Track record
Creating world firsts is a Bvlgari specialty, says
if you thought Bvlgari was content with its litany of world records, such as the world’s thinnest tourbillon (Octo Finissimo Tourbillon; 2014), thinnest minute repeater (Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater; 2016) and thinnest selfwinding watch (Octo Finissimo Automatic; 2017), think again. Standing out amid the shiny new launches at March’s Baselworld 2018 is its latest triumph: The Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic, a masterpiece that’s shattered not just one but three records.
Measuring an impossible 3.95mm, it currently owns the records for thinnest self-winding tourbillon, slimmest tourbillon and, most impressively, thinnest automatic wristwatch in the world. And mind you, it is not merely an experimental conceptual piece but a ready-to-roll production model.
Keeping this timekeeper’s proportions to a bare minimum is the result of years of experience that the Bvlgari team has acquired to build its remarkable collection of ultra-slim tickers. Indeed, the bedrock of this year’s Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic is the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon from 2014, the first milestone of Bvlgari’s ultra-slim expertise. Housed in a 5mm case, Octo Finissimo Tourbillon is powered by the BVL 268, a manual winding movement just 1.95mm in height. That’s exactly the same thickness as the BVL 288 that drives the new Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic, except the latter comes with automatic winding in the form of a white gold and aluminium peripheral oscillating mass.
Like the first Octo Finissimo Tourbillon, this self-winding version relies on a ball-bearing system and a flying tourbillon — two attributes to help significantly reduce heft.
Other notable features that contribute to its ultra-slim dimensions are the aforementioned peripheral winding rotor, an openworked dial, a titanium body and the absence of a full sapphire crystal case back. A small opening at the back, shaped after the doorway of Bvlgari’s flagship boutique on Rome’s Via Condotti, offers a peek at the oscillating weight in action and allows for an uninterrupted view of the tourbillon.
Elsewhere in the Octo Finissimo universe, the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater has been given a full black treatment. Instead of titanium, Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater Carbon is clad in Carbon Thin Ply (CTP), an epoxy thermosetting that contains extremely thin carbon fibres to guarantee robustness.
Last year’s Octo Finissimo Automatic, first presented in titanium, is now offered in sandblasted rose gold and rhodium-plated steel, the former eliciting rave reviews because of its unusual matte finish. This same subtle sandblasted finish appears on the latest iteration of the Octo Finissimo Skeleton, to further set off one of Bvlgari’s bestselling designs with a bi-colour aesthetic.