The third in our series of ‘icons of watchmaking history’ – by expert Gisbert L. Brunner – examines a favourite of the 1970s night club scene, the Bvlgari-Bvlgari – so good they named it twice...

Watchmakers have, traditionally, placed their signature in only one place: on the dial itself. From a distance, the cognoscenti can tell the difference between a Rolex and an Omega but, for many, the individual nuances of styling and branding are difficult to identify.



In 1977, ultra-fashionable Roman jeweller Bvlgari turned the horological world on its head by stamping its trademark name (‘Bvlgari’, with the ‘u’ changed for the Latin ‘v’) on the smooth round bezel not once, but twice. Since that day, the classic design has often been imitated, but never equalled for simplistic styling.

Next week: The Cartier Santos

Icons of watchmaking history -

No. 1: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

No. 2: Breitling Navitimer

Text: Gisbert L. Brunner
Photo: Bulgari