Bvlgari dedicates its Octo Roma Worldtimer to Singapore

How apt is it that Bvlgari has chosen to pay tribute to a nation in perpetual motion with a world-time watch? Created to commemorate our landmark 60th year of independence, the Octo Roma Worldtimer SG60 Edition honours the Roman maison’s shared values with Singapore: boldness, resilience, plurality, innovation, and constant transformation.

Expressing this essence through the universal language of time, the watch also brings to mind Sotirio Bulgari’s voyage from Greece to Rome in the late 19th century — demonstrating a founding spirit that resonates deeply with our national identity.

Featured as a showpiece at Bvlgari’s Beyond Time watch exhibition, which is currently on-going until Aug 10, this tribute 41mm piece comes in a sand-blasted stainless steel case coated with black DLC. Modern and audacious, its black matte dial is contrasted by elements in our national colours. Rendered in red are the central lacquered seconds hand, half of the matte 24-hour ring, and “Singapore” at 12 o’clock. Legible in white are the luminous indexes and names of 23 other global cities.

Driving the watch is the in-house BVL 257 mechanical automatic movement, which was unveiled in 2021 in the debut Octo Roma Worldtimer line as an enhanced version of the reliable BVL 191 calibre. Conceived to allow for an instant and intuitive reading of time across all time zones with day-night indication, it features rotating discs that beautifully orchestrates city and hour displays on the 24-hour ring.

As much as it is a sculptural stand-out, this complication is also highly wearable thanks to Bvlgari’s lauded expertise in ultra-thin mechanics. Measuring a slim 6.03mm, it beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and delivers 42 hours of power reserve. Through the transparent sapphire crystal caseback, which is printed with commemorative wordings, one may admire the refinement of the movement finishings in a layout that is stylishly Bvlgari.

Each Octo Roma Worldtimer SG60 Edition is presented with two rubber straps, in red and black, which are fitted with a black DLC-treated steel pin buckle. Robust in construction, it is also made to withstand the depths with a maximum water resistance of 100m.