Nairobi News

Tanzanians have been in mourning since the passing of former prime minister Edward Ngoyai Lowasa. He died at the Jakaya Heart Institute in Dar es Salaam on February 10, 2024, at the age of 70. He left behind a wife, Regina, and five children.

His funeral service was held a week later and among dignitaries present at the funeral was Tanzania President Samia Suluhu. The late Lowassa was buried over the weekend in Monduli, Arusha.

While at the funeral service, President Suluhu was photographed condoling with Lowassa’s widow as she held her in a warm embrace. As they hugged, President Suluhu’s sleeve pulled back a little bit to reveal one of the most expensive watches in the world from one of the top luxury jewellery and watchmakers, Bvlgari.

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On her wrist was a Bvlgari Serpenti Seduttori rose gold watch with a fetching price of $44,200 (Sh6,453,200/ Tsh112,489,000).

According to Bvlgari’s official website, the Serpenti watch is described as “gleaming with the refined sheen of its sparkling materials and brilliant diamonds, the Serpenti Seduttori watch makes time even more precious. Reimagining Bvlgari’s indisputably seductive icon with a striking new design, the timepiece boasts the iconic drop-shaped watch head, thinner than ever before, with a sensual, flexible bracelet featuring a hexagonal pattern inspired by the scales of a serpent. Alluring aesthetics and a nod to the glamour of high jewellery, the watch casts a seductive spell on the world of Serpenti,” read the website in part.

The watch features a quartz movement, a 33 mm 18 karat rose gold case set with diamonds, an 18 karat rose gold crown set with a cabochon-cut pink rubellite and a white dial and an 18 kt rose gold bracelet set with diamonds. The watch is also water-resistant up to 30 meters.

The made-in-Switzerland watch’s gemstones are diamonds and the band material is rose gold, hence the hefty price tag.

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To care for the timepiece, Bvlgari advises their clients to adjust the time by pulling out the crown gently with one click, turning it clockwise until the watch shows the desired time and then gently pushing it back in place.

To open the bracelet, clients are advised to press the two buttons on the side of the deployment clasp at the same time.

To fasten it, they are to then lightly press the two ends of the bracelet onto the central clasp until they hear a small click.

Luxury is not new to African leaders. President Samia Suluhu joins the likes of Kenya’s President William Ruto in spotting watches with eye-watering price tags while out on private and official duty.

On January 30, 2024, President Ruto was spotted with a Sh8,746,200 Octo Finissimo Watch by world-renowned luxury fashion brand Bvlgari as well.

Bvlgari describes the watch as “A true icon of the 21st century, the Octo Finissimo Automatic watch channels a rare fusion of edgy Italian design and Swiss engineering, housing the thinnest automatic movement in the world – only 2.23 mm thick.”

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The monochromatic watch is a satin-polished 18-karat rose gold watch with a brown lacquered dial.

The watch also has a “ceramic insert, brown lacquered dial with a sunray finish, gold coloured indexes and hands, transparent case back, satin-polished 18 kt rose gold bracelet with folding clasp. Water-resistant up to 100 meters.”