Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Chronograph GMT Steel 103467
Bulgari recently released three new models for 2021, including the Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Chronograph GMT Steel 103467, a personal favourite of Angus Davies. The two additional references include the Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Steel Silvered Dial 103464 and the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Titanium 103371. In this short feature, Angus provides a brief overview of each ownership option.
I can think of few other brands which have targeted the ultra-thin watch segment as aggressively as Bulgari. In 2014, Bulgari released its first Finissimo (very fine) model inspired by its Octo timepiece. Thereafter, it released new variants, all of which were endowed with a slender waist and some encompassing high complications. This obsession with thinness has seen Bulgari set six world records for some of its svelte creations.
Image – Calibre BVL 318
Making an ultra-thin watch is not for the faint-hearted. The movement and case should be sufficiently strong to avoid flex, an undesirable state which can impair the reliability of a timepiece. The architecture of the movement is especially challenging, requiring some components to be miniaturised and ideally positioned on the same plane with minimal protrusions. And yet, the watch should still deliver functionality and precision.
Image – Calibre BVL 318
Bulgari has shown it is more than up to the task. However, this will come as no surprise to those fortunate enough to have toured the brand’s various production facilities. Its in-house manufacturing capabilities include the making of bracelets, dials, cases and movements which afford a degree of independence seldom seen within the watch industry. Allow me to introduce the brand’s latest trio of slender models.
Last year, the Rome-based firm released the Octo Finissimo S in steel. Unusually, the case of this watch actually increased, however, calorie-counters should relax. The additional height, the case is still only 6.4mm thick, allowed the brand to add a screw-down crown, thereby increasing the water-resistance to 100m. This latest reference, the Octo Finissimo S Steel Silvered Dial 103464 shares the same specification as the 2020 release, save for the dial which now features a silver vertical-brush.
My personal favourite of the horological triumvirate is the Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Chronograph GMT Steel 103467. As its name implies, the watch can simultaneously display the local time and the home time. The latter indication is presented on a counter positioned at 3 o’clock. The column-wheel chronograph movement, the Calibre BVL 318, is self-winding. A peripheral rotor, running in a trottoir, energises the mainspring while delivering a svelte profile measuring just 3.30mm in height. The satin-polished case has a diameter of 43mm and a case thickness of 8.75mm. This latter figure is especially impressive considering its screw-down crown, host of functions and maximum water-resistance of 100m. My favourite detail on this version has to be the dial. Historically, Bulgari has favoured monochrome dials, however, this new model is endowed with a bewitching blue sunray display incorporating silver-toned counters.
Finally, Bulgari has also launched the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Titanium 103371. Housed in a sandblasted titanium case, this watch measures 42mm in diameter and has a case height of just 6.9mm. It shares the same movement and functions as the aforementioned Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Chronograph GMT Steel 103467 but it is smaller and thinner. The reason for its comparatively diminutive proportions is the titanium model eschews the screw-down crown and is only water-resistant to 30m.
Ultimately, the best ownership proposition is based on the personal needs of the wearer, however, one thing is certain, Bulgari has much watchmaking know-how and clearly understands the notion of ‘ultra thin’.
The brand’s press release
Fueled by passion, renowned for excellence and artistry, Octo Finissimo continues to stake its claim as the contemporary quintessence of masculinity, this time redrawing the design codes of modern sport watches. For 2021, it sets a new paradigm for performance-inspired style with the introduction of three novelties: the Octo Finissimo S in a new monochrome style, the Octo Finissimo S Chronograph GMT, and the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Titanium with a new dial and rubber strap.
Image – Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Titanium 103371
Octo Finissimo was a rule breaker from the moment it made its entrance in 2014, and has continued to redefine the boundaries of style and modernity with every new edition. A bold alternative to the established codes of traditional men’s timepieces, it is set apart by its eight-sided ultra-thin design, an intersection of circle and square inspired by Rome’s architectural wonders, which is rendered throughout the line in minimalist, mainly monochrome aesthetic. The element that separates an Octo Finissimo design from any other is its thinness, which set six world records in six years, including in 2014 the world’s thinnest tourbillon, in 2016 the thinnest minute repeater, in 2017 the thinnest automatic watch, in 2018 the thinnest automatic tourbillon, in 2019 the thinnest automatic chronograph and in 2020 the thinnest tourbillon chronograph. An unparalleled feat of avant garde technology and Swiss expertise, its remarkable proportions are an extraordinary achievement of watchmaking innovation, a story of precision and determination powerful enough to shift the paradigm of men’s watchmaking. Octo Finissimo’s unconventional approach extends to its aesthetic and thoroughly modern design as well; the collection is known for its use of uncommon materials such as titanium and ceramic.
Image – Calibre BVL 318
Bvlgari designs have long been influenced by Estetica della Meccanica, or the aesthetic of mechanics, wherein ingenious function takes shape as exquisite form. Octo Finissimo is the ultimate emblem of this design philosophy, as innovation and mechanical mastery continue to inspire the latest editions in the line.
With the introduction of the new interpretations and features for 2021, Octo Finissimo further confirms its position as the watchmaking icon of the 21st century.
Image – Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Titanium 103371
In 2020, Octo Finissimo disrupted the luxury sport watch segment with the introduction of the Octo Finissimo S, a stainless-steel design featuring the thinnest automatic movement and a water resistance of 100 meters, made possible by increasing the case just slightly to 6.4mm and adding a screw-down crown. Now, the Octo Finissimo S is available in a new monochrome edition. This new stainless steel version features a 40mm steel satin-polished case with a new silver vertical-brushed monochromatic dial looking particularly contemporary and striking against the radial brushed bezel. The watch houses the automatic in-house ultra-thin calibre BVL 138 with micro-rotor (2.23 mm) and displays hours, minutes and uncentered small seconds at 7 o’clock. Being a luxury sport watch, the model is water-resistant up to 100 meters with a polished steel screw-down crown set with ceramic.
This year Bvlgari further expands its Octo Finissimo S line with the new Octo Finissimo S Chronograph GMT, equipped with the automatic in-house chronograph and GMT ultra-thin calibre BVL 318 with peripheral rotor (3.30 mm thick). Blending sporty practicality with mechanical complexity, this ultra-modern timepiece is available in satin-polished steel with a new blue sunray dial paired with the silver counters for a more sport chic look. Its ingenious mechanism allows to display a second time zone on the sub-counter at 3 o’clock. The octagonal case (8.75mm thick) features a diameter of 43 millimeters, complemented by an integrated vertical brushed steel bracelet with polished parts. Reaffirming the sportier character of the Octo Finissimo S line, the watch features a larger screw-down crown than the former sandblasted models to ensure water resistance up to 100 meters.
The third novelty for 2021 is a new version of the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Titanium, which is now available with a new dial and a rubber strap for a sportier look. Arguably, the world’s automatic chronograph, the 42mm watch features automatic in-house chronograph and GMT ultra-thin calibre BVL 318 with peripheral rotor (3.30 mm) and has an overall thinness of 6.9 mm. As the previous novelty, it has a combination chronograph and GMT function that allows it to show two time zones at once. Moving ahead from its original matte titanium monochrome aesthetic, for the first time the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Titanium is crafted with a titanium case and black opaline dial for lightweight strength and anti-corrosion and comes on a texturized rubber strap with titanium pin buckle.
A distinctive outlier in the field of men’s watches, Octo Finissimo has always been known for its mechanical excellence and audacious design. Now, with the introduction of these luxury sport models and ever-innovative technologies it emerges as a paragon of the future, raising the bar as the watchmaking icon of the 21st century.
Further reading