Here’s another new watch from Daniel Roth. Err, Bulgari.  Err, Bulgari Daniel Roth.  However you now call the brand, the watch is still every bit as beautiful and reflective of the technical expertise of the former Daniel Roth.   But I suppose it is time to get used to the “BVLGARI” branding on it because soon I expect that is all there will be.  Not that this would be a bad thing if they continue with watches such as this — one of the new novelties from Baselworld 2010 – a split-second chronograph (aka rattrapante) with tourbillon.  It looks quite nice, in my opinion, though some may prefer Bulgari Daniel Roth Torubillon Lumiere Skeleton watch that I showed a couple weeks ago.  I’d guess the price on this beauty would be somewhere close to $100,000, but no official word yet.

46 mm double ellipse case in 18-carat rose gold, crown and pushers in 18-carat rose gold, transparent sapphire crystal caseback, water-resistant to 30 meters; Mechanical hand-wound movement, Tourbillon regulator, split-second chronograph, date and 48 hour power-reserve, Côtes de Genève and circular-grained finishing; Convex split-level white lacquered and satin-brushed dial; Alligator leather strap fitted with a triple-blade folding clasp in 18-carat rose gold.

Minimal, transparent and elegant…

For the first time we see a very obvious Daniel Roth watch with the Bulgari brand on it.  While I’m still not sure how this whole “co-branding” thing will work out between Bulgari and Daniel Roth (Bulgari owns Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta and recently announced that Bulgari brand would essentially become the primary brand –and you can read more here), I can still appreciate the incredible look of this new watch.  The plates, bridges and ratchet-wheel are meticulously openworked.   The dial merges into the movement and features a minimum of finely engraved metal serving to mark the hour circle on the front and the power-reserve display on the back.   The main plate is barely 3.48 mm thick, making this model one of the world’s thinnest tourbillon watches.

Bulgari Daniel Roth Tourbillon Lumière

44 mm 18-carat rose gold, mechanical hand-wound “skeleton-work” movement, Calibre DR 780, Tourbillon, power-reserve display, hand-decorated gold bridges and mainplate, 64-hour power reserve, anti-glare sapphire crystals on the front and back, blued steel serpentine hands. comes on alligator leather strap with rose gold pin buckle.

Bulgari Diagono Caliber 303 Chronograph

A Baselworld pre-release from Bulgari, and it is a nice looking chronograph in the Diagono collection.  Nice looking as in I like the choice of colors.  As you may know, the Bulgari Diagono collection has been around for more than 20 years now, and it is probably the “signature” look for Bulgari watches.  While I think Bulgari is still a bit too much on the “fashion brand” side of the watch world for me, they are clearly trying to change that now by assimilating integrating Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta, so maybe I will keep a closer eye on the brand. This particular model is of course powered by the 303-part BVL caliber 303, an automatic movement that is finished entirely by hand (it is a Piguet 1185 base movement, for you real watch nerds out there).  This movement is a column-wheel chronograph which means which is a step-up from your basic chronograph movement in that it prevents the chrono second hand from skipping when it starts/stops/resets.  Other Specs:   40mm steel case, 13mm thick, sapphire crystal caseback, water resistant 100 meters, blue alligator strap.  Here it is:

As a partner of The TimeTV.com, I on behalf of Perptuelle.com am pleased to bring you this exclusive message from Mr Francesco Trapani, CEO of the Bulgari Group, about Bulgari’s new watchmaking strategy.  Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta will no longer stand on their own, but will instead be co-branded on Bulgari watches.

FULL VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:

“Dear Friends, Collectors and esteemed watch Connoisseurs,

Today, I would like to share with you some important news as Bulgari is entering a new era which is significantly impacting the future of the Brand.

Ten years ago, I expressed in an interview the desire to develop our know-how in the watch complication craftsmanship sector.

Subsequently Bulgari built, in different stages, a network of manufacturing facilities for the production of top-of-the-range cases, dials and watch bracelets.

In parallel, we progressively expanded our knowledge of the mechanical base movement as well as our expertise in the field of the complicated movement.

Today I can safely say: our mission is accomplished!

This long process has now reached its final stage, after following a strategy which developed and integrated the mastery of watchmaking operations that began a decade ago.

Now it is time for a further step: to complement Bulgari watchmaking with a strong presence in the high-end and grandes complications watch creations.

Consequently I have decided to merge the cutting-edge skills of our Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth Manufacture in Le Sentier with the prestigious image of Bulgari, a strong name in the world of luxury.

While preserving their technical and aesthetic qualities, the Daniel Roth and the Gérald Genta timepieces will from now be fully integrated into the collection of the Bulgari Brand.

This alliance is sealed on the new watch creations, where the Bulgari Brand is featured along with the Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth logos.

This union is the fruit of a rational and organic evolution.

This integration into the overall dynamics of our Brand represents a great achievement. United, our respective areas of expertise will from now on allow Bulgari to complete its strategic process.

The merger of these skills offers Bulgari new perspectives and dimensions.

It allows us to advance in the sector of watch excellence through exclusive collections at a very high level.

The merger will also ensure that the know-how of the Manufacture Daniel Roth and Gérald Genta will be permanently preserved in a definitive manner also by strictly respecting its DNA and its tradition.

Every union of two individualities embodies a positive evolution.

As in all unions, the meeting of individual values sets off a new concept.

Our union combines 125 years of history dedicated to the passion for beauty and contemporary design with the sum of exceptional technical human skills and finest quality.

I am therefore, today, extremely pleased to invite you all to discover our newest creations by visiting us at the Salon Mondial de l’Horlogerie in Basel on March 18th, 2010”.