One of the key watch collections in the history of the Bvlgari brand is the Octo Finissimo line. The models from this collection not only constantly set records for thinness, but also redefined the very concept of ultra-thin watches. In 2022, for the 10th anniversary of the Octo Finissimo, Bvlgari released a watch with a sketch of the dial in the design. This time the idea was “turned upside down”: on the dial of two new items in the collection there is a sketch of what is hidden under the dial.
The new items were released as part of Bvlgari's 140th anniversary, which the company celebrates this year. Here we have a classic watch from the second generation Octo Finissimo Automatic. This means that the case, offered in steel and 18-karat rose gold, is not sandblasted as was originally the case, but a combination of satin-brushed and polished.
With a diameter of 40 mm, the case thickness is 6,40 mm, making the watches in this series one of the thinnest self-winding watches on the modern watch market. The crown is screwed down. Water resistance 100 meters.
The watch can be worn on thin bracelets with a hidden butterfly clasp. On the back, under the sapphire caseback, you can see the in-house caliber BVL138, 2,23 mm thick. The movement is wound by a platinum micro rotor and, despite its ultra-thin format, has a comfortable power reserve of 60 hours. On the glass of the back cover you can see the prints “Editizione Limitata” and “1884-2024”.
This is not the only side of the watch where you can see the movement. The sandblasted dial features a hand-drawn sketch by Bvlgari chief designer Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani. This is nothing less than the first draft of the BVL138 caliber.
Such ideas are always an acquired taste, but such things definitely add fanaticism to an extremely serious design. To contrast with the dial, the hands, including the small seconds at 7 o'clock, are satin-brushed and coated with a dark PVD coating.
The Octo Finissimo Automatic 140th Anniversary Sketch Dial is limited to 280 pieces for the steel version and 70 pieces for the rose gold version.
The estimated price of the watch is €17 (steel) and €800 (rose gold).
