Start out from a blank sheet and express your talent. Set yourself a target. For Bulgari, this exercise is nothing new. For just under ten years, the manufacture has constantly revolutionised the universe of extra-flat watches, notching up seven records so far. This year, the exploit is such an outstanding achievement as to defy understanding. Lay 18 standard weight A4 sheets out flat on top of one another and you will discover the thickness of the world’s slimmest mechanical watch: 1.80 mm! This dimension of the Octo Finissimo Ultra is the common denominator of the movement, case and bracelet.
To achieve this outcome, the watchmakers were also tasked with respecting the aesthetic codes inherent in the collection. The case, made of sand-blasted titanium and tungsten carbide, with a diameter of 40 mm, embodies the iconic octagonal shape. A selection of the right materials and reflection on the overall architecture of the timepiece enabled the limits of miniaturisation of the sculpted manually wound BLV 180 calibre to be pushed back still further. The skeleton dial’s innovative scenography breathes new life into the Octo Finissimo Ultra. The hours and minutes are displayed on two off-centre titanium counters whose geometrical design is inspired by a regulator-style timepiece. A small seconds hand on a copper-beryllium disk is located at 6 o’clock. In this composition, structured by the bridges and wheels, the big barrel provides a 50-hour power reserve. Each element serves to maintain another. Form and function are united.
