Q&A: Bulgari’s Brinbaum talks iconography and Dua Lipa

Founded in Rome in 1884, Bulgari has developed a reputation for creating luxurious timepieces that combine innovative design with sophisticated craftsmanship. With bold shapes, elegant refinement, and architectural innovation, the brand has developed some of the most iconic jewellery watches and ultra-thin mechanical movements of all time. Simon Lazarus, head of PR & content at Chrono Hunter caught up with Jonathan Brinbaum, Bulgari watch divisions’s managing director, to discuss iconography, Geneva Watch Days 2026, future thoughts on the Octo Finissimo, and ideal dining guests.

Simon Lazarus: Firstly, talk us through your horological career to date, and when you first caught the bug for watchmaking? 

Jonathan Brinbaum: My career has always been driven by a fascination with brands that combine creativity with craftsmanship. I’ve had the privilege of working across different areas of the luxury industry, but watchmaking has a very particular magic because it sits at the crossroads of engineering, design, and emotion. 

What attracted me wasn’t only the product itself, it was the culture around it. A watch is an object that you live with every day, often for decades, and that creates a unique relationship between the Maison and its clients.

Joining Bulgari was an opportunity to be part of a Maison that approaches watchmaking differently. We come from jewellery, from Rome, from design, yet we have built one of the most respected Swiss watch manufactures. That combination of artistic vision and technical legitimacy is what continues to inspire me every day.

SL: Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani is an integral part of the conceptualisation for Bulgari — tell us more and how he has shaped your projects?

JB: Fabrizio is much more than a designer — he is one of the creative voices that has defined modern Bulgari watchmaking. 

He has an extraordinary ability to translate the Maison’s Roman identity into contemporary watch design. What makes our collaboration so valuable is that design is never treated as a layer applied at the end of a project. From the very beginning, aesthetics, mechanics, and wearability evolve together. 

Fabrizio constantly challenges the teams to simplify, refine, and remove everything that is unnecessary while preserving a very strong identity. That philosophy has shaped many of our most important collections, from Octo Finissimo to Serpenti and beyond. 

The dialogue between creative ambition and technical feasibility is one of Bulgari’s greatest strengths, and Fabrizio has played a central role in building that culture.

SL: How important are the notions of Italian elegance and thinness in the design language of Bulgari? 

JB: Italian elegance is fundamental because it is part of Bulgari’s DNA. It is not about decoration or excess — it is about proportion, balance, and effortless sophistication. 

Rome has always inspired the Maison through architecture, geometry, and a very distinctive sense of beauty. Thinness follows the same philosophy. At Bulgari, it is never pursued simply to break a record. 

Ultra-thin watchmaking is a design language that changes the way a watch wears, how it feels on the wrist and how light can interact with its architecture. The Octo Finissimo became the ultimate expression of that vision because technical innovation served elegance. 

Every millimetre had to improve both performance and aesthetics. That is why thinness has become an enduring signature rather than a temporary achievement.

SL: There are icons, and then there’s the Serpenti. How important is this collection to the DNA of the brand?

JB: Serpenti is probably the purest expression of Bulgari’s identity. 

It is much more than a watch collection — it is one of the Maison’s universal symbols, recognised well beyond the world of watchmaking. What makes Serpenti unique is its ability to unite jewellery, design and watchmaking in a single creation.

It embodies Roman femininity and transformation while constantly evolving through gems, new materials, movements, and creative interpretations. For us, Serpenti is not only about celebrating a heritage icon — it is about proving that an icon can remain contemporary, generation after generation. 

That is why it continues to play such an important role in both our creative vision and our long-term watchmaking strategy.

SL: Heritage is extremely important to Bulgari, yet you have pushed boundaries thanks to bold partnerships with MB&F and Mattar Bin Lahej. What does this mean and should we expect more?

JB: And our latest collaboration is with Vianney Halter, an extraordinary watchmaker who has once again brought something different into Bulgari watchmaking vision. 

These curated collaborations reflect something that has always existed within Bulgari: curiosity. Respecting heritage does not mean repeating it. Heritage should be a foundation for innovation, not a limitation.

Working with MBF brought together two very different creative universes around a shared passion for mechanical creativity. The collaboration with Mattar Bin Lahej explored another dimension, where art, culture, and contemporary expression entered into dialogue with watchmaking.

We approach collaborations very selectively. They need to feel authentic and bring genuine creative value rather than simply create attention. When that chemistry exists, they allow us to tell new stories while remaining unmistakably Bulgari. 

So yes, you should expect us to keep exploring unexpected conversations, but always with purpose.

SL: The Octo Finissimmo is the jewel in the watchmaking crown with more than 10 world records since its launch in 2014. What do you envisage for this model in five to 10 years’ time?

JB: Octo Finissimo has already become one of the defining watches of 21st century watchmaking, but I believe its story is still being written. The next chapter is not necessarily about chasing records. 

It is about continuing to enrich the collection through new complications, new materials, and new expressions while protecting what made it iconic in the first place: its unmistakable architecture and extraordinary wearability. 

In the coming few years, I hope people will see Octo Finissimo as a complete universe rather than a single achievement. In only 10 years, it stands alongside the great enduring icons of watchmaking — a design that remains instantly recognisable while continuing to evolve with every generation.

SL: As you mentioned earlier, you have elevated the Octo Finissimmo once again thanks to your latest collaboration with the ‘King of Steampunk’ Vianney Halter. How did this come about?

JB: What a great and singular watchmaker he is. He is one of the great independent watchmakers of our time because he has a completely unique creative language. 

Bringing him into the Octo Finissimo universe was an exciting conversation between two strong identities rather than an attempt to blend them into something neutral. What interested us was the contrast. Octo Finissimo is defined by purity, geometry, and restraint, while Vianney’s world is imaginative, expressive, and deeply mechanical. 

The collaboration created a dialogue between those perspectives. It is also a celebration of independent creativity and mutual respect within contemporary watchmaking. Projects like this remind us that innovation often happens when different visions challenge one another.

SL: Describe Bulgari in three words.

JB: Roman. Audacious. Timeless.

Roman because that is our origin and our creative compass.

Audacious because design and innovation have always been part of Bulgari’s character, whether in jewellery or watchmaking.

Timeless because our ambition is never to follow trends, but to create objects that remain relevant across generations.

SL: What does down time mean to you away from watchmaking?

JB: Time away from work is really about reconnecting with people and places that inspire me. I enjoy travelling, discovering architecture, art and design, and spending time with my family.

I also appreciate moments where time slows down. Reading, walking through a city, visiting an exhibition, or simply sharing a meal with friends can be incredibly valuable. Those moments often become unexpected sources of inspiration. 

Ironically, working in watchmaking makes you even more aware that time is our most precious luxury. Down time is about using it well rather than filling every minute

SL: What notable trends do you envisage that make you confident Bulgari can move with the times?

JB: We see a growing desire for authenticity and versatility. Clients are increasingly looking for watches with a strong design identity that can accompany them every day rather than only for special occasions. 

Women are also approaching watchmaking differently today. Many are choosing mechanical watches for their craftsmanship and technical content, not only for their aesthetic appeal. That is a very important evolution for the industry. 

At the same time, younger generations value authenticity, storytelling, and cultural relevance. 

Bulgari is well positioned because we are able to combine Roman heritage, creativity, exceptional jewellery savoir-faire, and serious Swiss watchmaking expertise. That gives us the confidence to continue evolving while remaining true to who we are.

SL: Following our in-depth interview at Watches and Wonders 2026, you still had two slots remaining to fill at your Palexpo dinner party. Jean-Christophe Babin was on the list — who else have you selected and why?

JB: Jean-Christophe Babin — the builder. Jean-Christophe is an obvious choice for me. Beyond our personal relationship, he has been one of the people who profoundly shaped modern Bulgari. 

What I would want to discuss with him is transformation: how you take a Maison with an extraordinary heritage and continue to reinvent it, take risks, and build new territories of legitimacy. He brings the perspective of leadership, business and long-term vision.

Anish Kapoor — the artist. Anish is fascinating because his relationship with Bulgari already exists, notably through his interpretation of B.zero1. But what interests me even more is his obsession with material, volume, emptiness, and perception. 

These are surprisingly close to some of the questions we ask ourselves in watchmaking. With Octo Finissimo, for example, we have often explored how removing material can actually create more character and presence. I would love to confront an artist’s perspective with our own approach to design and engineering.

Dua Lipa — the next generation. Dua would bring something completely different. She represents a generation for whom the boundaries between music, fashion, art and culture are increasingly fluid. 

I would be interested not in asking her about watches, but almost the opposite: what makes an object, a brand, or a piece of craftsmanship culturally relevant to her generation? How do you create desire without simply following trends? 

And how can a Maison with more than a century of history continue to surprise people who have completely different cultural references? So ultimately, it would be a conversation between heritage, art, and contemporary culture — with watchmaking somewhere at the intersection. 

What would fascinate me is hearing three completely different perspectives on the same question: how do you build the future without losing the strength of where you come from?