Hands On: Bulgari Aluminium GMT

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At the end of the day, what is a GMT really all about? The Bulgari Aluminium GMT seems to sum it up quite well when you think about it enough. If you’ve got overseas family, you’re probably used to doing the mental calculations in a split second. If you’re travelling across timezones, your smartphone will have adjusted itself automatically. So, short of being a piece of piloting heritage, a GMT watch is about the lifestyle. It’s about checking the time and being mentally whisked away to your next holiday, with the traditional blue and red colours here subconsciously bringing forth images of expansive oceans or blissful sunsets. The Bulgari Aluminium GMT just oozes lifestlye, such is the way of the Roman-led brand. Versatility isn’t even a word I could use for this watch, as it doesn’t accompany any outfit as much as it elevates them to be more relaxing, smooth, and charming.

The dial

Although the dial is physically one of the smallest parts of this watch, it definitely has a lot of visual impact. Considering the rubber bezel takes up much of the diameter, by the time you’ve included the 24-hour GMT chapter ring, the actual dial space of the watch is relatively tiny. Not that it makes it difficult to read, with the white-on-navy colour scheme a very legible choice and the extra-bold Arabic numerals at 12 and 6. The date display may frustrate some people by cutting into the chapter ring slightly, although this is a necessary sacrifice to ensure the date is big enough to actually read.

The red and blue tones are a staple among GMT watches for good reason, and Bulgari absolutely pull it off here. The touches of red on the tips of the GMT and seconds hands ensure that it’s not too much of a balance, letting the navy blue dominate. The text is kept simple too, with just the Bulgari brand name and the word ‘Aluminium’ above 6 o’clock.

The case

Of course, part of what makes a Bulgari Aluminium great is the comfort factor. A lot of this is down to the titular material being used for the case, bringing the total weight down to just 68.6 grams. For context, that’s only around a third heavier than your average resin-cased G-SHOCK. But, unlike a G-SHOCK, the Bulgari Aluminium GMT is only 9.7mm thick, making it a truly effortless wear that you’ll never want to take off. Thankfully, it has 100m of water resistance, so you can feel free to dive into summery waters with it strapped on as well.

The case design itself is typical Bulgari — odd, yet charming. The extremely symmetrical rounded design is interrupted only by some crown half-guards, and the aluminium barrel-style lugs are short to comfortably fit the confines of most wrists. It’s 40mm in diameter, although it wears a little smaller than that visually, given the expansive area taken up by that rubber bezel. Surprisingly, the double-etched brand name on said bezel isn’t actually all that distracting in practice, adding a nice amount of texture to the surrounds which the eye tends to skip over once you’re used to it.

The strap

The strap of the Bulgari Aluminium GMT is a genuine innovation, with segmented rubber links forming the initial part coming off of the integrated lugs. The effect this has reduces the springiness that rubber usually has, allowing the watch to lie flat and relaxed against your wrist instead of potentially squirming around if the strap holes don’t perfectly fit you down to the millimetre, as they so rarely do.

The movement

The Bulgari B192 movement is, in fact, based upon the Sellita SW330-1, itself a clone of the ETA Calbre 2892A2. Considering it includes automatic winding and a GMT complication, the movement is quite slender at only 4.1mm thick which contributes perfectly to the watch’s overall lightness and thinness. The other specifications are fairly standard, with 28,800 vibrations per hour for 42 hours of power reserve, however the uncomplicated nature of these movements is ultimately what makes them so reliable, and allows Bulgari to budget for more interesting aspects for the case and dial.
The verdict

While the excessive logo placement is certainly off-putting at first glance, the Bulgari Aluminium GMT has a way of winning you back with haste. Whether that’s the inherent charm of style joined with substance, or the promise of easy-going comfort, this really is one of the best watches with which to plan a holiday. The RRP is $5200AUD, firmly placing it in a luxury category while still being the right amount of attainable.

Bulgari Aluminium GMT pricing and availability
The Bulgari Aluminium GMT is $5,200 AUD and now available for purchase via Bulgari and their authorised dealers.

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