Tubogas is formed by long bands of gold or steel that are wrapped around a steel core. As they are coiled, the rounded contours of the bands interlock to conceal completely the inner structure. The specialist goldsmiths use no soldering. The flexibility of the coiled bands alone is what gives the Tubogas its characteristic bounce.

Crafted with a jeweller’s sensibility, the result is a watch that is proudly Italian, unapologetically glamorous and forever stylish.