In the past several years, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo line has become the brand’s flagship line for delivering technical breakthroughs and design innovations, setting several records for thinness along the way. While the Octo Finissimo lineup displayed at LVMH Watch Week – Dubai 2020 may not deliver on technical innovation like past collections, the four new models unveiled at the event showcase a wide range of stylistic variety in the now iconic Octo Finissimo design.
The most impressive of the new models is assuredly the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater in sandblasted rose gold. The original Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater appeared on the scene back in 2016 and earned the line one of its first records for thinness at 6.9 millimeters, a title which this new model maintains four years later. While mechanically the same, the overall treatment here is far more luxe, eschewing the monochrome titanium of the original for a matte 18 karat rose gold finish. The dial continues this material, but on closer inspection offers a semi-skeletonized glimpse into the heart of the watch through the indices. In addition to showing the record setting BVL362 manual wound minute repeater movement at work, these cutouts serve as a resonating chamber for the minute repeater chime for a louder, clearer tone. This more luxurious take on the Octo Finissimo formula continues in the strap, which opts for wide matte alligator leather over the integrated bracelet the watch is usually associated with. Inside, the BVL362 movement is identical to previous versions, with hand-finished Côtes de Genève, circular graining and chamfering alongside a 42 hour power reserve, minute repeater complication and a small seconds. Bulgari has priced the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater in sandblasted rose gold at $170,000.
Measuring in even thinner at 5.25 millimeters thick and 40 millimeters in diameter, the Octo Finissimo Automatic is in some ways the purest expression of the ultra-thin futuristic Bulgari design. The marque revealed three new iterations of this centerpiece style for the show, two of which feature a new lacquer black dial that breaks the usual monochrome Octo Finissimo paradigm.
These two, in satin polished steel and satin polished 18 karat rose gold, create a more traditional look for the style while keeping the Octo Finissimo’s aggressive geometric lines. Both also include faceted matching hands and indices in the case metal. Where the two diverge, however, is in strap options. The Octo Finissimo Automatic in satin polished steel offers a stainless steel expression of Bulgari’s integrated bracelet, while the satin polished gold model softens the overall design somewhat with a black alligator leather strap. The stainless steel variant is priced at $12,000, while the gold model will retail for $15,600.
The final new Octo Finissimo Automatic model is rendered from stealthy black sandblasted ceramic. While the other two automatic models stray away from the monochrome concept of the Octo Finissimo, this one doubles down for an all-black look that remains legible and dynamic thanks to a mix of matte and polished surfaces. Bulgari’s MSRP for this piece stands at $15,600.
All four new Octo Finissimo Automatic models share the same highly decorated BVL138 Finissimo automatic movement. This stalwart of the Octo Finissimo line features Côtes de Genève, chamfered bridges and a circular grained baseplate, along with a 60 hour power reserve and a platinum micro-rotor.
While the four new Octo Finissimo models debuted at LVMH Watch Week – Dubai 2020 may lack some of the technical spectacle of previous unveilings, all four represent exciting new additions to Bulgari’s core lineup. For more information on these pieces, please visit Bulgari’s website.
