The Bulgari Aluminium is a divisive watch. It’s bold, graphic, sporty design can feel wildly out of place next to the Italian brand’s jewellery watches and Octo Finissimo world record timepieces. However, with the recent resurgence of interest in retro designs and late 20th century watches, the Aluminium which debuted in 1975 is having its time in the sun. For 2025, Bulgari have updated both the chronograph and GMT model with new bronze cases, fittingly called the Bulgari Bronzo.
Bulgari Bronzo GMT
Bronze has a strong heritage in the watch industry though it has somewhat fallen out of favour with collectors after an absolute glut of bronze watch were released around 2019. But given that trends always come in cycles, it’s about time for a revival. The Bulgari Bronzo GMT features a 40mm case made from sandblasted bronze, in a lovely shade of dark metallic brown. One of the aspects of bronze that some collectors love is that it will develop a patina over time, like a document of all your travels together.
In keeping with the Aluminium collection that it’s based on, it features a black rubber bezel with the Bulgari name across it. Rubber bezels are most often seen in environments where you expect the watch to take a few knocks, protecting the metal of the case as well as the delicate flesh of any person you might accidentally hit. That’s the logic behind the rubber bezel of the Mühle-Glashütte SAR Rescue Timer tossed around on the waves of the sea and it works too in context of a jet-setting GMT thrown around by turbulence.
Leaning into the bronze colour of the case, the hands are rose gold plated giving them a similar colour but with a brighter sheen, making them stand out for improved legibility. There’s central hours, minutes and seconds as well as the 24-hour GMT hand which points to the black and grey scale around the peripheral edge.
Powering the Bulgari Bronzo GMT is the calibre B192 with 50-hour power reserve. It’s priced at £4,900, reflecting the luxury status of the brand. It would be nice for a sporty watch to be a touch more accessible to really fall into that comfortable daily wear category but the Bulgari name prevents that.
Bulgari Bronzo Chronograph
The Bulgari Bronzo Chronograph follows the same philosophy as its GMT counterpart, swapping to bronze but maintaining the style and influence of the Aluminium design. It’s the larger of the two measuring 41mm in diameter to accommodate for the additional information presented with its tricompax chronograph display and tachymeter scale.
In order to activate the chronograph you use the back DLC coated pushers on either side of the crown at 2 and 4 o’clock. They operate the central chronograph seconds hand, 30-minute timer and 12-hour timer, all of which feature rose gold plated hands to match the colour of the case as well.
The movement powering this piece is the B381, which has a 42-hour power reserve. That’s noticeably less than the GMT but a chronograph is a much more power intensive complication to operate. The additional functions and complexity also result in a higher price of £5,600.
Price and Specs:
Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph, date (chronograph)
More details at Bulgari.
