First Look At The Bulgari Aluminium X Gran Turismo Special Editions And The Aluminium Vision GT Concept Car
5 min read
The unbridled acceleration of the gaming industry has led to the expansive popularity of the segment. As pixels evolve into stunningly realistic virtual landscapes, one genre that has flourished without disruption is the world of racing simulators. If you wish to get a taste of the adrenaline-pumping world of motorsport in your living room, nothing gets close to Gran Turismo - a virtual inception that has emerged as a cultural phenomenon.
The unfathomable excellence of Gran Turismo, released in 1997, is the brainchild of Kazunori Yamauchi. It is hallmarked by its stunningly realistic landscapes and precise translation of real-world driving physics into a driving simulator. The Italian luxury house Bulgari is right on time to tap into the intangible realm of this multi-billion dollar industry by announcing two limited edition Bulgari Aluminium Gran Turismo models.
Revving up an automotive flair in its collection, Bulgari not only reinterprets the iconic watch with the digital renaissance of the Gran Turismo universe. The Maison has offered its design input to create a spectacular hypercar, the Bulgari Aluminium Vision GT for racing in the Gran Turismo game.
Bulgari Aluminium x Gran Turismo Special Edition
A Wearable Artwork Celebrating a Gaming Masterpiece
At the Gran Turismo World Series Finals in Barcelona, Bulgari made our hearts rev faster with the launch of Bulgari Aluminium x Gran Turismo Special Edition in a duo of iterations. The dynamic character and bold facets of the Bulgari Aluminium timepiece, originally launched in 1998 get a flair of the Gran Turismo inspired automotive tingle.
The chronograph timepiece retains the original design aesthetic and offers subtle nuances which perfectly complement the Gran Turismo vibe. Accents like the vibrant yellow dial, refreshed typeface and an integrated tachymeter scale change the expression of the watch completely.
The engine driving the new timepiece is Bulgari’s automatic caliber B381 which features a chronograph complication, a date function and boasts 42 hours of power reserve. The lightness of its aluminum case fuses an automotive charm as it gets paired with a black Bulgari-emblazoned rubber bezel.
The strap on which the watch is born also translates an amalgamated charm of sporty design and innovative material tech. The articulated rubber links are connected by aluminum rods. The case back as well as the crown are forged from high-tech and lightweight titanium which gets a black DLC coating treatment.
Although the watch waives any GT inspired branding on the dial side, a much welcome choice to our liking, the case back is etched with the Vision Gran Turismo logo and the "10th Anniversary" lettering is engraved below.
The yellow dial and black counters Ref. 104006 is limited to 500 pieces and the anthracite dial variant featuring yellow indices Ref. 103893 is limited to 1200 pieces.
Bulgari Aluminium Vision GT Car
High Horology Excellence Married with Automotive Inventiveness
As a pleasant aside from the usual motorsport inspired horological creations, Bulgari teases virtual simulator driving enthusiasts by infusing its haute-horlogerie charm in an inventive racing car form. Designed by Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, senior director of the Bulgari Watch Design Center, Bulgari and Grab Turismo introduce the Bulgari Aluminium Vision GT car designed to be driven on the painstakingly recreated and detailed racetracks on the Gran Turismo game.
Buyers of the Bulgari Aluminium Gran Turismo timepiece will be able to obtain a unique update for the Gran Turismo game with a package that includes the Bulgari Aluminium Vision GT concept car. The car’s material and aesthetic choices resonate the charm of the Bulgari Bulgari Aluminium x Gran Turismo Special Edition timepieces. Bestowed with satin finished aluminum fairings and carbon for the lower body and technical sections, the concept car echoes the distinctive codes of the Bulgari timepiece.
The interiors and cockpit also get a flair of the limited edition timepiece with anthracite Alcantara and yellow accents. The dashboard evokes the yellow dial of the Bulgari Aluminium x Gran Turismo Special Edition offering superlative legibility and a vivid driving charm.
A Merger of Passions
Birthing a realm of unparalleled elegance and mechanical mastery, collaborations aren’t uncommon between watch brands and the automotive world. However, Bulgari and Gran Turismo offer a unique convergence of craftsmanship, innovation, tech and design to realize creative masterpieces which we can cherish in both the physical and metaphysical universes.
Technical Specifications
Movement
Self-winding mechanical movement, date, chronograph, Calibre B381, 42-hour power reserve.
Case & Dial
41 mm aluminium case, titanium caseback with DLC coating and ‘GT Vision 10th Anniversary’ engraving, rubber bezel; titanium crown with DLC coating; brushed anthracite dial with yellow hour markers and numerals (ref. 103893) or varnished yellow dial with black hour markers and numerals (ref. 104006); Super-LumiNova®-coated hour and minute hands; tachymetric scale; water-resistant to 100 m.
Strap
Rubber strap with aluminium links, aluminium pin buckle.
Personalised Packaging
Dedicated aluminium and rubber box with the number ‘10’ featured prominently, a reference to the 10th anniversary of Vision GT.
Limited editions of 500 and 1200 pieces for the ref. 104006 and ref. 103893 respectively.
Caseback engraved with the ‘GT Vision 10th Anniversary’ emblem.
