Chrono Watch

Bulgari Daniel Roth Tourbillon Chrono Rattrapante

http://img.xcitefun.net/users/2010/0...efun-watch.jpg

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.

I am not sure exactly what is happening to the Daniel Roth visual aesthetic now that Bulgari has officially sunken its teeth into the each watch by having Bulgari branding. A small "Daniel Roth" label lives at the bottom next to the name of the movement. Looks like the branding message going forward is Bulgari design and character, with Daniel Roth movements - or something like that. This watch takes the (presumably new or newer) Calibre 8300 manually wound tourbillon movement with rattrapante (split second) chronograph and fumbles with a design to stick it in. From an academic standpoint the Calbire 8300 is an interesting a well laid out movement. The dial has a subsidiary watch face, with an emphasis on the 30 minute chronograph mechanism. It also has an exposed tourbillon window, and a power reserve indicator for the movement. All necessary things, and laid out well, in a logical, user friendly way. Though. when it comes down to it, this is a watch almost exclusively for collectors. The pool of people that need a very expensive watch that gives most of the dial real estate to a split second chronograph is minimal.