When it was launched in 1998, the Bulgari Aluminium set new standards for the styling of luxurious sports watches. The modern, graphically designed watch with its rubber bracelet and aluminium case rapidly advanced to become a design icon that is unisex and goes beyond age, trends and personal style. Bulgari has updated the current re-edition with innovations both in the materials and technology and has given the silhouette a more contemporary look. The new Bulgari Aluminium with its black dial comes with a 41-mm case that is slightly larger than the original, a mechanical movement, as well as automatic winding and a power reserve of 42 hours. One of the watch’s striking features is the technically very demanding and unconventional combination of titanium, aluminium and rubber, the latter also in timeless black. This mix of materials gives the watch its unique aesthetic and haptics, and also makes sense from a functional point of view. Thus, the lugs used to attach the bracelet to the case, as well as several other parts that are subject to a high amount of stress, are made of aluminium. This aluminium, which is also chosen for the case, is a particularly tough special alloy, primarily found in the aerospace industry. The bracelet and the wide bezel with the familiar, memorable incised branding in capital letters are made of extremely durable fluorocarbon (FKM) rubber – it is the best high-performance rubber used by the watch industry. The sophisticated and detailed design of the bracelet is eye-catching. This is not a strap made of a single piece but is instead composed of rubber sections joined by aluminium links. Four different moulds are used to create the ergonomically shaped bracelet. The jury was correspondingly impressed by the wearability of the watch, which feels remarkably comfortable on the wrist. Overall, the jury members were extremely taken with the “perfect proportions and premium-quality materials”, even hailing the current re-edition of the Bulgari Aluminium, in reference to another subject area, as a miniature “synthesis of the arts”.
