Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC
This award-winning design features a 1.50mm thick BVL180 movement, which has successfully passed COSC's rigorous chronometer tests, a rarity for such highly complex or ultra-thin timepieces. Share
It’s not every day that a luxury watchmaker like Bulgari redefines (literally) the standards of slender timepieces. Following a brief stint in which Richard Mille claimed the title with the thinnest-ever mechanical watch, Bulgari has introduced its latest creation—the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC—a masterpiece which recently regained its position as the world’s thinnest mechanical watch, alongside a new benchmark as the thinnest COSC-certified chronometer watch.
The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC is astonishingly slim at just 1.70mm in thickness, setting a new standard in the horological industry. This breakthrough was achieved with the 1.50mm thick BVL180 movement, which notably passed the stringent COSC chronometer tests—an unusual feat for highly complicated or ultra-thin watches, which typically bypass such rigorous independent testing.
This model’s construction is a marvel in its own right. Bulgari made incremental changes to reduce its thickness, including modifying the sapphire crystal to shave off an additional 0.1 mm. This meticulous attention to detail reflects the intense competition in ultra-thin watches, where even a fraction of a millimetre can set a new world record.
Despite its slender profile, the Octo Finissimo Ultra feels substantial, thanks to its high-density, ultra-resistant tungsten carbide case-back, which also serves as the main plate of the movement. This integration is crucial, as separating the case-back and mainplate would be impractical in such a thin structure. The rest of the case is crafted from titanium, or in some instances, platinum, adding to the watch’s premium quality and feel.
The Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC’s design cleverly spreads every component horizontally to minimise thickness. The dial is split into separate hour and minute subdials, with a small seconds indicator ingeniously integrated to meet COSC’s requirements. Additionally, the mainspring barrel cover has evolved from the previous version, now featuring a miniaturized data matrix instead of a QR code, offering an interactive journey into the Bulgari universe.
An innovative feature is the separation of the winding and time-setting functions, which typically share a single crown. This design eliminates the need for keyless work, further reducing thickness. The larger wheel winds the mainspring, boasting a 50-hour power reserve, while the smaller wheel sets the time, visible through the transparent case-back.
The watch’s clasp is another feat of engineering—it folds seamlessly into the bracelet, a design that prevents the underside from being bulkier than the top, maintaining the ultra-thin profile throughout. This thoughtful design extends to the entire wearing experience, ensuring the watch remains as unobtrusive and comfortable as possible on the wrist.
The visual impact of the Octo Finissimo Ultra is undeniable. Its almost impossible thinness appears as an optical illusion, a testament to Bulgari’s mastery in watchmaking. It challenges our perceptions of what is possible in mechanical watch design, combining revolutionary thinness with robust functionality and aesthetic elegance. Available in a limited edition of 40 pieces, 20 in titanium and 20 in platinum, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC is as much an investment in art as it is in timekeeping.
