Bvlgari Brings Back Aluminum with the Bvlgari Aluminum Series

Bvlgari has reintroduced for 2020 their Aluminum collection, a range of timepieces executed in aluminum cases.

December 07, 2020
By: Logan Hannen

Bvlgari has reintroduced for 2020 their Aluminum collection, a range of timepieces executed in, you guessed it, aluminum cases. Originally released over 20 years ago, this new collection is designed to be sporty, durable, and still echo Bvlgari’s signature Italian design sensibility.

Bvlgari Aluminum Automatic and Chronograph

Source: Bvlgari

The Specs
Case Diameter: 40mm
Case Material: Aluminum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water Resistance: 100 Meters
Strap/Bracelet: Black Articulating Rubber Strap
Movement: Bvlgari Caliber B77 (For the Automatic), Bvlgari Caliber B130 (For the Chronograph)

Both the automatic and chronograph variants of these new aluminum Bvlgari watches come in at 40mm in diameter, an incredibly wearable size made even more so by a visually short span across the wrist from lug-to-lug (though the exact measurement is not published by the brand). In fact, shy of the chronograph pushers and dial executions, the two variants of the watch are identical in a visual sense. Of course, the movements differ, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Affixed to the watches is a black rubber articulating bracelet/strap, with individual, link-esque sections near the case terminating towards a more traditional strap-like execution near the tongue and clasp ends. The articulating sections of the strap are made so by the aluminum inserts, keeping the theme of the material flowing throughout the watch, even down to the buckle which is, of course, also aluminum. Rubber also appears on the crown, the pushers on the chronograph model, and on the bezel, with the signature BVLGARI etched into it to give it some texture and a bit of a different look. While it might be easy to call this overbranding, in many ways it has become synonymous with the brand over the years since this watch was released, and I don’t mind it that much in all black.

The automatic, three hand and date variant comes in two dial color options: black and white/silver/aluminum. Regardless of color, the dials feature lumed Arabic numerals at 12 and 6, and baton indices in a contrasting color for the rest of the markers, featuring lumed pips outboard. The seconds hand features a red tip and counterbalance, and the hour and minute hands are black stick shapes with pointed ends, where some lume is applied. Much of the same can be said of the chronograph, which only comes in the off-white base dial color. However, here we have three chronograph registers, done in black to stand out against the light colored dial, with the date window moved to roughly 4:30 on the dial.

Source: Bvlgari

Powering the watches, we have either the Bvlgari caliber B77 in the automatics and B130 in the chronograph. Both are base ETA calibers, which is perfectly fine as they’re tried and tested movements, and the price point certainly isn’t demanding of too much more. These movements aren’t visible, as both the automatic and chronograph feature closed, DLC coated titanium casebacks (the only portion of the watch’s exterior that isn’t aluminum or rubber).

The Damage
The Bvlgari Aluminum Automatic retails for $2,950.
The Bvlgari Aluminum Chronograph retails for $4,250.

The Take
This has always been a polarizing watch, but this execution, from the clean dial to the red accents to the overall build quality of the case and strap manages to do the unlikely – it made it likeable to just about everyone. Though heavily branded, this Bvlgari somehow manages to be overwhelmingly lovable.