Bulgari keeps rocking the watch industry with amazing models. After the acquisition of Gerald Genta and Daniel Roth, the brand multiplied its strength in designing complication movements. BVLGARI Daniel Roth Carillon Tourbillon Minute-Repeater model is a perfect example of this new era.
I’d like to give a little info about the musical instrument ‘’ Carillon ‘’.
A carillon is a huge musical instrument featuring a minimum of 23 bells, but there is an example which is known to be the world’s largest one featuring 78 bells. Beside the large nature of the instrument, it is also the heaviest instrument in the world with a single bell occasionally weighing up to 10 tons. A musician plays it by a keyboard, or it can be played automatically using a pin drum or a computerized one.
Actually the Bulgari Carillon Tourbillon is not a Carillon officially due to the lack of the necessary 23 bells or gongs however, it still features three built in gongs inside its movement making the watch a miniature Carillon following the tradition of using with multiple bells to play a melody.
Though the melody is not more than three notes long, the watch easily beats most minute repeaters, which feature the standard twin gongs only. In fact it is more like a transitional design between a standard minute repeater and a grand. Also there are the latter boasting four gongs and hammers making the watch to be qualified as a Carillon by definition however it is not exactly the same as there are differing chiming patterns and the mechanics designed.
Obviously, the Carillon Tourbillon is a fine example of horology. The Tourbillon and the gongs located at the dial are more than enough for this stunning timepiece to be qualified as a horological Masterpiece but, Bulgari managed to design a magnificent repeater movement which can be seen from the back side of the watch as an additional asset.
A visual feast is performed by the hand tuned springs, multiple racks, and programmed cams playing the time down to the minute of every day accompanied by levers getting together to create a chorus of metal performing in great beauty like the bells on the front side. Unlike standard minute repeater models which display the hammers and gongs only, the Carillon Tourbillon performs a show on both front and back sides.
Thanks to the skeleton design, almost every part of the movement is visible, even the back side of the Tourbillon. The gear train and the mainspring with a power reserve on the back of the movement are also visible. You can also watch the repeater’s speed governor and the small secondary mainspring for the minute repeater working from the front side.
Let’s have a look at the other details of the watch.
44mm diameter case is a classic Daniel Roth design. 18K rose gold case combines flat and curved lines in a unique form. The case feels hefty and heavy due to the thickness caused by the complication movement and the density of gold.
The case grabs attention with its unique design before the movement of the watch. Even the un-trained catches the watch’s striking looks which caused by the design and the glittering 18K rose gold.
The watch comes on a brown crocodile strap and an 18K rose gold folding clasp.
Well, I cannot find anything negative about the watch. For the positive side, it’s simply a stunning timepiece even within its own class as it sports many technical features which its rivals do not have.
Bulgari turned the direction of its watch department from focusing mainly on the aesthetics to designing complication movements after merging Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta in to its own. Carillon Tourbillon is a great example to show what Bulgari is capable of when it comes to horological timepieces.
