Bulgari has introduced three new Octo Finissimo watches. Two have time-only self-winding movements and the third has a chronograph GMT movement. The dials feature detailed sketches of their respective movements. Since its debut in 2014, the Octo Finissimo collection has epitomised modern watchmaking characterised by pioneering advancements in miniaturisation and a design ethos with a sense of purity and contemporaneity.
The concept of incorporating freehand drawings into dials has also been seen in other Octo Finissimo watches, including Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic 10th Anniversary and the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic 20th Anniversary. The pencil sketches for these timepieces were also done by Bulgari Horlogerie’s executive director for product creation, Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani.
For the 2024 Octo Finissimo Sketch timepieces, Bulgari drew inspiration from Italian artists who traditionally used initial sketches to refine their ideas before completing their artwork. Since the Renaissance, these have served as teaching aids, refining draft ideas and tracking progress.
With Bulgari’s penchant for design development through sketches, the creative studio conceived the idea of integrating them with the movement, symbolising the fusion of artistry and technical craftsmanship.
The new watches feature dials displaying sketches of watch movements visible through the casebacks. Elements depicted include the micro-rotor, escapement, bridges, rubies, and finishing touches. Labels detail the placement of rubies and the use of platinum for the micro-rotor, giving insight into the intricacies of the timepiece’s construction.
The 40mm Octo Finissimo Automatic Sketch will be available in rose gold and stainless steel, with monochromatic dials that match their metals. The sketches are rendered as if Stigliani himself drew them, complemented by black PVD hands that are lacquered and bead blasted.
The Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Sketch combines elements of the watch face and movement on the dial, which features three subdials. The first displays home time at 3 o’clock, the second, a 30-minute counter at 6 o’clock, and the third displays small seconds at 9 o’clock. There is also the balance wheel assembly between 4 and 5 o’clock and the essential column wheel at 8 o’clock. Black bead-blasted PVD hands complement the lacquered dial to create a visually striking effect.
The watch is powered by the calibre BVL 318, which can be admired through the sapphire caseback. Launched in 2019, this fully integrated movement made history as the thinnest mechanical chronograph in the market. Despite its slim 3.3mm profile, it boasts a modern design with horizontal coupling, column wheel control, peripheral winding, and a second time zone function.
In stainless steel, the Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Sketch will be limited to 140 pieces, while the Octo Finissimo Automatic Sketch will be limited to 280 stainless steel and 70 rose gold pieces. To commemorate Bulgari’s 140th anniversary, all the watches feature casebacks marked “Edizione Limitata” and “1884–2024”.
