Bulgari Aluminum Ducati Special Edition Chronograph And Riding The Ducati Streetfighter V2: Italian Icons Photofest!

It’s not easy to understand the value of a brand, which is a shortcut to knowledge: if I’m looking for a family car and I don’t know much about cars and I don’t have the interest (or time) to do a lot of research, I might just go for a Toyota because one thing I know is that Toyota makes reliable cars. On the other hand, if money is no object and I want a supercar, Ferrari will probably be first on the list.

One of the reasons for the rising prices and scarcity of many watches from major watch brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe is that a large number of consumers with no watchmaking education have decided that they want high-end mechanical watches. . And lacking in-depth knowledge of both the market and the vast number of watches available, they go straight to well-known brands with good reputations they’ve heard of (you don’t need to know anything about the watches to “know” that Rolex is good) and which are requested (validation by many others).

Brands build their reputation (and value) through many means, including marketing and (hopefully) making great products over a long period of time. The bigger the brand, the more it can afford to spend on marketing and the more products it is likely to produce over time, so the value of the brand increases.

But there are very few brands that significantly punch above their weight in terms of value because of the passion they inspire. And one of those rare brands is Ducati. Even those who know nothing about motorcycles and have little interest in them probably know that Ducati makes absolutely fantastic fast motorcycles that not only inspire passion, but generate lust!

So when Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Executive Director of Motorcycle Enthusiast Product Creation at Bulgari, decided that a partnership would be a great way to introduce a new chronograph variation to the Aluminum collection, Ducati immediately came to the spirit. And when he pitched the idea to Ducati style director Andrea Ferraresi, the response was a resounding yes!

Ducati and Bulgari are Italian brands with a long history of shared values ​​of lightness, technology, design and a deep passion for beauty.

Bulgari Aluminum Ducati Special Edition Chronograph in its natural habitat (photo courtesy of Ducati Geneva/Gigi Soldano)

Ferraresi shares that “The collaboration with Bulgari is based on many elements that we have in common, first and foremost the fact that it is another Italian brand for which design is much more than a asset of the company, it is a real raison d’être. . The search for lightness, the obsessive attention to detail, the use of noble materials and the creation of a distinctive and immediately recognizable design are the values ​​that inspired us in this project. Working on this project with Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, executive product creation director of Bulgari, whom I have known for 15 years, was a way of bringing together our passions: motorcycles and fine watchmaking.

Bulgari Aluminum Ducati Special Edition Chronograph

You don’t have to be a Ducatisti to appreciate the Bulgari Aluminum Ducati Special Edition Chronograph, but if you are, you might notice that it features an eye-catching Ducati red dial with its three sub-dials (current seconds, elapsed minutes and hours) inspired by the graphics of the engine tachometer of Ducati motorcycles: black background, white indexes and red hands. The font of the hour numerals alone (at 10, 11 and 12 o’clock) is also the same as that of Ducati’s instruments. The hour and minute hands are coated with white Super-LumiNova for optimal readability.

Bulgari Aluminum Ducati Special Edition Chronograph (photo courtesy of Ducati Geneva/Gigi Soldano)

The 40mm diameter case is made of aluminium, while a black rubber bezel embossed “BVLGARI BVLGARI” protects the crystal and complements the black rubber strap (also embossed). The crown and chronograph pushers are made of titanium.

“I had a great pleasure to visit again the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale in Italy and to exchange with Andrea Ferraresi, to discuss the many parallels between motorcycles and watches, our common passion for the beauty of mechanics and Italian design approach.” said Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani of Bulgari. “For this special collaboration, the Bulgari Aluminum model was a natural choice due to its combination of materials, sporty character and iconic look. The red color and recognizable font we use for the dial numerals is a nod take a look at the captivating world of Ducati motorcycles.

Bulgari Aluminum Ducati Special Edition Chronograph (photo courtesy of Ducati Geneva/Gigi Soldano)

The caseback is made of titanium, covered with resistant black DLC and engraved with the Bulgari and Ducati logos and the limited edition number.

And in a nice touch, the watch comes in an anodized aluminum case with a soft black rubber interior.

Bulgari Aluminum Ducati Special Edition Chronograph (photo courtesy of Ducati Geneva/Roby Bragotto)

The 40mm diameter aluminum case is an optimal size for comfort and readability, and I found it easily under a tight leather jacket. My only complaint is that I would rather have the white date wheel match the red dial rather than break the look. Or better yet, no date at all.

While this 1,000-piece limited edition is likely to be snapped up by Ducatistis, it’s just as likely to be enjoyed by those drawn to its striking red dial.

An afternoon aboard a 2022 Ducati Streetfighter V2 around Geneva and France

What made the Bulgari Aluminum Ducati Special Edition Chronograph even more special to me was that I had the chance to wear it for an afternoon while putting a 2022 Ducati Streetfighter V2 through its paces thanks to Bulgari – not that I managed to stretch it anywhere near its limits.

Ducati Street Fighter V2

The Streetfighter V2 features a 955cc Desmodromic Superquadro V2 fuel-injected engine developing 112.3kW/153hp at 10,750rpm through a six-speed gearbox, all fitted (taking into account the watch I wore) on a unibody aluminum frame. The throttle is ride-by-wire like in modern aircraft.

Author Ian Skellern (right) looks the part in Ducati riding gear (photo courtesy of Ducati Geneva/Gigi Soldano)

My last two bikes were a Suzuki GSX-R1100 and a Harley Davidson Night Rod, both of which had a lot more low-end torque than the Streetfighter V2; however, I quickly learned that its motor had more power than I needed once it started revving over 3000 rpm.

Getting out of Ducati Genève on an unfamiliar sportbike in heavy traffic (and in front of Ducati staff and many more experienced riders) was daunting, but the Streetfighter V2 took the stop-go streets in its stride and felt light. , responsive and easily manageable . And once he had a few laps, he accelerated like a rocket.

Gentlemen, start your engines! (photo courtesy of Ducati Geneva/Roby Bragotto)

The Streetfighter V2 is a fun bike, not a long-distance cruiser, and I think it would feel right at home on a race track. And although we (understandably) didn’t get a chance to put the bikes through their paces on a track, we rode out of Geneva in neighboring France to climb the winding road to Le Salève, which offers stunning views on Geneva and the Lake.

Riding Ducati on the Salève mountain near Geneva (photo courtesy of Ducati Geneva/Gigi Soldano)

This was a highlight for me in itself as, despite living near Geneva for 25 years (before moving to central France a few years ago), I had never climbed the Salève before.

The Bulgari and Ducati Geneva tour team on the Salève (photo courtesy of Ducati Geneva/Gigi Soldano)

The afternoon was a great way to get some quality wrist time with the Bulgari Aluminum Ducati Special Edition Chronograph and ride time with the Ducati Streetfighter V2, which work perfectly.

For more information, visit www.bulgari.com and/or www.ducati.com/ww/en/bikes/streetfighter/streetfighter-v2.

Fast facts Bulgari Aluminum Ducati Special Edition Chronograph
Case: 40 mm, aluminum, water resistant to 100 meters
Movement: BVL 130 automatic manufacture caliber, 28,800 vibrations/hour/4 Hz frequency; 42-hour power reserve
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds; date, chronograph
Strap and buckle: black rubber strap and pin buckle
Limit: 1,000 coins
Price: $5,000

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