Bvlgari and Maserati launch two special edition Octo watches

Bulgari and Maserati are brands that share many passions. Both have Italian roots, a reputation for enduring luxury and, of course, they share an appreciation for speed and time. Fine jewellers Bulgari first collaborated with the luxury sportscar brand in 2012, producing the first of their Octo Maserati chronographs. Now, on 12 September, they have unveiled two exclusive new timepieces at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Germany.

The new watches – the Octo GranSport and Octo GranLusso – are an ingenious meeting of the two brands, and will only be available in Bulgari Boutiques to owners of a car bearing Maserati’s trident brand emblem. Both watches feature Bulgari’s signature octagonally-structured face, influenced by Italian architecture, and mechanical Retro BVL 262 caliber.

The 33-jewel self-winding movement is decorated using Côtes de Genève, chamfering and bevelling techniques, has a 42-hour power reserve and bi-directional automatic rewind, and oscillates at 28,800 vibrations per second. The Octo’s face not only features the Maserati trident emblem – taken from the statue of Nepture in Bologna, where the company began in 1914 – but incorporates many design aspects from the car manufacturer’s line in order to fully unify the two brands.

The Octo’s dial design is inspired by the rev counters on a Maserati dashboard, with the unusual design featuring retrograde minutes and jumping hours display, while more aesthetic design points nod to the automotive assembly. Leather straps on both models are reminiscent of the car’s interior topstitched upholstery, and the GranSport features a steel case in black DLC-treated (Diamond Like Carbon) carbon. The elegant GranLusso, meanwhile, features a similar black dial with indications in silver and blue tones, but is encased in 18kt pink gold, as are the hands.