Bulgari

Who are Bulgari?

Bulgari is an Italian jeweller founded in Rome in 1884 by the silversmith Sotirios Voulgaris, and owned since 2011 by the French luxury group LVMH. The name is written Bvlgari in the company’s logo. It makes jewellery, fragrances and leather goods as well as watches (Wikipedia), but this page is about the watches: their history, the collections, who owns the company, and what to check when buying a pre-owned Bulgari in the UK.

Bulgari’s watches are made in Switzerland, not Italy. The company has three Swiss sites: Neuchâtel for design and assembly, Le Sentier for movements, and Saignelégier for cases and dials (WorldTempus). In watches it is known for two quite different things: jewellery watches such as the Serpenti, and the ultra-thin Octo Finissimo models it has presented as world records since 2014 (Haute Time).

The history of Bulgari watches

Bulgari’s watch history runs from a Roman jeweller’s shop to a Swiss manufacturer inside LVMH. The key dates are the Serpenti (1948), the Bvlgari Bvlgari (1977), the Swiss watch company (1980), the purchase of Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth (2000), LVMH ownership (2011), the Octo (2012) and the Octo Finissimo records from 2014.

A Roman jeweller. Sotirios Voulgaris began in his family’s jewellery business in Epirus, then part of the Ottoman Empire and now in Greece. The family moved to Italy in the 1880s. After a first shop in Naples closed following burglaries, he opened a shop on Via Sistina in Rome in 1884, and in 1905 the Via Condotti shop that became the flagship (Wikipedia).

The name and the V. The trademark comes from the founder’s surname. The BVLGARI logo was first used in 1934, over the Via Condotti doorway; Wikipedia says the U was replaced with a V in reference to ancient Rome. Both spellings are correct: Bulgari is the company name in ordinary use, and Bvlgari is how it appears on the products and in LVMH’s own listing.

Jewellery watches. Bulgari introduced the Serpenti in the late 1940s (Wikipedia); Analog/Shift dates the first one to 1948. The early Serpenti put a watch dial into a flexible Tubogas bracelet, and in the 1950s and 1960s more lifelike snakes followed, some with the dial hidden in a hinged head (Analog/Shift). For these mid-century watches Bulgari bought movements from established makers including Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger-LeCoultre (Analog/Shift).

Into watchmaking. Bulgari entered watchmaking proper in 1977 with the Bvlgari Bvlgari watch (Wikipedia). Sources differ on when the Swiss watch business began. Analog/Shift says Bulgari set up Bulgari Time, Write and Light in Geneva in 1978. Wikipedia dates Bulgari Haute Horlogerie SA, the Swiss subsidiary that makes the watches, to 1980, and says it is headquartered in Neuchâtel with about 500 employees.

Genta and Roth. In 2000 Bulgari bought the watch brands Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth (Wikipedia); Haute Time dates the deal to July 2000 and says the brands were bought from The Hour Glass. The purchase brought in watchmakers making complicated watches and, through Gérald Genta, the octagonal case that became the Octo (Haute Time; webChronos).

LVMH and the Octo. LVMH’s acquisition of Bulgari concluded on 4 October 2011 (Wikipedia). On 12 July 2012 Bulgari unveiled the Octo in Rome as its new main men’s collection, developed from the 2004 Gérald Genta Octo (webChronos). Jean-Christophe Babin, formerly chief executive of TAG Heuer, became chief executive in February 2013 (Wikipedia).

The thinness records. The Octo Finissimo line began in 2014 with a tourbillon presented as the thinnest of its kind. Haute Time lists further records for a minute repeater (2016), a self-winding watch (2017), an automatic tourbillon (2018) and a chronograph with GMT (2019). In 2022 the Octo Finissimo Ultra, at 1.80 mm thick, was presented as the thinnest mechanical watch (Haute Time).

What is Bulgari known for in watches?

In watches, Bulgari is known for the snake-shaped Serpenti, the octagonal Octo, and a long series of ultra-thin Octo Finissimo models presented as world records. It also makes its own movements, cases and dials in Switzerland. The details below are each sourced.

Ultra-thin watches. Haute Time counts ten Octo Finissimo world records between 2014 and 2025. Dezeen called the 2024 Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC Bulgari’s ninth thinness record, so the count depends on what each source includes. The records have changed hands: Dezeen reports that the 1.70 mm Ultra COSC of 2024 beat Richard Mille’s 1.75 mm RM UP-01, which had overtaken Bulgari’s 2022 watch. Several of the record watches were made in limited numbers (Haute Time), so a standard Octo Finissimo is not the same watch as the record piece.

Chronometer certification. The 2024 Ultra COSC was certified by COSC, the Swiss testing institute, as well as being presented as the thinnest mechanical watch (Haute Time). Our guide to COSC certification explains what the test measures.

Making it in Switzerland. WorldTempus describes three Swiss sites: Neuchâtel, which houses the design studio, technical department and assembly workshops; Le Sentier in the Vallée de Joux, which makes the movements, from the small BVL100 calibre to minute repeaters and the Finissimo movements; and Saignelégier, which makes cases and dials. Our guide to in-house and outsourced movements explains why some buyers care where the movement comes from.

Jewellery watches. The Serpenti has been made since 1948 and is still in production (Analog/Shift). Its Tubogas bracelet is made by winding metal bands around a core that is then removed, leaving a hollow, flexible coil (Analog/Shift).

Which Bulgari watch collections are there?

Bulgari’s current watch range is led by the Octo family, which includes the Octo Finissimo and Octo Roma, alongside the Serpenti, the Bvlgari Bvlgari, and women’s lines including Divas’ Dream and Lvcea. The collections table gives a one-line description of each.

A few points help when you are reading listings:

• Octo is a family. Goldsmiths lists Octo, Octo Roma and Octo Finissimo separately (Goldsmiths). They differ in case shape and thickness, so check which one a listing means.
• Record watches and everyday watches. A listing that says “world’s thinnest” should name the exact model and reference, since several record pieces were limited editions (Haute Time).
• Older names. Wikipedia lists the Diagono among Bulgari’s men’s watches. Older Bulgari and Gérald Genta pieces also turn up second-hand, and LVMH now lists Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth as separate brands again (LVMH).

Who owns Bulgari?

Bulgari is owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the Paris-based luxury group. LVMH lists Bvlgari among its watch and jewellery houses, with Jean-Christophe Babin as chief executive of the Bvlgari Group. The acquisition concluded on 4 October 2011.

The deal was an all-share transaction: the Bulgari family exchanged its 50.4% controlling stake for 3% of LVMH (Wikipedia). Paolo Bulgari, a member of the founding family, is chairman (Wikipedia). LVMH says Bvlgari has six production sites, more than 320 boutiques and more than 6,000 employees, and that in 2024 it announced the creation of the Fondazione Bvlgari (LVMH).

In the UK, Bvlgari (UK) Limited was incorporated on 13 May 1987 and is active. Companies House records LVMH as the person with significant control, holding 75% or more of the shares (Companies House). LVMH’s other watch brands include TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith (LVMH).

Buying a pre-owned Bulgari watch in the UK: what to check

Check that the serial number on the watch matches its warranty card, whether the movement is mechanical or quartz, that any record or limited-edition claim names the exact reference, and that the watch is not recorded as stolen. Then decide what guarantee you need: Bulgari’s own warranty, or the seller’s.

1. Papers and the full set. Ask which papers come with the watch and whether they are originals. Bulgari now issues an international digital warranty and authenticity card. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves.

2. Reference and edition. Several Octo Finissimo record watches were limited runs (Haute Time), so the reference and edition number should match the papers. If a listing claims a record, check the year: the record for the thinnest mechanical watch has changed hands several times since 2022 (Haute Time; Dezeen).

3. Authenticity. Fakes can come with forged papers. Buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns, and have the watch checked by a watchmaker you choose. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what a watchmaker looks at.

4. Stolen-watch check. Before you pay, check the serial number against a stolen-watch register and ask the seller to confirm the watch is not reported lost or stolen. Our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers.

5. Movement type. Bulgari makes its own mechanical movements in Le Sentier (WorldTempus). Ask whether the watch you are looking at is mechanical or quartz, when it was last serviced and by whom, and for a quartz watch when the battery was last changed. Our guide to mechanical and quartz watches explains how they differ.

6. Warranty. Bulgari’s warranty length changed in 2023. A dealer’s own warranty is a promise from the dealer, not from Bulgari. See watch warranties explained.

7. Who you buy from. There are three main routes:

Source: Goldsmiths, Bulgari watches (checked 29 October 2026). We found no Bulgari certified pre-owned programme in the UK in the sources we could reach.

For how independent dealers compare with appointed retailers, read grey market versus authorised dealer.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch.

Frequently asked questions

Is it Bulgari or Bvlgari?

Both. The company is named after its founder, Sotirios Voulgaris, and is usually written Bulgari. Since 1934 its logo has used BVLGARI, with a V in place of the U in the style of ancient Roman inscriptions (Wikipedia).

Is Bulgari Italian or Swiss?

Bulgari is an Italian company based in Rome (Wikipedia), but its watches are made in Switzerland, in Neuchâtel, Le Sentier and Saignelégier (WorldTempus).

Who owns Bulgari?

LVMH, the French luxury group. Its acquisition of Bulgari concluded on 4 October 2011 (Wikipedia).

When did Bulgari start making watches?

Bulgari made Serpenti jewellery watches from the late 1940s, using movements from outside makers (Wikipedia; Analog/Shift). It entered watchmaking proper with the Bvlgari Bvlgari in 1977 (Wikipedia).

Does Bulgari make its own movements?

Yes. Its Le Sentier site makes movements including the Finissimo calibres and the small BVL100 (WorldTempus). Earlier Serpenti watches used movements from makers such as Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger-LeCoultre (Analog/Shift).

What is the Octo Finissimo?

The ultra-thin branch of the Octo collection, begun in 2014. Several models have been presented as world thinness records, including the 1.70 mm Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC of 2024 (Haute Time; Dezeen).

What is a Serpenti watch?

A snake-shaped jewellery watch, first made in 1948 with a coiled Tubogas bracelet (Analog/Shift).

Where does the Octo design come from?

From the Gérald Genta Octo of 2004. Bulgari bought the Gérald Genta brand in 2000 and launched its own Octo in 2012 (webChronos; Haute Time).

Does Bulgari have a UK company?

Yes. Bvlgari (UK) Limited was incorporated on 13 May 1987, and LVMH is recorded as its controlling shareholder (Companies House).

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Bulgari or LVMH.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.