Bulgari breaks the record for world’s thinnest watch

Watches and Wonders 2024 , the world’s largest international watch event, begins this Monday in Geneva. Once again, Bulgari is set to push thinness to the extreme, on a mission to make a certain watch case 1/10^th of a millimetre thinner. The Italian Maison devoted to Swiss technicity can pride itself on holding the world record for thinnest watch (once again) with its Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC. This new record-breaker measures only 1.70mm thick, about the thickness of a €0.10 coin.

A matter of 1/10^th of a millimetre

Bulgari has broken the record previously set by Richard Mille and his RM UP-01 Ferrari watch, which measures 1.75mm thick. Taking first place on the podium, the Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC and its titanium case give ‘ultra-thin watch’ a whole new meaning. This is Bulgari’s 9^th world record, and this new model is certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) to be the thinnest ever made.

Outstripping the Octo Finissimo Ultra and its 1.80mm thin case – unveiled in 2022 – this new addition to the Octo Finissimo collection is 1/10^th of a millimetre thinner. Just like with the 2022 model, the workshop artisans needed to reinvent the watch, ‘to start from scratch.’

8 world records for the Octo Finissimo collection:
 
2014 – OCTO FINISSIMO TOURBILLON MANUAL – 1st world record – BVL 268 calibre– 1.95mm 
2016 – OCTO FINISSIMO Minute Repeater – 2^nd world record – BVL 362 calibre – 3.12mm 
2017 – OCTO FINISSIMO AUTOMATIC – 3^rdworld record – BVL 138 calibre – 2.23mm
2018 – OCTO FINISSIMO TOURBILLON AUTOMATIQUE – 4^th world record – BVL 288 calibre – 1.95mm
2019 – OCTO FINISSIMO CHRONOGRAPH GMT AUTOMATIC – 5^th world record – BVL 318 calibre – 3.30mm 
2020 – OCTO FINISSIMO TOURBILLON CHRONOGRAPH SKELETON AUTOMATIC – 6^th world record – BVL 388 calibre – 3.50mm 
2021 – OCTO FINISSIMO Perpetual Calendar – 7^th world record – BVL 305 calibre – 2.75mm – winner of the 2021 Grand Prix de l’Aiguille d’Or.
2022 – OCTO FINISSIMO ULTRA – 8^th world record – BVL 180 calibre – 1.80mm

Bulgari’s mastery of proportions

‘Challenging’, ‘bold’, ‘an achievement’ or ‘an exploit’, all of these words are fit to describe the tremendous work undertaken by the workshop’s engineers. Selecting the components on the path to ultra-miniaturisation required optical measurement devices capable of reaching 1/10^th of a micron. This meticulous work was further complicated by the extreme precision needed to create a miniature balance wheel in order to receive the official chronometer certification from the COSC.

To complete this watch, the tungsten carbide case back was used as a mainplate. This material – a combination of carbon and tungsten – was chosen for its high resistance and rigidity and allowed for a ultra-thin surface. The 170 components of the manual-winding in-house BVL180 calibre sit on this paper-thin metal sheet.

Those of you with a trained eye will surely have noticed that the hour disc, the second disc, and the imposing barrel spread out onto the bezel to ensure a harmonious arrangement. In the upper left-hand corner, where the ratchet wheel engraved with a QR code once stood, now shines a Data Matrix-engraved ratchet (a special type of 2D code ideal for storing a large amount of data on a very small surface). By scanning this Data Matrix code, you can access all the information on the watch and take a voyage through Bulgari’s universe of the ultra-small and ultra-thin.

‘Carving out new spaces, daring to think differently to become more reliable, more elegant and more proficient, this is our motto,’ declares Jean-Christophe Babin, Bulgari’s CEO.

The Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC’s Technical Details – Ref. 104081

Movement: in-house ultra-thin manual-winding
Calibre: BVL 180 – 1.50mm thick
Power reserve: 50 hours
Frequency 28’800 VpH (4Hz)
COSC Certified
Case: 40mm in diameter – 1.70mm thick – sandblasted titanium lugs, bezel, and case band
Mainplate: tungsten carbide
Dial: regulator display for the hours and minutes – sandblasted brass
Coating: grey PVD
Hands: hour and minute hands – rhodium-coasted polished brass and white indices
Second wheel: steel with a satin finish and black index indicator.
Bracelet: sandblasted titanium – 1.50mm thick

Price on request – Limited edition, 20 pieces.

Not one, but two records!

In addition to Bulgari’s 9^th world record, the Roman Maison graces us with the Octo Finissimo Ultra crafted in 950 platinum. A superb material, which is nonetheless full of challenges, is much harder to work with than titanium. The Maison’s engineers were able to make the case 1.80mm thin! The dial on this 40mm model sets itself apart thanks to the sunray-finished blue hour and minute discs, crafted in blue PVD-coasted brass. This model is also a limited edition of 20 pieces.

also a limited edition of 20 pieces.

The Octo Finissimo Ultra Platinum’s Technical Details – Ref. 103832

Movement: in-house ultra-thin manual-winding
Calibre: BVL 180 – 1.50mm thick
Power reserve: 50 hours
Frequency 28’800 VpH (4Hz)
COSC Certified
Case and lugs: 40mm in diameter – 1.80mm thick – sandblasted titanium
Bezel: titanium with a satin finish
Case band: polished titanium
Mainplate: tungsten carbide
Dial: regulator display for the hours and minutes – brass with a satin finish
Coating: grey PVD
Hands: hour and minute hands – rhodium-coasted polished brass and white indices
Second wheel – steel with a satin finish and black index indicator.
Bracelet: titanium with a satin finish – 1.50mm thick
Folding clasp: titanium with a satin finish

Price on request

An innovative jewel box

It seems fitting that the record-breaking watch would come with an equally brilliant box to house it. Bulgari pushes the envelope once more with the Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC with its exclusive box. But this is no ordinary box, this incredible jewel box is equipped with watch winder that lets you manage the setting adjustments for time and cycle via its touch-screen. Phenomenal!

BULGARI WATCHES WEBSITE

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Three world records