Bvlgari + MB&F Seprenti: a serpent on your wrist

The renowned jewellery and watchmaking house Bvlgari, founded in 1884, and the avant-garde watch atelier MB&F (Maximilian Büsser & Friends), established in 2005, have joined forces once again to present a groundbreaking collaboration: three limited-edition Serpenti timepieces, or as MB&F calls them, "Horological Machines" or "kinetic sculptures." Each version is limited to just 33 pieces:


At the heart of these creations lies a unique in-house movement by MB&F, which displays hours and minutes on rotating domed indicators, above which a 14mm "floating" balance wheel seems to hover. On the reverse side, a power reserve indicator (45 hours) is visible. The watches feature five sapphire crystals with double-sided anti-reflective coating, and the case is water-resistant to 30 metres.

MB&F continues to redefine traditional watchmaking by crafting three-dimensional kinetic sculptures designed to be worn on the wrist. These "Horological Machines" are brought to life through collaborations with the brand's "friends" and draw inspiration from diverse themes such as science fiction, supercars, and the animal kingdom.

This is not the first partnership between Bvlgari and MB&F. In 2021, several years after a chance meeting between Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Bvlgari’s Creative Director for Watches, and Maximilian Büsser, MB&F’s Founder and Creative Director, the two brands unveiled their first joint creation: the MB&F x Bvlgari LM FlyingT Allegra. This collaboration brought Bvlgari’s vibrant and colourful jewellery to B&F’s "Legacy Machines" collection. Following the success of this initial partnership, the natural question arose: what’s next? 



For their second project, Fabrizio and Max decided to reinterpret one of Bvlgari’s most iconic historical designs: the Serpenti, which first appeared in Bvlgari’s collection in 1948. By merging this legendary design with MB&F’s sophisticated mechanics, the Bvlgari x MB&F Serpenti was born—a true fusion of craftsmanship and creative vision. 

The reinterpretation of the Serpenti concept, symbolising and bold transformations, required a complete reimagining of this historic masterpiece—not only in terms of engineering and movement design but also in the case’s construction and production.

Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani described the design process as "a joy to create," though hundreds of sketches and dozens of 3D-printed prototypes suggest otherwise. Unlike traditional round cases, which leave little room for experimentation, the Bvlgari x MB&F Serpenti features an intricate case shaped like a snake’s head. Its appearance dramatically changes depending on the angle—from the front, side, top, or back.



The complex shape of this case posed a "nightmare" for metalworking. The flowing curves of the metal transition seamlessly into five sapphire crystals, including the snake’s "eyes" and a faceted rear section. Each crystal is coated with anti-reflective sides, offering maximum visibility of the intricate movement within. This combination of curved metal surfaces and sapphire crystals is not only extraordinarily challenging to manufacture and finish but also presents a significant puzzle in ensuring the case’s water resistance.

"The biomorphic design of the watch presented enormous challenges—not just for the case but also for the movement," admits Maximilian Büsser. "The intricate case is entirely machined on five-axis CNC machines. It includes five sapphire crystals that were not only incredibly difficult to produce but also to install due to the case’s curved shape and the need to ensure water resistance to 30 meters."  

Inside, the watch reveals an equally sophisticated movement, designed and developed by MB&F, which breaks all traditional watchmaking conventions. One of Fabrizio’s key ideas was to "bring the Serpenti to life" by giving the watch "eyes." This goal was achieved through rotating domed indicators with hour and minute markers: the left dome completes one full rotation every 12 hours, while the right dome rotates every 60 minutes. To minimise weight, domes are crafted from ultra-thin aluminium, requiring innovative milling techniques. Each dome is hand-coated with Super-LumiNova, ensuring the snake’s glowing "eyes" remain visible in the dark.



The movement features a technically complex 14mm "floating" balance wheel with four traditional adjustment screws, operating at a frequency of 2.5 Hz (18,000 vibrations per hour). It is securely mounted on a three-dimensional balance bridge engraved with the names of both collaborators. Time-setting and winding are controlled via separate crowns discreetly integrated into the lugs on the back of the case.

On the rear side of the case, the "machine" reveals a power reserve indicator and parts of the 310-component movement, all meticulously hand-finished. MB&F remains one of the few manufacturers to uphold artisanal craftsmanship in both the production and finishing of its components. Due to the complexity of the design, MB&F’s artisans can only produce six to eight movements per month, meaning it will take over a year to complete the 99 pieces in this limited series.

While Serpenti’s aesthetic roots are clear, this unique series also reveals another source of inspiration. Both Fabrizio and Max share a love for automotive design, having grown up admiring the same iconic car designs. Although the initial plan did not include incorporating automotive elements into the Bvlgari x MB&F Serpenti, it’s undeniable that some of these influences found their way into the final design. The case’s smooth, flowing lines evoke the streamlined body of a car; the stepped sapphire crystal resembles a sports car’s rear spoiler; and the crowns could easily be mistaken for car wheels. Even the visible parts of the movement include details reminiscent of an engine—most notably, a grille-like structure featuring the signature hexagonal scale motif seen in previous Serpenti models.

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