BVLGARi

 Renowned worldwide for its jewelry, Bvlgari has also forged a reputation over the past decade as perhaps the most prolific pioneer in the elite field of ultra-thin, complicated timepieces. The company, which was founded in Rome in 1884 by Greek silversmith Sotirio Bulgari, made its first important contribution to the watch community in the 1940s — the Art deco coiled-bracelet Serpenti, which survives as its flagship ladies’ model to this day. Two historic men’s timepieces, the Bulgari Roma and Bulgari Bulgari, debuted in the 1970s and established the classical Roman-architectural look that would define the Bulgari watch brand going forward. The jeweler set up its own watchmaking center in Switzerland in the 1980s and in 2000 bought the independent high-horology ateliers of Daniel Roth and Gerald Genta (the latter founded by the legendary watch designer who contributed the Bulgari Bulgari), incorporating their expertise into the parent Bulgari brand. It is that horological savoir faire that has enable Bulgari to introduce new models in its Octo Finissimo collection — high-luxury mechanical watches of record-breaking thinness — into the market consistently for several years, including the world’s thinnest automatic tourbillon, perpetual calendar, GMT-equipped chronograph, and minute repeater.

Founded: 1884 (company), 1940s (watchmaking)

Headquarters: Rome, Italy

Ownership: LVMH Group

Notable models: Octo,  Bvlgari, Serpenti, Lucea

Did you know: In March 2020, Bulgari contracted with the partner firm that makes its men’s and ladies’ fragrances to produce thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer and distribute them to medical facilities in Bulgari’s native Italy to aid in the fight against COVID-19