UP TO THE MINUTE MOVEMENTS
Record-breaking complications puts Bulgari in the forefront of watchmaking, of which its in-house developed and produced movements include ultra-thin calibres such as the 1.95mm tourbillon — the world’s thinnest — housed in the slim Octo Finissimo timepiece.
Launched in March at Baselworld 2016, Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater follows as the smallest in its category, with the movement having a thickness of 3.12mm and the case at 6.85mm.
Striking watches have to be big enough to enable optimal diffusion of sound and acoustic quality, and Bulgari’s challenge was to produce the perfect pitch but within the smallest space.
Th i s was made possible by using a case in titanium — the low density metal promoting the best possible sound diffusion. Also in the same lightweight material, hour markers and the small seconds counter feature an incised, cut-out design, with the openings amplifying resonance inside the case. The two hammers and circular-section gongs were further handcrafted to define notes and harmonics for a crystal-clear chime with a uniform and regular cadence when the mechanism is activated. “You may have to hold other chiming watches close to your ears otherwise you won’t hear the sound. The world’s thinnest minute repeater however gives a sound that you can clearly hear. Moreover, you don’t need to put it in a safe and wear it every day,” Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani said of the limited edition in 50 pieces. Bulgari’s creative director emphasi sed that whether it’s the ultra-thin tourbillon or minute repeater, they are strong enough for everyday wear. Housed in a 40mm diameter case, the Octo Finissimo Skeleton is another feat for the Italian company, whose watchmaking spreads over four sites in Switzerland’s Jura mountains.
“An ultra-thin movement is not enough and we wanted it be skeletonised, which may seem impossible because the skeleton mechanism measures barely 2.35mm thick,” he said. “We transform the constraint as an opportunity to give the Octo Finissimo a new face.”
Other men’s models include the Octo Ultranero collection with variations in all-black or black with a pink gold bezel.
Presented in a titanium case with DLC (diamondlike carbon) coating, the key timepiece is powered by the ultra-thin bridge-free flying tourbillon movement at 1.95mm thick, which remains the thinnest in this category.
Golden hands and hour markers grace the black-lacquered dial, which at 6 o’clock reveals the tourbillon carriage. The watch’s transparent caseback further displays the hand-finished and decorated mechanical movement.
The black-clad collection also features a sporty chronograph with the movement capable of displaying the flow of time to the nearest tenth of a second.