The Bulgari Serpenti watch is the power piece everyone covets right now, from Zendaya and Priyanka Chopra to Anne Hathaway and Charlize Theron. “It’s more chic, and a little more flashy, than some of the other big-brand choices,” says Lawrence Paul, owner of Spectra Fine Jewelry, which is offering a spectacular seven-coil version on 1stDibs.
“Seeing the Serpenti watch in unique lengths like this seven-row piece is quite rare,” Paul says. “But they are around and have long been favored by the it girls of their time. This watch is a tribute to some of the jewels Elizabeth Taylor wore in the movie Cleopatra,” he adds, referring to the 1963 film that helped make the Bulgari Serpenti famous. “But this is a modern take on them.”
Since Bulgari introduced the Serpenti, in 1948, it has been adored not only by Taylor but also by Ingrid Bergman, Sophia Loren and Anita Ekberg, proudly worn as a symbol of vitality, passion and power. It has endured as Bulgari’s most recognizable motif, appreciated anew by the current crop of style icons and influencers.
Paul’s dramatic seven-coil version, in 18-karat rose gold, culminates in a pavé-diamond dial surrounded by a diamond-set bezel.
The secret to creating the strong but flexible bracelet is the tubogas technique, its name inspired by flexible gas pipelines. It involves constructing a bendable core that is then covered in gold links in a way that allows the bracelet to wrap seductively around the wrist — or the upper arm if you want to channel Taylor’s Cleopatra. The actress didn’t sport a Serpenti bracelet in the film, but in a publicity photo, she flaunted a diamond-encrusted version with a watch hidden in the snake head. The picture became part of the barrage of press surrounding Taylor’s romance with her leading man, Richard Burton, and the design exploded with popularity.
Bulgari has introduced numerous interpretations of the Serpenti over the years, usually produced in small quantities, making each iteration rare. All have one thing in common: a strong allure that gives the style the staying power to inspire successive generations.
