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A beautiful blend of Japanese artistry and Bvlgari’s jewellery-led watchmaking. These Lvcea Notte Di Luce pieces are all about light, texture, and wearing something truly special!

Bvlgari’s 2026 LVMH Watch Week releases have been nothing short of amazing. From the Maglia Milanese Monete to the Tubogas Manchette and new Serpenti Seduttori editions, these releases showcase Bvlgari’s ability to blend jewellery with contemporary watchmaking. Now, their fourth and final release for LVMH Watch Week is bringing Japanese artistry to the forefront, with two new stunning Lvcea creations.

Bvlgari’s Lvcea collection takes its name from the Latin word ‘Lux’, which translates to mean light, the core inspiration behind the collection’s design language. The collection was first introduced in 2014, marking the brand’s modern return to elegant, feminine watchmaking. The collection has always been about everyday elegance, timepieces that are designed to transition easily from day to evening wear. However, on the odd occasion, Bvlgari releases models that are simply stunning and should be worn on those special moments. This is certainly the case with the new Lvcea Notte Di Luce creations.

The central theme behind these two new releases is Urushi, the ancestral Japanese art of lacquer. This practice dates back over 1,300 years ago, making it one of the world’s oldest decorative techniques. Creating this lacquer is a unique process itself, as it is derived from the sap of the Urushi tree, which hardens over time naturally through humidity curing. Each Urushi surface is built up through multiple ultra-thin layers, which can often take weeks or months to complete, depending on the complexity of the work carried out.

As Bvlgari states, “this ancestral art consists of embedding minute fragments of mother-of-pearl or gold to form intricate motifs. Against the Urushi lacquer’s profound black, each of these mother-of-pearl fragments comes to life in a shimmering play of light.” The design of these dials perfectly fits in with the theme of the Lvcea collection, where light is not just a visual element, but the very essence of the watch’s identity.

Case Design

Bvlgari presents the Lvcea Notte Di Luce in a two-tone stainless steel and rose gold 33mm case. This case design is a core element of the Lvcea collection. Since the collection’s debut in 2014, it has been defined by soft, rounded geometric case designs, with a particular emphasis on how the watch captures and reflects light through its elegant curves.

At 33mm, the case is perfectly proportioned for wearability, while still being large enough for the dial to stand out beautifully. Each of these two timepieces comes with a bezel fitted with round brilliant-cut diamonds (1.075 cts), while the crown is set with a pink sapphire cabochon gemstone, with a diamond (0.02ct).

Dial Design

The dials of the two Lvcea Notte Di Luce are nothing short of extraordinary. Both creations use the same Urushi lacquer base, finished to a deep inky black that acts as a canvas of light. From this point on, however, the execution of the two dials diverges. The first dial (ref. 104290) features an almost a cosmic like appearance where the mother-of-pearl elements appear to be dispersed across the surface.

The fragments are different in size and spacing, which gives the impression of light radiating outward from the centre. The colours start off with green tones in the centre, transitioning to blue, which then fades to the black of the Urushi lacquer, creating a mesmerising, galaxy-like effect that feels alive under changing light.

The second dial (ref. 104243) takes a different aesthetic approach, featuring a more concentrated arrangement of mother-of-pearl elements. The mother-of-pearl elements are packed much more tightly compared to the first dial, which presents a richer and more uniform shimmer across the dial. The execution feels calmer, with the bottom part of the dial radiating dark blue and light blue tones, to softer pink and purple tones in the centre. To me, it feels like a visual image of the beautiful blue sea against a pitch-black night sky!

Yashuhiro Asai is a master of the art of Urushi, who is working alongside Bvlgari to create these stunning dials. Fabrizio Bunoamassa Stigliani, Bvlgari’s Product Creation Executive Creator, first met Asai during a journey to Japan. From this first encounter were born two exceptional dials for the Lvcea collection. Between every layer of Urushi lacquer is patient polishing with charcoal that reveals the depth and brilliance within the material.

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“One by one, Asai selects the tiniest fragments of mother-of-pearl — chosen for their iridescence and their shape — to compose a vibrant mosaic that, after a final polish, emerges fromthe darkness of the lacquer. Sixty days of meticulous effort result in one dial, each entirely unique, and each a symbol of eternity.”
Bvlgari regarding Asai’s process of creating the Lvcea Notte Di Luce dials.

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Initial Thoughts

Bvlgari’s Lvcea Notte Di Luce is a confident closing statement to their impressive showing at LVMH Watch Week 2026. While the previously mentioned releases leaned more into jewellery creations with a shimmering display of diamonds and gemstones, these two Lvcea creations go down a more poetic route, showcasing artistry with 1,300-year-old lacquer techniques that need to be seen to be believed.

With the Lvcea collection, born of the idea of letting light define the timepiece’s visual artistry, these two new editions perfectly capture the theme. The timepieces seamlessly blend Japanese Urushi artistry with Bvlgari’s own jewellery-led watchmaking DNA.

The signature elegant Lvcea case provides the refined and recognisable foundation, while this new dial design elevates the collection into a true work of art. I sometimes say that timepieces born from Métiers d’Art creations are quite literally wearable artworks. This is certainly the case here, with the Lvcea Notte Di Luce being a powerful reminder of what watchmaking can be when art and horology meet!

Reference: Bvlgari Lvcea Notte Di Luce (ref. 104290)

Australian Recommended Retail Pricing: Price on request.

Availability: Limited to 80 timepieces. Available through Bvlgari boutiques, or head online to Bvlgari.com.au to enquire.

Reference: Bvlgari Lvcea Notte Di Luce (ref. 104243)

Australian Recommended Retail Pricing: Price on request.

Availability: Limited to 80 timepieces. Available through Bvlgari boutiques, or head online to Bvlgari.com.au to enquire.