All You Need To Know About The Bvlgari Limited Edition Watches, One Of Which Was Gifted To Joseph Muscat

As the country moves to the last week of Joseph Muscat’s ill-fated Premiership, Lovin Malta takes an in-depth look at the Bvlgari watch gift saga with some timely explainers.

What is the Limited Edition Bvlgari EU Accession timepiece?

The limited-edition watch was produced by Bulgari and was the brainchild of Sandro Azzopardi Jewellers for the accession of Malta to the EU in May 2004.

Azzopardi said that the watch’s gestation followed extensive discussions with Bulgari’s CEO Francesco Trapani. The watch is based on the Bvlgari-Bvlgari which was the same piece that started the company’s watch production in 1977.

According to Azzopardi, the design is inspired by the linear geometric shape of a cylinder. The watch is equipped with an automatic movement with a platinum rotor, transparent sapphire back-case, and date. Every watch is engraved on the side with an identification number.

How many of these watches were produced?

According to the manufacturers, only 25 of these carefully crafted timepieces were produced.

What is the value of the watch?

According to Sandro Azzopardi, the value of the timepiece could be anything between EUR 12,000 and EUR 17,000.

How did Prime Minister Joseph Muscat acquire the Bvlgari watch?

The watch was given to Muscat by Yorgen Fenech, the son of George Fenech who has been charged with conspiring to assassinate journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, in December 2014, the year of Malta’s tenth anniversary of its accession to the European Union.

The watch given to Muscat was the one numbered 17, continuing references to the 17 Black saga.

The late George Fenech allegedly purchased six watches from the twenty-five, with the rest bought by the private sector.

Reports have also surfaced of another luxury watch gifted to Muscat apart from the Bvlgari one.

Lovin Malta broke the story on the Bvlgari watch gift.

Did Joseph Muscat accept the gift and what did he do with it? How did he react to the revelation?

Muscat has never denied receiving the gift and has also stated that it was donated to the state. Evidence proving this claim has so far not been made public.

Lovin Malta has requested to see this watch but so far this has not happened.

In an official statement, Muscat said that “he will not engage in answering partial, deeply manipulated information being selectively leaked to parts of the media”

What happened to the other timepieces?

Apart from the six allegedly purchased by George Fenech, there is no record who purchased the other 19, (except one which remains unsold) and which has been described by Sandro Azzopardi Jewellers as priceless.

Muscat has claimed he knows to whom the first one was sold to but as with the other claim, he has kept the alleged information close to his chest. Muscat also alleged that the Malta negotiating team for the EU accession received watches, but this claim was strenuously denied.

Since the story was broken by Lovin Malta, what has happened?

The NGO Repubblika filed a police report accusing Muscat of alleged bribery, corruption, and conflict of interest.

The report, which was filed by Jason Azzopardi, noted that the bank guarantee given to Electrogas for the building of the power station was approved around that time.

Alternattiva Demokratika Chairman Carmel Cacopardo also asked the Standards Commissioner to investigate the Bvlgari watch gift.

So far the police have ignored Repubblika’s request whilst the Standard’s Commissioner has said that it is not in his remit to investigate the gift since he cannot tackle cases retroactively.