The following article was produced in partnership with Bulgari.
There is nothing the world’s top watchmakers love more than competing over horological superlatives… But there’s one watch model that’s broken more records than any other: the Bulgari Octo Finissimo.
First introduced in 2014, the Octo Finissimo has quickly become one of the most exciting and in-demand watches on the planet. While Bulgari says that the Octo Finissimo’s design was inspired by the octagonal motifs of Rome’s famous Basilica di Massenzio, the ultra-thin luxury sports watch has a distinctly Italian Futurist aesthetic. Can someone say sprezzatura?
But it’s not just Futurist in style, but substance, too. Ever since its introduction, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo has been responsible for numerous world firsts in watchmaking – all to do with the thickness of their watches (or rather, lack thereof).
Indeed, Bulgari has already been responsible for the watch story of 2022 with their latest release: the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra, which is officially the world’s thinnest mechanical watch. At an incredible 1.8mm thin, it’s a complete marvel.
Other records that call the Octo Finissimo family home include the world’s thinnest automatic watch, the world’s thinnest mechanical chronograph movement, the world’s thinnest tourbillon and the world’s thinnest perpetual calendar.
These are all impressive records in isolation, but in totality, it’s simply mind-blowing that only one watch; one watchmaker has pulled them all off.
Even the ‘regular’ (if you can call it such a thing) Bulgari Octo Finissimo is a supremely impressive timepiece. Yes, it’s exceptionally thin – which means it’s comfortable to wear and easy slips under a shirt cuff – but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It’s also incredibly good looking and highly legible, with lots of clever design features.
The unobtrusive crown features clever ridges which make it easy to change the time. A beautifully executed sapphire crystal caseback lets you admire its impressive BVL 138 in-house movement, with its stunning platinum microrotor. It boasts a 60-hour power reserve and is water-resistant to 100m.
That’s before we start talking about its amazing integrated bracelet. Bulgari might make the Octo Finissimo in Neuchâtel, one of the capitals of Swiss watchmaking, but its bracelet is emblematic of the 138 years of Roman jewellery-making savoir-faire the brand is famous for. Its seemingly endless cascade of small, angular links is not just visually stunning but incredibly ergonomic.
It’s also available in a wide range of complications, case materials and colours, so no matter your tastes or style, there’s an Octo Finissimo to suit you.
In short, few watches are as good-looking, versatile and horologically significant as the Bulgari Octo Finissimo. There’s a reason why watch aficionados the world over have labelled this impressive timepiece a future classic: it’s truly a piece of art. Our take? There are few better pieces of art one could invest in…
Discover the Bulgari Octo Finissimo collection at Bulgari’s online boutique here.