Bulgari is an undisputed leader in the race of ultra-thin watches. The Italian watchmaker already has the thinnest automatic movement, minute repeater, chronograph, and tourbillon in its repertoire, but it is not taking a back seat just yet. For 2022, the company has released yet another thin marvel of Haute Horology.
The Octo Finissimo Ultra is the new mechanical watch, which measures only 1.8mm at the thickest point. It is so thin that it slides under anything in the market to be reckoned as the thinnest mechanical watch yet – sorry Piaget Altiplano Ultimate.
The thin queen
Being the thinnest on the block is not more than the tip of the iceberg for the Ultra. The Octo Finissimo Ultra, in Bulgari’s version “expresses the desire to go beyond the limits of normality by playing with extremes.” Arriving in a 40mm sandblasted titanium case, the watch has an integrated bracelet, also customized to play true to the record-breaking watch’s form factor.
The bezel, bracelet and lugs are constructed in titanium and appear in a sandblasted finish. Generally, the thinness of a watch is attributed to the thinning of the movement powering it. But for Bulgari’s genius Finissimo here, every component has been specially created to achieve immaculate thinness.
The uniqueness
To that accord, the overall thickness of the Octo Finissimo Ultra is made possible by separating the two – hours and minutes – dials on the face, which means overlapping of the hands in a single dial have been averted for the magical slimness. Moreover, the watch features the in-house BVL Caliber 180 directly on the caseback, again saving on the space used by the additional mainplate.
The watch also has an exciting way to present the crown – in fact, there are two of them here on either side of the dial – which is elliptical in design. The crown on the left can be rotated to wind the movement for 50 hours of power reserve, while the other can be used to adjust the time.
Octo Finissimo Ultra, as you’d expect, is a limited edition timepiece. It’s strictly limited to 10 examples with each expected to retail for €400,000 (roughly $440,000).