Bulgari Serpenti.
An iconic pairing of words if ever there was one.
Since Bulgari’s founding, the Italian jeweler has built a reputation upon unique designs. The Serpenti — the snake-shaped watch released to much acclaim in 1948 and still produced today — is one of the most striking timepieces in the history of modern horology. The tubogas bracelet, meanwhile, has played a significant role in the Serpenti story. Named for the gas pipe from which it takes its aesthetic inspiration, this series of interlocking, hollow metal structures has come to define much of the classic Serpenti look. Indeed, wearing one signals good taste, an appreciation for watchmaking history, and a sense of individualism.
This particular Serpenti Tuboas dates to a time long before Bulgari was capable of manufacturing its own movements, and thus joined forces with some of the most prominent watchmakers of the day. Dating to the 1970s, it features a dual-row, 18K yellow gold tubogas bracelet fixed to an oval-shaped 21mm watch head with a smooth bezel. The hammered, champagne-toned dial — fitted with applied indices and a 'sword' handset — is signed, simply, "Bulgari." Inside is a hand-wound movement, while joining the watch is its correct Bulgari Roma leather-clad box with a padded interior.
Beautifully designed, this excellent vintage piece pairs one of the world's most important jewelers to one its most prestigious watchmakers in a fit of creativity and beauty. What more could one ask for in a watch?