In case you missed it, 2025 is the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac so watchmakers of all stripes have launched serpentine watches. However, for Bulgari snake watches are just business as usual because they’ve been producing the Serpenti collection since 1948. How then do you make your snake watch extra special in the Year of the Snake? Answer: you collaborate with one of the most innovative brands in the entire industry to create the Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti Horological Machine.
Horological Machines are incredibly complex watches with dynamic, unusual shapes that are inspired by a wide range of concepts from sci-fi to motoring to animals. The Serpenti edition is shaped like the head of a snake, with large sapphire crystal eyes and pupils formed of the rotating hour and minute disks. It’s almost a ‘miss the wood for the trees’ situation because depending on what area of the watch you focus on, you sometimes see it as a watch and sometimes the snake really jumps out.
Focussing on the case specifically, it took numerous iterations due to the complexity of its curved surfaces and the precision needed to ensure it looks great from any angle. It measures 53mm x 39mm x 18mm and is available in three choices of material. The titanium offers a silver-grey tone with blue disks for the eyes, there’s then rose gold with green and a steel edition in black PVD with menacing red eyes.
Suspended above and between the two eye disks is the balance wheel. Flying balance wheels are an MB&F signature, though here they’ve used the supporting bridges to shoutout the collaboration with both brands’ logos positioned prominently. It beats at a frequency of 18,000 vph (2.5Hz), which is a little low by today’s standards but was important to the brands in linking the Bulgari x MB&F Serpenti Horological Machine to watchmaking tradition, as that beat rate is very traditional, as modern hi-beat 5Hz movements are a relatively recent development as far as the industry goes.
The movement, unsurprisingly, is a bespoke one created by MB&F specially for this watch due to the unique shape of the case. If you’re familiar with your MB&F movements, you’ll recognise that its based largely on the HM10. It has a 42-hour power reserve that you can track with the indicator on the watch’s underside. It’s manually wound by one of the large crowns on the flank of the snake’s neck with the other controlling the time setting. Amusingly I do think the dual crowns make it look a little like Frankenstein’s Snake, neck bolts and all.
In terms of production, MB&F say they are able to produce around six to eight of the watch’s movement each month. Considering that the three colourways are each a limited edition of 33 pieces, that means it will take roughly a full calendar year to deliver the complete collection. As for price, the titanium and steel PVD editions are CHF 132,000 excl. VAT (approx. £116,900) while the rose gold is CHF 152,000 excl. VAT (approx. £134,600). Expensive yes, but also for the kind of watch you can imagine on a poster in a small boy’s room, priceless. 12-year-old me would think that black PVD edition with red eyes is badass and to be honest, current me thinks the same.
Price and Specs:
More details at MB&F.
Yet another watchmaker showing just how clever they are, but coming up with something that is a complete nonsense in terms of practicality that is “wrist candy” to overly wealthy fashionistas with little taste.
Michael was far too polite to put it in the manner that I have with his veiled reference to a 12 years olds wall poster for some Sci-Fi or super hero film, that is exactly where this should have started and ended, a concept for a film, and not for the real world.
It would be good to see who actually buys something like this. I could venture various guesses but obviously won’t puts names onto this forum. (I’m also guessing that non of the buyers will be OT members).