bvlgari bb232ts/12.2

After Bvlgari engulfed the brand Gerald Genta (that it already owned), it took most of the brand’s contemporary timepieces and “Bulgarized” them! Sorry, I had to say that – it made me laugh. What this means is that they took existing designs and reshaped them a bit to bit Bulgari’s DNA.I was impressed they they decided the Grande Sonnerie Tourbillon should be kept alive. They barely made any changes to it at all actually! I first wrote about this watch when it was called the Gerald Genta Arena Metasonic Sonnerie. Renamed the Bvlgari Gerald Genta Magsonic Grande Sonnerie Tourbillon, the watch seems to only change the case material (looks to be in rose gold now), and the text on the ring around the dial.Because the watch is so complex with its tourbillon and sophisticated chiming functions, Bulgari created an iPad app that explains the watch. An incredible piece, this was originally retailed for $900,000 – I wonder what it goes for now in Bvlgari form.

(Click image for gallery - 4 photos)I have never seen anyone wearing a Bvlgari wristwatch (other than maybe Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man). Bvlgari has a large multi-level boutique in Manhattan (Bvlgari also sell is jewelry), and many other throughout the world, just like Audemars Piguet or Omega, for example. Yet I have seen many people wearing Omega and Audemars Piguet timepieces, never a Bvlgari though. I'm not sure how much traction the brand has in the highly competitive luxury watch market, but based on what I've heard, and Bvlgari's January 2010 announcement to combined their two haute horology brands, Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta under the Bvlgari name, there is clearly some turmoil within their watch division.That said, this new sports watch is the best watch I have seen from Bvlgari to date. It is not powered by their new in-house movement (which they finally brought to market this year, after 10 years of development). Instead, the new Diagono Professional Chronograph GMT X-Pro is powered by a less exclusive, but reliable Valjoux 7750 automatic mechanical chronograph movement, with an add-on GMT module. So, the watch looks good, somewhat like the Vacheron Constantin Overseas even, but in order to sell it they will need more than just looks and the Bvlgari name. If they price it correctly, then it might takeoff, but if they price it anything above $7,000, then it will just be another overpriced Valjoux 7750 timepiece. It should be available in stores soon.