Introducing: The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic Satin-Polished Steel

January 13, 2020

At the LVMH watch summit taking place this week in Dubai, Bulgari has released a new version of the Octo Finissimo Automatic, which at its launch in 2017 debuted with a titanium case, and a matching integrated bracelet. The watch was notable not only for its very striking and original aesthetic, but also for its movement; the caliber BVL 138 Finissimo was, at the time, the world's thinnest self-winding movement, at just 2.23mm thick.? This achievement was partly possible thanks to the large diameter of the movement (36.60mm) as well as the use of a micro-rotor. It is not the thinnest automatic movement ever made C Piaget's caliber 12P was a close contender, at 2.23mm thick, and was also a micro-rotor movement; the long forgotten Lasalle caliber 2000 (which we looked at in our series on ultra-thin movements) was 2.08mm thick. The latter, however, was too fragile and unreliable to stay in production (it could easily be damaged beyond repair just by trying to remove it from a watch case). The AP caliber 2120 is at 2.45mm thick, still the thinnest full-rotor automatic in the world. Today, the BVL 138 Finissimo movement is no longer the thinnest automatic in the world, having been dethroned by the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon (caliber BVL 288, 1.95mm thick, believe it or not) but it remains the thinnest time-only automatic in the world. This is not the first time that the Octo Finissimo Automatic has appeared in steel C it was introduced in steel in 2018 at Baselworld; however that version had a sandblasted steel case (a version in sandblasted pink gold was also introduced the same year). That finish was in line with the matte grey finish of the original titanium version, and this is the first time that Bulgari has used a more traditional suite of brushed and polished surfaces for the steel Octo Finissimo Automatic. The movement in this version is also the BVL 138, which has its usual slim profile, platinum micro-rotor, and 60 hour power reserve. One significant technical improvement over the previous model, is water resistance C the sandblasted steel model is water resistant to 30 meters, while this model is rated to 100 meters. Initial Thoughts This is rather an interesting move for Bulgari to make with this particular watch. The sandblasted finish of the earlier steel model did keep it in line, in terms of overall vibe, with the other Octo Finissimo Automatic watches and indeed, with the Octo Finissimo line as a whole, which has often taken advantage of more contemporary materials and finishes (such as the carbon fiber case of the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater Carbon). This similarity in finish across a variety of materials has been one of the key distinguishing features of the Octo Finissimo collection, but it did mean that it was easy to forget that Bulgari actually had an ultra-thin stainless steel sports watch C in sandblasted steel, it simply looked a bit less the part than some of its competition (integrated bracelet steel sports watches, regardless of their differences, all tended to pull from the same playbook in terms of case and bracelet finishing). The new finish means, I think, that it will suddenly be more plausible for consumers to cross-shop the Octo Finissimo Automatic with other steel, integrated bracelet sports watches. At a list price of $12,000, it is also a relative bargain; the Royal Oak Jumbo currently lists for $25,800; the Chopard Alpine Eagle 41mm in Chopard's proprietary Lucent steel lists for $12,900. In ultra-thin steel sports watches, the Octo Finissimo Automatic, in this finish, does not have much competition and especially not at this price C another possible competitor is the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding, which, steel-on-steel, is $18,900. However, if you want a metal-on-metal Overseas from VC with an ultra-thin movement C Vacheron's version of the AP 2120, the VC caliber 1120 C you will have to buy it in white gold, which lists for $54,500. The Octo Finissimo gives up a bit in finish to the Jumbo, but it's also less than half the price. Certainly, it is not only a welcome additional option, but also one with a very interesting and unique value proposition as well. The Basics Brand: BulgariModel: Octo Finissimo Automatic Satin-Polished SteelReference Number: 103297Diameter: 40mmThickness: 5.25mmCase Material: brushed and polished stainless steel; steel screw-down crown with ceramic insertDial Color: black lacquer with faceted, rhodium plated handsLume: noneWater Resistance: 100 metersStrap/Bracelet: integrated brushed and polished steel bracelet The Movement Caliber: BVL 138 FinissimoFunctions: time (with small seconds)Diameter: 36.60mmThickness: 2.23mmPower Reserve: 60 hoursWinding: manual and automatic via platinum micro-rotorFrequency: 21,600 vphAdditional Details: thinnest time-only automatic movement in current production Pricing & Availability Price: $12,000Availability: Not yet announced Limited Edition: No, regular production?See more Bulgari timepieces at Bulgari.com.