Bulgari strike a chord with the Aluminium GMT x Fender Limited Edition
Jamie Weiss- The Italian jeweller and watchmaker pens a collaboration with the iconic American guitar manufacturer marking the 70th anniversary of the legendary Fender Stratocaster.
- The Aluminium GMT gets a brown dégradé dial that echoes the sunburst finish of vintage Strats – a fitting touch.
- 70 custom Fender guitars will complement this limited run of 1,200 watches.
The Fender Stratocaster is arguably the most iconic electric guitar of all time. Designed between 1952 and 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton and Freddie Tavares – and been in continuous production ever since – its distinctive horned design has been widely imitated, and some of the most famous guitar players of all time have used “Strats”, including Buddy Holly, Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix (a lefty who famously played a right-handed Strat upside down). It’s this legendary guitar that Bulgari’s latest limited edition, a retro-futuristic-looking Aluminium GMT, pays homage to.
The Bulgari Aluminium, of course, is a distinctly 90s watch design – but this LE features a rather 50s colour scheme. Boasting a sunburst brown dial flanked by a bicolour brown and cream GMT chapter ring and complemented by a brown rubber bezel and bracelet, the dégradé finish of this watch’s dial perfectly resembles a tobacco sunburst guitar finish, especially those found on 50s-era Stratocasters. A GMT complication, too, plays into the romance of the music industry: it’s the perfect complication for a high-flying rockstar who’s jetting around the globe from gig to gig.
Just as the Stratocaster’s design is as much about substance as well as style – its double cutaways and asymmetrical horns designed to make it more comfortable to play standing up – the Aluminium GMT, with its 40mm case and lightweight construction, is a breeze on the wrist. Its Sellita-based B192 calibre might only have a power reserve of 42 hours, but I just wonder how shock-resistant it is – if a right-handed musician wears this watch on their right wrist as they play the guitar, and they really shred, will it survive? (It’d be pretty rockstar to cook your mechanical watch because you shredded too hard…)
“As enthusiasts of both horology and music, we naturally joined up with Fender for a collaboration that transcends aesthetics; it’s a celebration of heritage, design and innovation. This collaboration… is a precision instrument, close to a finely tuned guitar,” explains Bulgari’s CEO Jean-Christophe Babin.
Speaking of guitars, 70 custom guitars handcrafted by the Fender Custom Shop in Corona, California will also be produced as part of this collab. Additionally, on the 30th of August 2024, 140 exclusive anniversary sets (70 for each of the two time zones on the Aluminium GMT), which comprise the watch and a book tracing the 70-year history of the Stratocaster, will be available. It’s entirely possible that these guitars might actually be more expensive than the watch – Fender Custom Shop pieces are highly prized. In any case, owning both will be a must for any aspiring rocker.
Bulgari Aluminium GMT x Fender Limited Edition pricing & availability
The Bulgari Aluminium GMT x Fender Limited Edition, as the name implies, is a limited edition of 1,200 watches. Price: €4,600
| Brand | Bulgari |
| Model | Aluminium GMT x Fender Limited Edition |
| Reference Number | 104117 |
| Case Dimensions | 40mm (D) x 9.7mm (T) x 48mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Aluminium with DLC titanium caseback, brown rubber bezel and crown |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Dial | Brown dégradé sunburst, brown and cream GMT chapter ring |
| Lug Width | Integrated |
| Strap | Brown articulated rubber bracelet with aluminium links and Velcro strap |
| Movement | Bulgari B192, Sellita SW330-1 base, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 42 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT |
| Availability | Limited edition of 1,200 |
| Price | €4,600 |