Going Big by Going Slim
Joining the latest trend in watchmaking, and taking a huge leap ahead, Bulgari breaks records in Finissimo style, writes Daween Maan
There are many things in the world you would associate with Italy and then there are some things you would not. Pasta? Italy. Hamburger? Not Italy. Coliseum? Italy. Eiffel Tower? Not Italy. Luxury sports cars? Definitely Italy. Watches? Definitely not Italy. It’s unfortunate but it’s true, because when it comes to watches, and more so luxury watches, we all crave Swiss made. So what can an Italian house of horology, known more for its jewellery do to change a reality nearly set in stone? They can eat their pasta, get out of the Coliseum, get into an Italian sports car and drive over their competition. Back in 2014, Bulgari took the wraps off the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon, the world’s thinnest tourbillon and while it would make quite a story, it wasn’t actually conceived after an Italian drove over a watch in his sports car. Instead, it was conceived by an Italian with over a decade of experience designing Italian sports cars. Fabrizio Buonamassa, senior director at Bulgari’s watch design was the visionary behind the Finissimo Tourbillon and at this year’s Baselworld, he showed that Bulgari is only just getting started. The Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater may well be Bulgari’s new crown jewel, and that’s saying something given that Bulgari may actually make crown jewels. Apart