- Bulgari and MB&F have collaborated on a Serpenti timepiece in MB&F’s signature Bulldog style
- The Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti is marketed as the first Serpenti for men and comes in three colours (each limited to 33 examples per colour)
- The collaboration is the second for Bulgari and MB&F, with the duo first linking up to create the Flying T Allegra in 2021
- The collaborative timepiece is priced at $148,000USD in titanium and steel, and $170,000USD in rose gold
It’s only February and this year is already Bulgari’s year. It’s the Year of the Snake in the lunar calendar and Bulgari lays claim to the most iconic snake watch of all time; other manufactures can slap as many serpents onto the dials or casebacks of their timepieces as they want, but none can compare to a watch that is actually shaped like a snake. With the Roman maison already starting the year off on a high with the release of the BVS100 Lady Solotempo automatic movement (and placing it in the Serpenti Seduttori and Serpenti Tubogas) at LVMH Watch Week 2025 in January, the manufacture required something bold to capture attention (and wrist real estate).
While Bulgari has previously taken something of an ‘Octos for men, Serpentis for women’ approach, the maison is mixing things up this year. Bulgari has teamed up with the horologically adventurous folks at independent watch brand MB&F to create the Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti, which reimagines the Serpenti as one of MB&F’s Horological Machines. Devised by Maximilian Büsser, owner and creative director of MB&F, the independent watch brand’s Horological Machines are more akin to kinetic sculptures than they are wristwatches.
Although the aesthetics of the two watch brands couldn’t be more divergent, they manage to coexist in harmony on the dial of the Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti. In 2021, Bulgari and MB&F collaborated on the MB&F x Bvlgari LM FlyingT Allegra which imbued the former’s Legacy Machines with the latter’s gem setting expertise, however the Serpenti marks the first time both brands’ idiosyncratic aesthetics have fused on the dial.
MB&F has created both frog- and bulldog-themed Horological Machines before, however the curvilinear nature of the serpentine case posed an additional challenge.
“The biomorphic design of this watch created enormous challenges in terms of the case but also the movement,” explained Maximilian Büsser. “The intricate case is entirely machined with 5-axis 3D mills and holds the five sapphire crystals which were not only extremely complicated to make but equally challenging to fit due to the curved nature of the case and the desire for a water resistance of 30 meters.”
The resultant case measures 53mm in length, 39mm wide, and 18mm thick, and sees Bulgari’s Serpent head take on a three-dimensional form with sapphire crystal ‘eyes’ that are animals by way of revolving hour and minute domes machined from solid aluminium, while the ‘brain’ is symbolised by an oversized flying balance wheel with four regulating screws, held in place with a co-branded three-dimensional balance bridge. Two separate crowns jut out of the rear lugs like the horns of a viper; one is for winding the manual movement and the other for setting the time.
While the serpentine references are obvious, the Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti also incorporates automotive aesthetic cues into its design. Although Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, CEO of Bulgari, and Maximilian Büsser are both car design enthusiasts, automotive references were not originally part of the plan for the collaborative release. However, there’s no denying that the three-dimensional tear drop case and use of sapphire crystal ‘windows’ coupled with details like the wheel-like crown and a grille with a hexagonal scale motif contribute to a design that’s equally as infused with automotive design codes as it is reptilian ones.
The timepiece is powered by a modified version of the manually wound HM10 movement, configured to sit within the unique proportions of the case.
The Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti is available in three versions, each limited to 33 pieces each. There’s a titanium case with blue hour and minute domes, rose gold with green details, and black PVD-coated stainless steel with raging red eyes. Each comes on a hand-stitched rubber strap with velcro system and a buckle that matches the case material.
The titanium and steel timepieces are priced at $148,000USD while the rose gold is $170,000USD.
Price: $148,000USD (steel and titanium); $170,000USD (rose gold)
Model: Serpenti (ref. 104047 [titanium]; 104139 [steel]; 104057 [rose gold])
Case size: 53mm x 39mm x 18mm
Movement: HM10 (manually wound)
Water resistance: 3ATM
Functions: hours, minutes, power reserve
Power reserve: 45 hours
Keep up with the latest and greatest watch news here.
Words by John Deckard
