Nailing the proportions of a watch is now an easy thing to do. And when we think about the Octo Finissimo with its cuff-like feel on the wrist and characteristic slimness, the proportions have always been very unique. But this year, the brand wanted to give us a new look and feel for this record-breaking timepiece by bringing the case diameter down to 37mm and, in doing so, altering all of the proportions of the watch. So to get to the bottom of how to pull this off, I sat down with Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, the Product Creation Executive Director for the brand to find out exactly how it came together and the details of this new watch that matter the most.
The case
Holding this watch in your hand, there is an instant recognition that it is an Octo Finissimo. There is no mistaking that sharp, angular case, with a slim profile and integrated bracelet. But the case size shrank down to 37mm with a slight increase in the thickness by 0.12mm to 6.45mm. An increase in thickness, I hear you cry? Don’t worry, we will get to that. But the proportions of this case make perfect sense and feel incredible on the wrist. I would even say, better than the original.
There are three different case options here, with two different titanium finishes and one in solid yellow gold. The different titanium options are obviously the mainstay of this collection, with the fully matte finished example going up against what Fabrizio calls the two-tone with polished centre links on this new bracelet construction that we will dig into more later. There is also a fourth watch in this release, which still measures the same as the others, but stands apart from them as it doesn’t run on the newly designed movement, and that is the minute repeater that comes in full titanium.
Of course, you still have that round and octagonal bezel with the short, sharp lugs and easy-to-use knurled crown. Flip it over, and you still get a full exhibition caseback to show off this newly developed calibre and a bracelet that toes the line between standard and integrated as it clips into standard lugs. You are only getting 30m of water resistance here, a standard issue with ultra-thin watches, but if you are planning to jump into the Med, I would maybe opt for a different watch.
The dial
Across the four watches we are talking about here, we have a different dial iteration for each, with all of them taking the same structure of Arabic numerals at 12 and 6, with the rest being long, thin batons, and a small seconds down at 7 and 8. For the fully brushed titanium model, you get these markers in a darker finish, while the partly polished titanium has polished markers that is carried over to the yellow gold model that features a yellow gold brushed dial. And finally, the minute repeater features that characteristic cutout dial where all the markers and dial text are cut out from the dial to help the sound better travel through the dial of the watch, and its sub-seconds are placed at 6.
The bracelet
This newly designed bracelet might be my favourite part of this redesign. The taper is more aggressive, the construction is now more complex with each link being produced in two separate parts, and the buckle has been replaced with an easy-to-use push-button butterfly piece. In pretty much every way, this bracelet is an upgrade. Whenever using the old clasps on the Octo line, I would get terrible anxiety, as the force required felt like I was about to break this incredibly thin watch. And the clasp they have developed here is elegant, fully integrated into the bracelet, and so easy to use.
Out of all three bracelet options available, those being polished and brushed titanium, fully brushed titanium, and full yellow gold, the polished and brushed titanium is by far my favourite. Polishing titanium is not an easy thing to do, and to do it well and consistently can be a headache. But here, the small touches help elevate this design so much to me, making it feel far more special than it already does. And if a Bulgari watch doesn’t have that special feeling, then I would suggest you are holding a fake Bulgari.
The movement
The work that has gone into the movement of this watch is incredibly impressive. An entirely new automatic calibre had to be developed for this small concept, and while it might be slightly thicker than before, the overall volume of this new BVF 100 is 20% lower than the BVL 138 found in the 40mm. Not only have they reduced this volume, but they have increased the power reserve from 60 hours up to 72 hours. The development of this movement has been massively aided by the brand’s knowledge in their calibre miniaturisation, which we have not only seen in their Octo Finissimo Ultra lines, but also in the launch of their Piccolissimo movement that now dominates their ladies’ and jewellery watches, giving them a mechanical heart.
The verdict
This new addition to the Octo Finissimo line brings a breath of fresh air to a family of watches that has forever been defined by record-breaking thinness. Now we are talking about an everyday, wearable piece in the line for a lot more people. As I say at the end of the video, this feels like the beginning of a new era for Bulgari and a new platform within the Octo family for them to continue to build on, and that is very exciting for me. Altering the size and proportions of a watch like this that has been an iconic silhouette for years is not an easy task, and you can tell a lot of work and collaboration has gone into it. Now we just have to wait and see where this 37mm collection goes from here.
Bulgari Octo Finissimo 37 pricing and availability
The new Bulgari Octo Finissimo 37 is available now directly from the brand and its retailers. Price: CHF 15,100 (full matte titanium), CHF 15,700 (brushed and polished titanium), CHF 43,600 (yellow gold), CHF 161,000.
| Brand | Bulgari |
| Model | Octo Finissimo 37 |
| Reference | 104089 (fully brushed titanium) 104351 (brushed and polished titanium) 104120 (yellow gold) |
| Case Dimensions | 37mm (D) x 6.45mm (T) |
| Case Material | Titanium Yellow gold |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Brushed titanium Brushed yellow gold |
| Strap | Case matching bracelet, push button butterfly clasp |
| Movement | BVF 100, in-house, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | CHF 15,100 (Full sandblasted titanium) CHF 43,600 (yellow gold) CHF 15,700 (Sandblasted and polished titanium) |
| Brand | Bulgari |
| Model | Octo Finissimo 37 minute repeater |
| Reference | 104250 |
| Case Dimensions | 37mm (D) x 6.85mm (T) |
| Case Material | Titanium |
| Water Resistance | 30 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Brushed titanium skeletonised |
| Strap | Case matching bracelet, push button butterfly clasp |
| Movement | BVL 362, in-house, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 42 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, minute repeater |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | CHF 161,000 |