A new, resolutely innovative technique in short-time measurement gives the Bulgari Papillon Chronograph an extremely distinctive character. The exceptional design, with several elements of information displayed on the face and their actual readout, endows it with a unique style bearing no resemblance to traditional chronographs. The central part of this remarkable design features the minutes readout with an ingenious mechanism attached to a disc. This disc performs a full 360° rotation every half hour and carries two independent pivoting lozenge-shaped hands that glide across a 180° semi-circular scale graduated from double zero to sixty minutes. While one of these, which we'll call hand A, is set on the semi-circular scale with its tip pointing towards the minutes, hand B remains rolled out throughout the disk's rotation. When the former reaches the 55th minute mark on the display side, the latter extends with a gradual quarter-turn to take its place concurrent to hand A on the 00 minute marker. And as soon as the minutes restart from zero, hand A slowly folds over and remains so until the next 55th minute.
The entire pair of functions is driven by the entirely in-house manufactured Manufacture caliber BVL 2319, a Frederic Piguet mechanical self-winding chronograph movement with a column wheel and vertical coupling clutch, along with a proprietary Daniel Roth complication module. It offers a 38-hour power reserve and beats at a frequency of 21,800 vibrations per hour (3Hz). This sophisticated movement is finished to exceptional standards, including rounded graining on the mainplate and chronograph bridges, as well as Côtes de Genève adorning the bridge of the self-winding mechanism. All the angles are chamfered and polished, as are the screw heads. The visible metal movement components are satin-brushed, chamfered, and lustrous.
This level of quality is housed within a slightly curved and extremely comfortable double-ellipse case in rose gold, water-resistant to 25 meters. A domed, anti-glare sapphire crystal protects the split-level dial rendered with alternating white-lacquered and black gold satin-brushed surfaces, showcasing the exclusive and fascinating personal signature inspired by Daniel Roth calibres.
The Bulgari Papillon Chronograph model is equipped with an alligator leather strap fitted with a triple-blade rose gold folding clasp.