THE MANY FACES OF THE OCTO FINISSIMO
Of all the precious metals in this world, none has had such a hold on the human imagination as gold. For this, and many other reasons, it never goes out of style, which Bulgari makes abundantly clear via its new Octo Finissimo creations. Part of the broader Octo collection, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary, the Finissimo range has been enriched with several covetable rose gold references.
The Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days exemplifies the line’s perfect fusion of design and technology, and the easily recognisable shape of the 40mm, satinfinished, rose gold case plays on the contrast between the octagonal geometry inspired by the architectural heritage of ancient Rome, and the round shape of the watch’s bezel. Sober, refined, and masculine, it embodies the dual identity of Swiss watchmaking rigour and carefree Italian elegance.
The craftsmen, engineers, and designers at Bulgari have put their collective heads together to conceive and develop the watch’s new hand-wound manufacture movement – the extra-fine Calibre BVL 199 SK – which, as the watch’s name suggests, has an exceptional 8-day power reserve. Other notable features include an openworked dial with power reserve indicator and a small seconds counter, highly legible gold hour-markers on a sand-blasted matte anthracite structure, and anthracite PVD skeletonized bridges. Water-resistant to 30 metres, with a sapphire caseback, the Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days unfolds on a
dark brown alligator strap with a pin buckle.
Bulgari’s design and engineering teams also go for gold with the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic, which is fitted with a brown alligator leather strap secured by a folding clasp. Controlled by pushers on either side of the case, the chronograph and GMT functions are driven by the BVL Calibre 318, an integrated automatic manufacture movement.
Water-resistant up to 100 meters, and boasting a 55-hour power reserve, this sturdy timepiece features a 43mm satinpolished rose gold case, transparent case back, rose gold crown set with black ceramic insert, a subtle brown lacquered dial with sunray finishing, and watch hands and rose gold applied indexes with Super-luminova for legibility. Naturally sophisticated and subtly ostentatious, the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic – with its ultra-thin case – remains to this day the slimmest mechanical chronograph ever made.
In a slightly different vein, purity and restraint are the signature features of the Octo Finissimo Automatic, which is driven by the optimized, self-winding manufacture movement, BVL Calibre 138. It’s available with a 40mm satin-polished rose gold case and crown, or with a special 40mm yellow gold case and crown as part of 50-piece limited edition series that marks the 50th anniversary of the first Bulgari boutique in the USA (exclusively available within the United States). On both watches the play on contrasts shuffles between gleaming shades of gold and the brown-lacquered dial, giving these models a powerful personality.
Another design attribute, seen for the first time in this collection, can be spotted in the alternating matte and polished effects on the case and bracelet; an interesting new chapter in the Finissimo saga. With its 208 components and 31 jewels, the Octo Finissimo Automatic retains its record slimness of a mere 2.23mm, while also featuring a new automatic winding system, the introduction of a closed barrel, and a new structure for the escapement and balance. Add to that a stylish satin-polished rose (or yellow) gold bracelet, with 3-blade folding buckle, and a water resistance of up to 100 metres, and you’ve got yourself one robust timepiece.
Finally, this year’s GWD witnessed the introduction of the magnificent Octo Finissimo Sejima Edition, designed by famed Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima; a world-renowned talent who received the Pritzker Prize in 2010 – the highest distinction for an architect – and the Golden Lion award at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2004. Kazuyo’s 360-piece limited edition series for Bulgari is characterised by a notable “mirror effect”, as well as plays on transparency, which work together to give the whole object an ethereal, simmering quality.
Working on the contrast between the visible and the invisible, she designed the timepiece to reflect the aesthetic codes that run through her own work. Interesting touches include the rhodium-plated hands, a sapphire crystal with metallised dots, and the architect’s signature inscribed upon on the sapphire crystal caseback – which itself reveals the ultra-thin movement with automatic winding via a platinum microrotor. And just to sweeten the deal, the Octo Finissimo Sejima Edition is delivered in a special presentation steel box that mimics the model’s characteristic polished mirror effect.
In less than a decade, Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo collection has become a benchmark in the world of contemporary watchmaking, with eight world records set by the collection – an absolutely unique accomplishment in the history of watchmaking – that cover chronometric, acoustic, and astronomical complications. With the promise of more thrilling accomplishments like this in the year to come, expectations are already high for Geneva Watch Days 2023.