Bulgari - The New York Watch Auction: SEVEN New York Saturday, December 10, 2022 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Bulgari
    Year: 2019
    Reference No: 102865
    Case No: Pièce Unique OC P 44 G TB GS
    Model Name: Octo Grand Sonnerie Unique Piece
    Material: 18K pink gold, titanium
    Calibre: Automatic, cal. BVL 703, 82 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Rubberized alligator
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K pink gold deployant clasp
    Dimensions: 44mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement, strap, and clasp signed.
    Accessories: Accompanied by Bulgari guarantee card, resonating board, loupe, gloves, fitted presentation box, and outer box.

  • Catalogue Essay

    In recent years, Bulgari has taken their Octo line in two directions: one, to create the most complex watches possible, and two, to create the thinnest watches in existence. They have undoubtedly excelled at both, and the present watch, the Octo Grand Sonnerie in 18 karat pink gold and titanium, is a magnificent testament to the manufacture’s technical triumphs.

    Rarely in the world of contemporary watches do brands devote themselves to create such complex masterpieces within the constraints of a wristwatch. One can see the progression from Gérald Genta’s solo work in 1994 with the world’s first automatic Grand Sonnerie wristwatch, to 2000 when Gérald Genta’s brand was acquired by Bulgari, to then two decades of refining and further developing those original designs in seemingly impossible ways. Much like Genta’s 1994 wristwatch and its subsequent iterations such as the Arena Metasonic, and the Magsonic , the present Octo Grand Sonnerie features a tourbillon, grand and petite sonnerie, and Westminster carillon, all powered by an automatic movement.

    The Octo Grand Sonnerie is as much a triumph of Genta’s vision and design as any Nautilus or Royal Oak, and even more so because it is not just the external construction that is vividly his, but the extraordinary mechanics within. A titanium mid-case amplifies the sound of the delicate chimes, while the sandblasted 18K pink gold front and reverse of the case frames the sapphire crystals revealing the skeletonized movement within from either side. Safety mechanisms built into the watch ensure the striking mechanisms cannot be engaged while setting the time and vice versa.

    A unique piece released in 2019, the present Octo Grand Sonnerie is presented in near-new condition with its original accessories, and offered by the original owner.

    Consigned by the Original Owner

  • Artist Biography

    Bulgari

    Italian

    Originally from Kalarites, Greece, Sotirios Voulgaris emigrated to Rome because of Greece's rising poverty and difficulty separating from the Ottoman Empire. He set foot on Italian soil in 1880 with little money in his pocket and spent the next four years preparing what would go on to become Italy's oldest jewelry company. 

    In 1884, Bulgari opened its doors to the Italian people with its offering of jewelry and accessories. Bulgari's style takes from traditions in Greek and Roman craftsmanship to elegantly balance volume and subtlety. Later, in the late 1960s, Bulgari bridged classicism and modernity by introducing its seductive, now-iconic Serpenti collection of snake-shaped coil bracelets and watches. It is through its meticulous combination of influences that Bulgari has garnered an international and loyal high-profile clientele, which included Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. These Hollywood stars have immortalized the house's unique gem-adorned bracelets, necklaces and earrings in rounded forms. 

    View More Works

Σ143

Ref. 102865
A unique, exceptional, and important pink gold and titanium minute repeating tourbillon wristwatch with power reserve indicator, grand and petite sonnerie, Westminster chimes, skeletonized dial, guarantee, and presentation box

2019
44mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement, strap, and clasp signed.

Estimate
$80,000 - 160,000 
CHF76,100-152,000
€77,200-154,000
HK$626,000-1,250,000
S$110,000-219,000

Sold for $163,800

Contact Specialist

Paul Boutros

Head of Watches, Americas

+1 (212) 940-1293

WatchesNY@Phillips.com

 

Isabella Proia

Head of Sale, New York

+1 (212) 940 1285

iproia@phillips.com

 

The New York Watch Auction: SEVEN

New York Auction 10 - 11 December 2022