Less is More: Bulgari Octo Finissimo
With the Octo Finissimo, Bulgari have pushed the boundaries of miniaturisation. But how thin can they go?
You would be forgiven for thinking that a time-only watch could not be complicated. After all, there are often no subdials, no chimes or jumping hours to be seen. But the reality is that to make an incredibly thin watch is incredibly difficult.
Thinness in the eyes of most watchmakers is one of the greatest complications, and making ultra-thin movements is the domain of a few specialists — think Piaget, Richard Mille and Bulgari. It is often expensive, and requires specialist technical and mechanical knowhow. To make a thin movement you have to make significant changes in movement architecture. The construction is inherently lessstable, and requires a lot more care in manufacturing and design to work well. It is complex stuff, and that is why so few makers even take it on. One of the current examples most celebrated by collectors is the Bulgari Octo Finissimo.
Bulgari and watchmaking
To some, Bulgari are ‘just’ those Italian jewellers. They would be wrong. In recent years the LVMH-owned manufacture has established outposts in Italy and Switzerland within a fairly short time, making Bulgari major players.
There are three main sites where Bulgari watches are made today. Bulgari Horlogerie, the headquarters of Bulgari watches, is in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. It is responsible not only for design and marketing but for some of the most important steps in making a watch, specifically emboîtage — i.e. casing up, fitting the straps or bracelet, final quality control, and logistics and after-sales servicing.
Bulgari Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie is in Le Sentier, Switzerland, and is where movements, including many of the smallest components, are crafted and assembled. From the three-hand-and-date BVL 191 automatic all the way to the 923-component Grande Sonnerie Perpetual Calendar, in-house Bulgari movements are manufactured and assembled piece by piece by Bulgari Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie.
Bulgari also boast a fully integrated watchmaking capacity at Bulgari Manufacture d’Habillage, in Saignelégier. It is one of the most prestigious and capable manufacturers of cases and dials in the world, with 400-plus employees focused on designing, engineering, producing, sub-assembling and assembling the movements, cases, dials and finished Bulgari watches. Very few makers have equipment, square footage or knowhow like this.
The Octo Finissimo: a record breaker
The Octo Finissimo was launched only 10 years ago (it was in the works for many years before that). A case could be made for the Octo Finissimo being the most disruptive force in the watch world in the past decade, for it has explored ultra-miniaturisation in the fields of automatic movement as well as the minute repeater, chronograph and tourbillon, the perpetual calendar, the slimmest in the world, and most recently the Ultra and Ultra COSC. It has a remarkable C.V. — take a look at it here:
- 2014: Octo Finissimo Tourbillon: thinnest tourbillon movement 1.95mm; case 5.00mm; calibre BVL 268.
- 2016: Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater: thinnest minute repeater, movement 3.12mm; case 6.85mm; calibre BVL 362.
- 2017: Octo Finissimo Automatic: thinnest automatic movement 2.23mm; case 5.15mm; calibre BVL 138.
- 2018: Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic: thinnest automatic and thinnest tourbillon, movement 1.95mm; case 3.95mm; calibre BVL 288.
- 2019: Octo Finissimo Chronograph: thinnest chronograph, movement 3.30mm; case 6.90mm; calibre BVL 318.
- 2020: Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph: thinnest chronograph tourbillon, movement 3.50mm; case 7.40mm; calibre BVL 388.
- 2021: Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar: thinnest perpetual calendar, movement 2.75mm; case 5.80mm; calibre BVL 388.
- 2022: Octo Finissimo Ultra: thinnest watch, 1.80mm; calibre BVL 180.
- 2024: Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC: thinnest COSC chronometer-certified watch, 1.70mm; calibre BVL 180.
From a technical perspective, the Ultra COSC relies on the same principle as the first Octo Finissimo Ultra (albeit it is the first time the brand has undertaken the further assessment). Measuring just 1.70mm, with a 40mm case made of titanium and 170 components in its movement, it can generate 50 hours of power reserve. In total, the research and development took a year. The COSC testing cycle takes 15 days, during which the watch is placed in five different positions and at three different temperature variations to stimulate wearing conditions.
Each timepiece has to undergo testing. They have reworked the shape of the bezel with the crystal, and they also restyled the two dials. The diameter is larger than 20mm, whereas the volume is in fact even smaller than on most small watches. This means the criteria for large watches is more difficult to achieve.
Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Bulgari’s Product Creation Executive Director, says: “With the Octo Finissimo Ultra, it is not possible to separate the movement from the case due to the unique design of having the movement components on the movement plate itself, which is also effectively the case of the watch.”
What’s next?
When Richard Mille came out of nowhere in 2022 to surpass Piaget and Bulgari to create the world’s thinnest watch, we figured it would be only a matter of time before one of the previous two record- holding brands reclaimed the mantle. At Watches and Wonders 2024, Bulgari did just that. They shaved 1mm off the previous Octo Finissimo Ultra that is COSC-certified. It also has a datamatrix on the backcase. Can Bulgari go thinner? Possibly. Are they at the upper limit of component workability? I think so.
On the legacy of the Octo Finissimo, Antoine Pin, the Managing Director of the Bulgari Watch Division, recently told World Tempus: “Many clients consider the Octo Finissimo to be an icon, which is a wonderful compliment. It nevertheless begs the question, what does it mean to be an icon? We believe it is more than mere popularity. In my opinion, to become a true icon a product must transcend gender, generation, geography and category. It must supersede temporal and cultural limitations. We still have a long way to go, because the Octo Finissimo has not yet been handed down by parents to their children. But we’re observing greater demand from women, and also growing interest in gem-set versions. Clients are prepared to invest more in products of great value.
“For us it’s vital to understand the product’s underlying concept, such as the use of the octagon, inspired by the architecture of Italy. It’s a strong cultural reference that gives the entire family a distinctive signature. Because our design studio is very creative, it is constantly coming up with new versions, like the new Octo Finissimo with Tuscan copper dial. But we are nevertheless deliberately slowing down. Should we worship the icon, the spirit, the soul of the collection? The challenge is to allow your product to evolve while remaining true to its essence. To rethink the cultural and architectural codes without compromising the integrity of the design. But we have a few surprises up our sleeve where the Octo Finissimo is concerned.”
