Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The New Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon with a Green Marble Dial
A majestic green marble dial manifests the Octo Finissimo’s imperial aspirations.
Incredibly, only eleven years have elapsed since Bulgari pitted its first gladiator in the arena of ultra-thin watches. Not only did the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon of 2014 astonish the world with its razor-thin, record-breaking 1.95mm tourbillon movement, but it also conquered the hearts of many with its seductive Italian good looks. With ten world records for thinness in just 11 years, the Octo Finissimo has ascended to the podium at lightning speed, achieving iconic status. Highlighting its Roman heritage – and the cornices of its flagship boutique on Via dei Condotti in Rome – Bulgari recently awarded its Octo Finissimo Tourbillon a slice of imperial grandeur with a rare green marble dial, a majestic limited edition of 30 pieces.
Following its 2014 debut, the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon has been a platform for ever-increasing feats of miniaturisation and complications. Stripping down in 2017 with a skeletonised platinum edition, this was followed a year later by a double record-breaking model equipped with an automatic movement. In 2020, Bulgari set yet another record for the world’s thinnest tourbillon and chronograph. After the release of Piaget’s 2mm-thin Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon, which upset Bulgari’s record-breaking victory, the Italian brand reacted and reconquered its status with the 1.85mm Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon.
A combination of technical wizardry and fascinating architecture, the Octo Finissimo Marble Tourbillon retains the ultra-lean dimensions of its precursor and features a 4.85 mm-thick yellow gold case with a diameter of 40 mm. Bristling with 110 facets, the dramatic octagonal and stacked geometry of the case is highlighted with brushed and polished finishes.
The green marble used for the dial is known as Verde Alpi (alpine green). It is extracted from quarries in the northwestern region of the Val d’Aosta Valley, which, symbolically, shares a border with Switzerland. Verde Alpi is a prized Italian marble characterised by its intense green colour and lighter network of veins. Given its natural origins and unique veining patterns, no two dials can ever be alike.
Prized by ancient Rome as the ultimate display of grandeur, marble has been used to great effect by Bulgari in both its jewellery and watch collections, including the recently released 50th anniversary Bulgari Bulgari watches. No newcomer to marble, a unique edition of the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon for Only Watch 2023 was given an incredible full-marble makeover, from dial to case and bracelet.
However, incorporating marble into an ultra-thin watch presents its own challenges. Although marble seems indestructible, it becomes extremely fragile when cut into wafer-thin layers. To create the dial, the marble was cut into slices of just 0.8mm and perforated to provide the aperture for the flying tourbillon. Framed by this imposing marble background, the tourbillon performs its fascinating one-minute rotations. Echoing the yellow gold case, the applied indices and openworked hands are gold-plated.
Powered by the same calibre BVL 268 used inside the inaugural edition and manufactured at Bulgari’s fully integrated manufacturing sites in Switzerland, the height of the movement was determined by the 1.95mm thickness of the one-minute tourbillon cage. Beating at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour, the manual-winding movement has a power reserve of 52 hours. The movement, visible through the sapphire crystal, is decorated with Côtes de Genève, perlage, bevelled screw heads and slots and circular satin-brushed gears.
The watch is paired with a matching green alligator leather strap with a polished yellow gold pin buckle. It is a limited edition of 30 pieces and retails for EUR 140,500 (excl. taxes). More information at bulgari.com.
