The partnership between Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Director of Watch Design at Bvlgari, and Maximilian Büsser, Founder of MB&F, was first established in 2021 with the MB&F x Bvlgari LM FlyingT Allegra.
That fusion of Bvlgari’s flamboyant jewellery aesthetic with MB&F’s technical expertise was a resounding success, leading the two visionaries to ask: what next?
Their answer lay in Serpenti, Bvlgari’s most celebrated creation, first introduced in 1948. But bringing the iconic snake into the highly mechanical world of MB&F required an entirely new approach, one that combined engineering ingenuity with artistic excellence.
The result is the Bvlgari x MB&F Serpenti, a timepiece that slithers seamlessly between tradition and innovation, a testament to the shared vision of two of watchmaking’s most daring minds.
The Ultimate Manufacturing Challenge
Once the aesthetics were perfected, another challenge emerged: bringing the design to life. With five sapphire crystals, including the watch’s hypnotic snake-eye domes, engineered for maximum transparency, the timepiece’s construction was anything but straightforward.
Each curved surface had to be anti-reflective, water-resistant (30m), and seamlessly integrated into the case, a feat that required MB&F’s signature expertise in multi-axis machining.
A Mechanical Serpent with a Beating Heart
Inside this mechanical beast lies an entirely new MB&F movement, breaking conventional horological norms. The snake’s hypnotic gaze is brought to life through rotating hour and minute domes, which revolve to display time, one completing a full 12-hour cycle, the other a 60-minute rotation.
The paper-thin aluminium domes are machined to be ultra-light, ensuring precision and smooth movement. Hand-applied Super-LumiNova illuminates the eyes in the dark, giving the serpent an eerie, almost sentient presence. At the core, a 14mm flying balance wheel, with four traditional regulating screws, beats at 18,000 vibrations per hour, ensuring mechanical excellence.
A three-dimensional balance bridge, engraved with both brands’ names, secures this mechanical marvel in place. Two separate crowns are discreetly hidden in the rear lugs, one for winding, the other for time-setting.
Flipping the watch over reveals a power reserve indicator and a view of the 310 meticulously hand-finished components of the movement. MB&F’s artisanal approach ensures that only six to eight of these intricate Serpenti movements can be crafted per month, making this a truly exclusive creation.
While the Serpenti’s form is unmistakably reptilian, car enthusiasts may spot familiar automotive cues woven into its design. The sleek case mirrors the aerodynamic bodywork of a sports car. The stepped sapphire crystal resembles the rear flaps of a high-performance vehicle.
The crown lugs echo the wheels of a vintage race car. Even the visible movement components hint at an engine block, complete with a hexagonal grille, a nod to past Serpenti motifs. While unintentional at first, both Buonamassa Stigliani and Büsser, lifelong automotive fans, found that their shared passion naturally influenced the final design.
Limited Edition: Three Striking Variants
Available in three exclusive editions, each limited to just 33 pieces, the Bvlgari x MB&F Serpenti comes in Titanium (Grade 5) with a blue hour and minute domes (SGD 218,000), 18K Rose Gold with piercing green snake eyes (SGD 250,000), and Black PVD-coated stainless steel, featuring vibrant red eyes (SGD 218,000).
