Bulgari: Beyond Time is an illustrated book about Bulgari’s watchmaking history and the ideas that connect its watches to Roman heritage, jewelry-making and Swiss horology. Published by Assouline in September 2023, it brings collection histories together with essays and conversations from Bulgari specialists and invited cultural figures. Its ISBN is 9781649802316.
What is Bulgari: Beyond Time?
It is a Bulgari-focused horology book, not a general history of watches. LVMH describes its scope as more than a century of Roman-inspired watchmaking creativity, presented through the meeting of Italian design and Swiss watchmaking. The volume uses hundreds of illustrations to tell that story. LVMH’s September 2023 announcement characterizes it as a reference work.
The emotional framing is part of Bulgari’s own account of its craft. On the brand’s Beyond Time overview, CEO Jean-Christophe Babin says: “Our women’s high jewelry watches are not part of a ‘decorative’ process. They express the essence of our soul as jewelers.” The same page quotes watch division managing director Antoine Pin: “Products are never just simply products. To each is attached emotions and meanings, from those who create it to those who experience it, and this will always be the case.” These statements explain the book’s emphasis on creative intent and meaning alongside technical history.
Which watches and themes does the book cover?
Assouline’s description names five areas of Bulgari watchmaking:
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- High-Jewelry: watches conceived through the brand’s jewelry-making identity.
- Serpenti: the serpent motif translated into a watch design. Bulgari’s overview describes the combination of a wraparound Tubogas bracelet and a watch dial positioned as the serpent’s head as a defining innovation; the page does not name a speaker for that statement.
- Bvlgari Bvlgari: a signature collection included in the book’s account of the house’s horology.
- Octo: a collection representing another strand of Bulgari’s watchmaking.
- Grandes Complications: the technically complex end of the collection’s scope.
The book also connects watches to subjects beyond product design, including gems, serpents, Rome, record-breaking and complex music. Its invited contributors include Rahul Kadakia, Marina Abramović, Alessandro Gassmann, Carl Lewis and Lorenzo Viotti, alongside Bulgari specialists. Assouline’s author line lists John Goldberger, Fabienne Reybaud, Robin Swithinbank and Adam Steel; Bulgari Japan’s announcement also identifies those four in connection with the book’s editorial approach.
How is the book organized and presented?
Bulgari Japan’s September 1, 2023 launch announcement describes an English-language volume of eight chapters and 300 pages, approximately 35 centimeters in size. Those specifications come from that regional announcement; catalog listings can describe format and page details differently. The common thread is an illustrated presentation that pairs Bulgari’s collection history with essays and conversations rather than treating the watches as a sequence of technical specifications alone.
Publication details and how to identify the edition
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Bulgari: Beyond Time |
| Publisher and publication date | Assouline; published September 2023, according to LVMH’s announcement |
| ISBN | 9781649802316, listed by Assouline |
| Language, chapters and pages | English; eight chapters; 300 pages, as stated in Bulgari Japan’s launch announcement |
| Approximate size | Approximately 35 centimeters, as stated in Bulgari Japan’s launch announcement |
The Assouline Australia product listing displayed a price of $430 AUD and an add-to-cart control when accessed on October 7, 2026. That is a regional listing observation, not a global price or a guarantee of current stock; check the seller’s page for current availability.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who is the book for?
It is most directly suited to readers interested in Bulgari’s design history, luxury watches, jewelry-led horology or illustrated reference books. Someone looking for a broad survey of watchmaking across brands should note the title’s focused scope: the subject is Bulgari, with its Roman inspiration and the interaction of Italian design and Swiss watchmaking at the center.
For identification or seller searches, use the full title, Bulgari: Beyond Time, or ISBN 9781649802316. This distinguishes the Assouline volume from general watch-history books and from other Bulgari publications.
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