Ten years have passed, what does it symbolize for BVLGARI? I believe nothing is more important than celebrating the tenth anniversary of the iconic Octo watch series. As we enter the month of watchmaking celebration, BVLGARI officially unveils the latest addition to this series, once again achieving an amazing feat by announcing the launch of the world’s thinnest mechanical watch, the Octo Finissimo Ultra!
The Octo series, literally an octagonal design, symbolizes breaking 8 world records over 8 years, documenting BVLGARI’s spirit of constantly surpassing itself and pushing the limits in watchmaking. From the debut of the series in 2012 to the refined masterpiece brought today in 2022, the newly released Octo Finissimo Ultra is a new wristwatch with a thickness of only 1.8mm, thinner than a Hong Kong $1 coin, not referring to the movement thickness, but the thickness measured from the case back to the sapphire crystal glass. Occupying the throne of the world’s thinnest mechanical watch, it is also the 8th piece in the Octo Finissimo series to break the ultra-thin record. For BVLGARI, it is an important breakthrough for the brand in the modern high-end watchmaking field, a crucial moment leading the brand team to new heights.
From the Octo series bringing the first Octo L’Originale three-hand date watch in 2012, to the introduction of the Octo Finissimo series in 2014 and the Octo Roma in 2017, the Octo series has established a very solid and embodies a unique relationship with BVLGARI’s core values. For the series to welcome the 8th “world record holder,” Antoine Pin, Managing Director of BVLGARI’s watch business, shared his thoughts on the development process: “Can we do it? Three years ago we posed this question, and the team responded: how should we proceed?” He continued, “The spirit of facing challenges is deeply rooted in the brand’s DNA. As for the word ‘Ultra’ in the name, it represents the ambition to break through boundaries, to play with limits in a new way, this is the original intention that our team upholds!”
Challenging the 1.8mm limit, Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Brand Product Design Director, shares that BVLGARI pays great attention to the design of the chain, as it is the largest area of the watch that touches the skin, so comfort is essential. “… Because we not only need to break the rules from the movement design, but also carefully consider various aspects such as the case, case back, bracelet, and folding clasp. … Therefore, in the infinite possibilities shown in ultra-miniaturization, the complexity of the Octo Finissimo Ultra undoubtedly takes the throne.”
In addition to considerations such as thickness and fit, watchmakers must also take into account and understand that the issue to be addressed is the hardness of the watch body. After all, with the watch case being so thin, users might assume that hardness needs to be compromised. However, the team must strengthen the hardness of the components, so materials such as tungsten carbide are used in the middle layer of the case, bezel, lugs, and other detailed parts, achieving an extremely dense, sturdy, and exceptionally durable watch body.
Speaking of design, the Octo Finissimo Ultra still inherits all the features of the series, including the core concepts of simplicity and elegance. The watch is based on classic monochromatic sandblasted titanium, creating a 40mm octagonal case, with an off-center seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock, as well as hour and minute sub-dials, along with an integrated strap of the same thickness as the case, allowing the new watch to retain the grandeur of the Octo series.
Furthermore, the record-breaking ultra-thin thickness of the world will also play with the concepts of “visible” and “invisible” on the wrist: The Octo Finissimo Ultra simultaneously possesses a 2D flat plane and 3D dimensional visual effect. When viewed from the front, the watch with a sense of weight immerses people in the depth of mechanical craftsmanship, creating a lifelike 3D dimensional visual effect; and when analyzed from a profile angle, the design as thin and translucent as paper can transform into a 2D image, but when worn on the wrist, it sparks another kind of physical texture.
Of course, it is impossible not to mention the extreme level of movement production in the new watch. Due to the further narrowing of the case thickness, the Octo Finissimo Ultra requires the use of the case back as a clamp plate in its structure, with 170 components perfectly integrated on top of the BVL Calibre 180. It is understood that, with a premise of 1.8mm, its thickness is half that of the original Octo Finissimo bracelet, and in order to effectively utilize the dial space, including the hour and minute discs, the large barrel box (accommodating 50 hours of power reserve), and the escapement device, different craftsmanship from the past has been adopted to subtly handle the inner circular geometric design of the case opening.
Furthermore, due to the 1.8mm ultra-thin case, some individual parts may need to supply up to four functional components at the same time, and the classic screw-in crown is too small in volume and cannot be operated correctly. To address this issue, the watchmaker embedded two horizontal spiral buttons, one for winding and the other for setting the time function. Even when the watch is worn on the wrist, it can be easily operated, and all watch functions are built on the same horizontal plane; in addition, the innovative differential gear mechanism can be used to adjust the time setting without affecting the wheel system.
After integrating various challenging elements, BVLGARI officially filed a total of 8 patent applications for the Octo Finissimo Ultra, once again highlighting the spirit of breaking boundaries and surpassing oneself.
However, the devil is indeed in the details. If you observe carefully, you will find that on the dial of the Octo Finissimo Ultra watch, there is an engraved QR Code icon on the barrel ratchet, and it is a real QR Code for users to scan. By scanning it, users can see interviews related to the watch, production processes, and a virtual 3D tour of the movement, detailing the birth story of the new watch.
Moreover, the most important thing is that BVLGARI also announced that the global limited edition of 10 Octo Finissimo Ultra watches will be accompanied by exclusive NFT artworks, providing collectors with proof of the originality and uniqueness of the watches with the assistance of blockchain technology. At the same time, it also provides each collector with exclusive access to explore the digital universe of their watches. With this concept, Octo Finissimo Ultra can be said to be transitioning from the world of ultra-micro craftsmanship to the intangible realm. It seems that the moment for BVLGARI to fully enter the NFT field is just around the corner.
As for this year, what new works will BVLGARI bring one after another? Octo Finissimo Ultra has once again opened up a new realm for the Octo series, does this mean that the series is about to come to a temporary end? Octo Finissimo Ultra has entered the NFT field, is this a preview brought to us by BVLGARI? Which new piece will be the next to appear under the NFT banner? Watch enthusiasts, stay tuned!
資料及圖片來源：Courtesy of BVLGARI
