Scrabble the Seconds: We Can’t Stop Thinking About Bulgari’s Roman Empire
Here’s how Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo and Serpenti models became two of the most remarkable and recognizable timepieces in horological history.
By Rhonda Riche
Editor-At-Large
If Bulgari had a superpower, it would center around the famed Italian luxury brand’s considerable talent for creating legendary watches.
Of course, lots of jewelry houses offer watches, and plenty of watchmakers decorate their offerings with diamonds and sapphires; however, Bulgari is exceptional in that it makes record-breaking examples of haute horology that are not embellished with stones, like the Octo Finissimo, as well as creating teeny tiny movements to power bracelet watches, like the Serpenti.
So, before we discover what marvels Bulgari is bringing to Watches and Wonders, let's look back at some horological heritage moments.
Octo 101
The Octo was created by Gérald Genta, the illustrious Swiss designer who was also responsible for the look of such legends as the Omega Constellation (1959), the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak (1970), the IWC Ingenieur (1976), and the Patek Philippe Nautilus (1976).
The first Octo was produced in the 1980s under Genta’s eponymous label until he sold his company to Bulgari in 1999.
After acquiring the Genta brand, Bulgari’s then-CEO Jean-Christophe Babin and its current Product Creation Executive Director Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani decided to make moves into the ultra-thin watchmaking category, declaring that “watchmaking is a temple dedicated to worshipping a passion for beauty” and that the Octo would be its “main pillar.”
That is how the Octo Finissimo collection was born. By mastering the art of miniaturization, this family of fine watches has become a modern classic. Over just the past decade, the series has set nine records, including its latest achievement: the Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC, the world’s thinnest COSC-certified chronometer, released in April 2024.
With an incredible total thickness of only 1.7mm, the 40mm Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC features a monochromatic sandblasted titanium case housing the ultra-thin COSC-certified BVL180 calibre, which beats at a frequency of 28,800 vph (4 Hz) and holds a 50-hour power reserve. Even its integrated titanium bracelet is only 1.5mm thick.
Of course, the Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC was deposed as reigning “World’s Thinnest Mechanical Watch” by the Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing in September 2024, while the Octo Finissimo seems locked in a perpetual battle with Piaget to break these records.
Hopefully, Bulgari will bring even more tea to Watchers and Wonders 2025.
Serpenti Story
The Octo has a cool story, but Bulgari’s interest in horological miniaturization began much earlier when the brand introduced its first Serpenti timepiece in 1948.
This watch featured a square head for the dial and a flexible gold bracelet created using the Tubogas technique. The result was a bracelet with flexible coils that wrapped around the wearer’s wrist like a snake.
Just as a snake sheds its skin, the Serpenti is in a constant state of metamorphosis, beginning to look more and more like a serpent. Moreover, its designers often secreted the tiny watch dial and movement inside the reptile’s mouth.
Most recently, at LVMH Watch Week in February, Bulgari unveiled the Lady Solotempo BVS100 in-house automatic movement that was meticulously developed for the Maison’s iconic Serpenti watches.
This new mechanism measures a mere 19mm in diameter, 3.9mm in thickness, and weighs just 5 grams. In this case, tiny is mighty, delivering an impressive 50-hour power reserve.