Many of us know that Bvlgari makes some of the thinnest mechanical movements in the watch industry, but did you know that the brand has also committed itself to producing the smallest mechanical movements? Hot off the press from LVMH Watch Week 2025 is the Caliber BVS 100 Lady Solotempo automatic movement, an all-new in-house caliber designed to take Bvlgari’s ladies timepieces to the next level. This makes it the first time in the history of the manufacture that the Serpenti Tubogas — and its much younger but equally elegant sibling, the Serpenti Seduttori — is available as a self-winding timepiece.

Why is this a big deal? Because for the greater part of the late 20^th century and the 21^st century, the Serpenti Tubogas has mainly been offered in quartz (with the exception of the earliest references which predate Quartz timekeeping.) Since its proliferation in the late 1970s and early 80s, quartz technology presented a more pragmatic choice for the Serpenti Tubogas given the compact dimensions along with the usual slew of benefits. Throughout this era, Bvlgari made numerous iterations of Serpenti Tubogas watches featuring watch heads in a plethora of different shapes. Its main point of distinction were those sensuously coiled bracelets, at times woven from tricolor gold, at others crafted in bicolor steel and gold, but always supple, stylish and spectacular.

For this reason, fans of the Serpenti Tubogas seldom minded the quartz movement. Its singular appeal is derived from the unique craftsmanship behind its core design, inspired by industrial pipes once used throughout the city of Rome to transport pressurized gas. Literally meaning gas pipe in Italian, the tubogas signature aesthetic traditionally involves coiling of extra-long strips of metal (gold or steel) around a flexible metal blade. Since its introduction in 1948, Bvlgari has kept true to the original craftsmanship, preserving it as a distinct part of its brand heritage.

That said, the need to consistently evolve and grow the Serpenti Tubogas was not lost on Bvlgari’s creative department, in particular its chief watch designer Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani. This present design, with the Serpenti head in combination with Tubogas bracelet for instance, debuted in 2010. Shortly after in 2014, Bvlgari introduced the Serpenti Spiga in ceramic which was the first Serpenti model featuring a bracelet composed of individual links. That paved the way for the Serpenti Spiga with matelassé bracelet in 2021, sporting individual links in gold and — for the first time — diamond setting.

And now, with the release of self-winding BVS 100 Lady Solotempo, the Serpenti Tubogas has arrived at its newest milestone. This in-house caliber builds upon what Bvlgari has steadily achieved in the last five years: a certain expertise with extra-small movements. Indeed, this is not the first time Bvlgari has created an in-house mechanical movement for the Serpenti timepieces.

In 2020, the manufacture released a manual-winding tourbillon caliber for the Serpenti Seduttori, a fully iced out white gold timepiece with its Serpenti head measuring just 34mm at its widest and a glorious circular aperture at six o’clock exposing a miniaturized flying tourbillon which is just a wonder to behold. Moreover, the Caliber BVL 150 is a shaped movement custom manufactured for the Serpenti Seduttori, with a 40-hour power reserve that is adequate for a jewelry timepiece.

This dazzling ladies manual wind tourbillon must have given Bvlgari a hankering for more because another extra-small caliber was presented just two years later. The super small and super adorable Piccolissimo Caliber BVL 100. Touted as the smallest movement of the 21^st century, this manual wind time only movement measures 12mm in diameter with a thickness of 2.50mm, weighing just 1.30 grams. It opened up a world of possibilities for Bvlgari, and first met the public through the high jewelry Serpenti Misteriosi collection.

Apart from beautiful gem-setting and enamel crafting, these timepieces truly embraced Bvlgari’s identity as a jeweler watchmaker. They were designed with a modular case construction that offered the possibility to remove the watch dial and movement from the Serpenti’s mouth. This means that movement be sent back to the manufacture for servicing, the wearer may continue to wear the Serpenti Misteriosi purely as a jewelry piece.

Piccolissimo Caliber BVL 100 is a manually wound round movement with twin barrels providing 30-hour power reserve. Besides the Serpenti Misteriosi, it is also found in the models within the Monete collection which includes the showstopping Monete Catene Dual Time with not one but two Piccolissimo movements.

In turn, Caliber BVS 100 Lady Solotempo expands the portfolio of extra-small movements at Bvlgari while having the distinct pleasure of being the first self-winding time-only caliber in the family. This is delightfully emphasized by an oscillating weight aptly decorated with a snake scale motif visible through the exhibition case back. Developed and produced entirely in-house at its manufacture in Le Sentier, it has a robust 50-hour power reserve.

Along with the Serpenti Tubogas in single or double twirl options, the BVS 100 Lady Solotempo movement powers a selection of seven different Serpenti Seduttori models. These pieces range from full yellow or rose gold options with diamond set bezels, to a bi-color steel and rose gold model also with diamonds on the bezel. Full stainless steel models are also available, with either a black lacquered or white opaline dial, and diamond set bezels.

For the most glamorous among us, two fully paved references in either yellow gold or white gold may be considered, each one offering a scintillating 336 diamonds on the dial, 273 all over the case, and another 266 on the bracelet. The yellow gold reference also features a cabochon cut pink rubellite set into the crown, while the white gold model does the same but with blue sapphire matching the blue tone hands and indexes.

Tech Specs: Bvlgari Serpenti Tubogas

Movement: Self-winding BVS 100 Lady Solotempo in-house movement; 50-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 35mm rose gold curve case and bezel set with 40 round brilliant-cut diamonds; rose gold crown set with cabochon-cut pink rubellite; transparent case back; water resistant to 30m
Dial: White opaline with guilloché sunray motif
Strap: Single or double twirl rose gold bracelet
Price: € 45,900 (single) € 57,500 (double)

Tech Specs: Bvlgari Serpenti Seduttori

Reference: 104060 / 104062
Movement: Self-winding BVS 100 Lady Solotempo in-house movement; 50-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 34mm stainless steel set with 36 diamond on the bezel; stainless steel crown set with cabochon-cut pink rubellite; transparent case back; water resistant to 30m
Dial: White opaline or black lacquered dial
Strap: Steel supple bracelet with folding buckle
Price: € 11,300

Tech Specs: Bvlgari Serpenti Seduttori

Reference: 104058
Movement: Self-winding BVS 100 Lady Solotempo in-house movement; 50-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 34mm bi-color stainless steel and rose gold set with 36 diamond on the bezel; rose gold crown set with cabochon-cut pink rubellite; transparent case back; water resistant to 30m
Dial: White opaline dial
Strap: Steel and rose gold supple bracelet with folding buckle
Price: € 18,500

Tech Specs: Bvlgari Serpenti Seduttori

Reference: 103898 / 103899
Movement: Self-winding BVS 100 Lady Solotempo in-house movement; 50-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 34mm yellow gold or rose gold set with 36 diamond on the bezel; yellow or rose gold crown set with cabochon-cut pink rubellite; transparent case back; water resistant to 30m
Dial: White opaline dial
Strap: Yellow or rose gold supple bracelet with folding buckle
Price: € 40,500 (pink gold) € 40,500 (yellow gold)

Tech Specs: Bvlgari Serpenti Seduttori

Reference: 103992 / 103990
Movement: Self-winding BVS 100 Lady Solotempo in-house movement; 50-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 34mm yellow gold or white gold 273 round brilliant-cut diamonds; yellow gold or white gold crown set with cabochon-cut pink rubellite or blue sapphire; transparent case back; water resistant to 30m
Dial: Brilliant-cut diamonds pavé dial with 336 diamonds
Strap: Yellow gold or white gold supple bracelet with folding buckle set with 266 brilliant-cut diamonds
Price: On request