Yes, yes the big news this year was Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo tourbillon, the thinnest one ever made. That’s all well and good, but it wasn’t what caught our attention the most. After all, it’s not as if record-breaking is new to the Italian company. No, what caught our eye was this extreme carbon overhaul.
A vastly different look to the previous Finissimo minute repeater, the entire watch is built from a block of layered carbon that has then be milled to reveal its unique grain. In essence it means that every watch is unique; not that you’ll see them particularly often anyway. Minute repeaters aren’t exactly entry-level.
It’s slightly more than an aesthetic overhaul though; the repeater itself is actually louder than the older version. Only about 8%, but when you can hear it across a busy room that’s more than enough. Here’s hoping that they bring the same material to bear on the tourbillon soon enough.
Price & Specs:
Model: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater Carbon
Dial/Case: CTP (Carbon Thin Ply; carbon fiber reinforced thermo-setting epoxy resin)
Water Resistance: 10m
Movement: Caliber BVL 362
Power reserve: 42 hours
Price and availability: $160,000 (or £113,342), limited to 50 pieces
More at: www.bulgari.com
