Where Heritage Meets Art And The Future Of Watch Design

Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Product Creation Executive Director at Bvlgari, is one of the most influential design voices in contemporary watchmaking. With a background in architecture, he has redefined Bvlgari’s horological identity by blending Italian design, architectural purity, and artistic experimentation. From creating the record-breaking Octo Finissimo watch to deeply cultural collaborations, Stigliani treats watches not just as instruments of time, but as objects of art and expression. He shares his creative process:

50 years of Bvlgari-Bvlgari

The 50th anniversary of the Bvlgari-Bvlgari collection is a major milestone, and for this celebration, we wanted to honour the collection’s roots while expressing it in a modern language. We introduced a gold version in different sizes, along with marble dials—an element that has always resonated strongly with collectors. The first full-marble Bvlgari watch was an immediate success, so it felt natural to revisit this idea. For the anniversary, we used precious marble, a material historically linked to Bvlgari-Bvlgari, particularly in joyful Verde Alpi green and Blu Incanto light blue shades. These colours were reintroduced on both the Bvlgari-Bvlgari and Bvlgari-Roma models, creating a bridge between the past and the present. Each of these anniversary editions is limited to 150 pieces, reinforcing their collectability and exclusivity.

The artist comes first

After collaborations with Korean artist Lee Ufan and now Emirati artist Mattar Bin Lahej, one detail stands out: the artist’s name appears before Bvlgari’s. This is intentional. For me, the artist is our guest. Each collaboration begins with the Octo Finissimo watch, which we treat as a blank canvas. With Mattar, our first meeting took place in his Dubai studio, where design conversations started immediately. He loves sketching, so I sent him a simple outline of the Octo Finissimo—just the borders—and told him to imagine it as his canvas. The idea evolved into a celebration of Arabic calligraphy, an art form I have admired for many years. My first encounter with it was more than a decade ago at the Calligraphy Museum in Dubai, where I was fascinated by its layered meaning—some elements are readable, others purely decorative, yet all follow strict rules.

Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Lee Ufan Special Edition |

This collaboration was not initially planned. Around two and a half years ago, I met at the Dubai Ladies Watch Club, and unexpectedly, the conversation turned to calligraphy. They made one thing very clear: this art cannot be improvised. Arabic calligraphy requires mastery, certification, and deep cultural understanding. That was the turning point. When working with Mattar, I quickly realised how easy it is to make mistakes—what looks Arabic might actually be Persian or simply incorrect. Mattar guided us, ensuring the script was authentic and meaningful. We chose a phrase about the future, reflecting Bvlgari’s contemporary spirit and forward-looking philosophy. After two years of development and in-house laser engraving, the final piece emerged—unique in the watchmaking landscape.

A watch as a canvas

What connects the Lee Ufan and Mattar collaborations is the idea that the artwork extends beyond the dial and onto the bracelet. This concept originated from the idea of tattoos. For us, the Octo Finissimo is like a second skin, something that wraps around the wrist rather than simply sitting on it.

Mattar Bin Lahej x Octo Finissimo Special Edition |

Originally, the Octo Finissimo was conceived with one material, one finishing, and one colour across the case, bracelet, and dial. With Sejima, we pushed this concept to its extreme by creating an almost invisible, mirror-like watch—a ghost watchwhere the wearer reads the time through reflections.

Lee Ufan took the idea further by allowing the artwork to begin on the bracelet. With Mattar, the calligraphy flows around the wrist, creating a dynamic pattern rather than a fully readable text. This was intentional. The goal was not legibility but contrast—fluid, organic lines set against the Octo’s strict, geometric architecture.

I often remind collaborators that a watch is not just a dial. It’s a case, a bracelet, a complete object. When artists embrace this idea, the result is far more powerful.

Limited-edition Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Sejima |

Language of bracelets

Bvlgari has always mastered the bracelet, especially through icons like Serpenti. We even created a limited edition for Mexico City using the Tubogas bracelet, engraved with love letters between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. The philosophy remains the same: the watch is a canvas. The Tubogas is perfect for inscriptions because of its linear structure, while the Octo Finissimo works because everything is flat—the case, the dial, the bracelet—making it ideal for artistic execution.

Staying true in a trend-driven world

Talking about Gen Z and younger collectors, I don’t believe in designing for specific generations. Bvlgari designs for everyone. Trends today move too fast, especially with social media. If you chase them, you are always late. As a brand with deep manufacturing investment, following short-lived trends is risky. Consistency, DNA, and heritage matter far more. Today, collectors value authenticity over novelty. We are fortunate to have 150 years of history and icons like Serpenti, which has existed for 75 years.

Looking ahead

Right now, I’m already thinking about the next editions of Dubai Watch Week. To create something truly exceptional in two years, you need to start now, and I’m already behind. India, with its rich artistic heritage, is an obvious source of inspiration. While we collaborated with sculptor Anish Kapoor to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the B.zero1 ring, we haven’t collaborated for watches yet. However, our mindset remains the same: why not? Why not push boundaries, question conventions, and treat every watch as an opportunity to create something new? That spirit is at the core of Bvlgari—and it’s what keeps the brand moving forward.