The Bulgari Papillon Voyageur represents a gorgeous piece of stylish Haute Horlogerie that allows its eccentric owner to check out the time anywhere on Earth, giving him more speed and efficiency in globetrotting. This piece follows the 2010 launch of Papillon Chronograph, the owner of an innovative patented minutes-display system.
Based on the philosophy of adding self-crafted efficient mechanisms to timepieces, Bulgari created this particular watch as enrichment to their collection of dual-time reading gadgets. Local time display is relies on a jumping-principle through a vertical aperture at the 12 o’clock indicator, around a 24-hour graduated scale while the crown adjusts it.
The indicator for the dual time-zone is represented by a blue central open-worked GMT hand that indicates time on the 24-hour guilloche disc, being adjusted based on the wanted time-zone by two-buttons placed at the 10 o’clock indicator and respectively 2 o’clock. The central-placed Papillon device helps reading the minutes, displayed via a component relying on the bearing disc.
This executes a 360 degree rotation in two hours, bearing two retractable independent rhombus-shaped hands that run in turn over two 180-degree pieces. The first hand is used for marking the 60 minutes in an hour, while the second one signals them in tens. Thus, while the tip of the first hand shows minutes, the second hand keep remaining retracted throughout the disc rotation.
It is right at the point when the first hand reaches the 55-minute indicator that the second hand does a progressive quarter-turn until it becomes parallel with the first on. Finally, when the minutes start off from zero, the second hand retracts for the next 55 minutes, all this movement being carefully connected to the hour disc.
All these fine mechanisms are based on a self-winding movement that works at 28,800 vibrations per hour, powered by a 45-hour reserve. All the pieces and devices of the watch are built solely by Bulgari, giving it one hundred percent authenticity. Furthermore, the visible parts and the screw heads are satin-brushed, polished and beveled, while the movement is cautiously treated with a circular graining pattern, carefully hand-made, and Côtes de Genéve.
All time-related data is displayed on the split dial; the upper part, being white-lacquered, runs along a circle-arc that stretches from the 9 o’clock indicator up to the 3 o’clock one, highlighting the jumping hour aperture at 12 o’clock. The lower part is trimmed with satin-brushed black-gold, displaying GMT indications on a guilloche-worked circle, while the Papillon device gets festooned by the segments indicating minutes, delightfully adorned with guilloché motif.
The case is made of 18-carat pink gold, offering water resistance up to 30 meters. Featuring a both-side glare-proof sapphire crystal, the watch has been added an alligator-leather strap with a pink gold triple-blade folding clasp.
The production of this exquisite series is limited to 99 pieces whilst you should also consider that the Daniel Roth caliber DR13074 is encased with 26 jewels.
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