This year, Bulgari celebrates its 140th anniversary. To commemorate this special landmark, the Italian luxury watchmaker introduces a new concept: two limited-edition series of its iconic Octo Finissimo line, where each watch’s dial features an illustration depicting the movement’s back – as if you were admiring the watch from the other side, through an open case back.
The two inaugural limited editions of the Octo Finissimo Automatic Sketch series comprise 280 pieces in steel and 70 in rose gold. In both versions, the dial showcases a portion of the sketch depicting the watch’s mechanics as seen through the case back. On display are the micro-rotor, escapement, bridges, rubies, and other intricate finishing details such as Côtes de Genève and circular graining.
The sketch, penned by Bulgari’s Creative Director Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, features lively, natural, and spontaneous strokes to emphasize the key features of the Finissimo icon. The practice of presenting a sketch, which blends technical mastery with artistic expression, as a work of art in itself dates back to the Renaissance.
Sketches have been used throughout the history of art, particularly since the Italian Renaissance, in painting, sculpture and architecture. This is because the Italian artists preserved their ‘schizzi’ for their students, for their archives and to improve the final piece. Sketches were, at the time, deeply associated with the discoveries of their time, especially in the study of anatomy or perspectives.
Bulgari has amassed a treasure trove of sketches of its own in the past 140 years. The sketch that now finds representation on the dials of the new Octo Finissimo models reveals the mechanical heart of a watch. Hence the brilliant intuition of the Bulgari creative studio: to fuse the sketch and the back of the movement, art and technique, on the dial.
The 18K 5N rose gold version unfolds in monochrome splendour, from its polished and satin-finished case and bracelet to its distinctive dial. This radiant piece subtly incorporates shades of grey on its hands and on the dial’s sketch, enhancing its elegance.
The steel version, monochromatic as well, presents a more modern and urban look. Here, shades of grey dominate, from acting as the off-white background to replicating Stigliani’s pencil strokes in carbon, the charcoal of the hands and the steel of the case and bracelet. The interplay of polished and satin finishes, along with the characteristic sunburst-brushed bezel, gives the piece a unique brilliance that captures the transitional light at dusk.
Both versions measure 40 mm in diameter, 6.4 mm in slimness., and are powered by the in-house BVL 138 caliber. The latter is 2.3 mm in height, automatic, and has a power reserve of 60 hours. The sapphire case back is uniquely etched with “EDIZIONE LIMITATA” and “1884 – 2024” to commemorate Bulgari’s 140th anniversary, making each watch not just a timepiece but a celebration of heritage and craftsmanship.
