From the highest number of complications to the most waterproof, brands have been in the pursuit of horological records ever since time (or at least watchmaking) began. Yet it is the desire for thinness that remains one of the most highly contested. Of course, a svelte watch brings its own unique aesthetic and ergonomic benefits, being light and comfortable on the wrist. But at the most extreme end, an incredibly slim silhouette is one of the purest expressions of fine watchmaking, and among the most difficult to achieve. 

And when it comes to racking up trophies, no one can hold a candle to Bulgari. Its Octo family is a showcase of some of its most advanced haute horlogerie, and over recent years it has produced seven record-breaking creations, including the thinnest tourbillon and thinnest minute repeater. Now these are joined by an eighth, the Octo Finissimo Ultra, which at a jaw-dropping 1.8mm thick is the world’s thinnest mechanical watch. 

With a watch that seemingly defies the laws of physics, somehow fitting all 170 components of the BVL Calibre 180 movement into the paper-thin 40mm case, it requires a complete rethinking of the approach to the traditional craft of timekeeping. 

‘The challenge of this eighth record was the most difficult to overcome, since we had to break the rules not only in terms of movement design, but also of the case, the caseback, the bracelet and the folding clasp,’ explains Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Bulgari’s product creation executive director. ‘To achieve this degree of thinness, you not only have to review your way of thinking, but you must also draw upon a wide range of skills, play with multiple materials and adapt to a multitude of new constraints. In this sense, the Octo Finissimo Ultra is unquestionably the ultimate complication in this vast field of possibilities represented by ultra-miniaturisation.’

To achieve this feat, the watch was reengineered to use the caseback as a mainplate, onto which the elements of the movement are integrated. Meanwhile, each function that you would take as standard required reworking to deliver slimness while not compromising on performance. For example, a classic vertical crown would have been impossible for the wearer to handle easily, replaced instead by two horizontally placed knobs, one for winding and the other for setting. 

Due to the nature of the design, the components of the watch have to work even harder than normal and serve multiple purposes. This extends to the dial, which as well as displaying the usual time indications also holds other parts in place. And while the watch may be unprecedented in its thinness, just as much attention has gone into making it as robust as possible despite its proportions. For the required rigidity, the case middle, bezel and titanium lugs, as well as the caseback/mainplate, were developed in hard-wearing tungsten carbide.

Reaffirming Bulgari’s thoroughly forward-thinking approach is the incorporation of another piece of innovative design, this time digital. The QR code engraved on the barrel’s ratchet-wheel links to a special virtual universe for the watch, where the wearer can discover exclusive insights behind the making of the timepieces, as well as a 3D tour of the movement. Each of the 10 owners will also receive an exclusive NFT artwork, guaranteeing the authenticity of the watch. 

bulgari.com