Bvlgari Serpenti Watches

The Snake That Wraps Your Wrist

The Serpenti is not a watch you wear — it is a watch that wraps around you. The tubular bracelet coils around the wrist in two or more turns, terminating in a serpent's head that houses the dial and the quartz caliber B033 inside. The head opens via a hinged jaw to reveal the crown for time-setting. There is no clasp — the bracelet stretches to slide over the hand and contracts to grip the wrist. The Serpenti was introduced in the 1960s and became famous when Elizabeth Taylor was photographed wearing one on the set of Cleopatra (1963). Sixty years later, it remains the most photographed women's watch in the world and the one that most clearly expresses Bvlgari's identity as a Roman jewelry house that happens to make watches.

Tubogas: The Bracelet Technique That Defines the Serpenti

The Tubogas ("gas pipe") construction is the Serpenti's structural signature. Two long strips of gold are wrapped around a core and interlocked to create a flexible tube with no visible hinges, pins, or links. The flexibility comes from the interlocking structure itself — each strip slides against its neighbor as the bracelet bends, creating a smooth, continuous surface that moves like a snake's body. The technique was borrowed from industrial gas-pipe manufacturing in the 1940s and adapted by Bvlgari's goldsmiths for jewelry. No other watch uses this construction, and it is the reason the Serpenti moves and feels like no other bracelet watch on the market.

Pre-Owned Pricing Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Serpenti or Cartier Panthère?
A: Both are jewelry-first bracelet watches. The Panthère is rectangular with a brick-link bracelet; the Serpenti is snake-shaped with a Tubogas tube. The Panthère is more universally recognized; the Serpenti is more visually dramatic. If you want a classic, Panthère. If you want a conversation piece, Serpenti.

Q: How do you put it on?
A: Gently stretch the bracelet open, slide it over your hand, and let it contract onto your wrist. The Tubogas construction allows enough stretch to pass over an average hand. If your hand is larger than average, try a two-wrap configuration (shorter bracelet, fewer coils) for easier entry.

Sell or Trade Your Serpenti

Our specialists provide transparent valuations for every Serpenti reference. We understand the nuances: metal (steel vs. rose gold vs. white gold), diamond setting quality, number of coils, and the presence of the original box and documentation. Walk into our 47th Street showroom for an immediate appraisal, or use our fully insured Parcel Pro shipping label for a remote evaluation with same-day payment.

Visit Us in the Diamond District

Our showroom: 20 W 47th St., Suite 401, New York, NY 10036. Walk-ins welcome.

Hours: Mon–Fri 9 AM – 6 PM | Sat–Sun Closed | Phone: +1 (646) 429-9412