The New Bulgari Octo Roma Striking 8 Days

Bulgari’s personality is intrinsically shaped by Rome, incorporating elements of the city’s magnificent imperial architecture into its fabulous jewellery and watches. The iconic Octo family, which includes the invincible legion of ultra-thin, record-breaking Octo Finissimo models, welcomes the new Octo Roma Striking 8 Days. If the watch looks familiar, it’s because the movement powering this model was launched inside the Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days in 2022. With its impressive, skeletonised movement and formidable 8-day power reserve, the combination of black DLC titanium, sapphire viewing panes and neon-green accents imbue the Octo Roma with a contemporary dash of Italian bravado.

The architecture of the Octo Roma, with its octagonal base and round bezel, is inspired by the octagonal coffering of the Basilica Maxentius in the Roman Forum. Less edgy than the 110 razor-thin facets of the Octo Finisissmo, the Octo Roma is a mellower, more versatile option. With its more rounded geometry, the Octo Roma is a more relaxed and sturdier alternative to the Finissimo. Its versatility can be appreciated in the extensive range of references, from straightforward time-and-date to impressive high jewellery secret watches and from the complicated Grande Sonnerie Tourbillon to sleek and sporty black DLC chronographs.

The latest Octo Roma makes a potent statement with its 44.2mm matte black DLC titanium case fitted with sapphire glass panes on the octagonal case middle to flood the movement with light. While the case thickness cannot be compared to the ultra-lean 5.95mm height of the Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days, the Octo Roma is still a lean machine with its 9.1mm silhouette.

The grey straight-edged skeletonised plates and bridges reveal Bulgari’s contemporary manual-winding calibre BVL199 SK. Whereas the titanium version of the Octo Finissimo Skeleton might be challenging to read, this Octo Roma solves the problem with a loud splash of neon-green Super-LumiNova on the hour markers and the tips of the three hands, a concept the brand has executed before on the Octo Tourbillon Sapphire. The hour markers and the Arabic numeral 12 are suspended over the movement and attached to the black chapter ring with white minute markings.

An interesting feature of this movement is the spoked small seconds counter at 8 o’clock with a power reserve gauge deftly integrated around the counter. The cut-out areas of the indicator reveal the state of wind with a neon-green bar that advances or retreats. Positioned at 1 o’clock is the large single barrel with its long spring that provides the movement with its formidable 8-day or 192-hour power reserve – a fact that is highlighted on the dial at 3 o’clock with the inscription ‘eightdays’ beneath the brand’s logo. Considering that the movement is just 2.5mm thick, the power reserve is frankly impressive. The reverse side is just as dazzling with a helter-skelter network of matte openworked bridges punctuated by bright pink rubies.

The Octo Roma Striking 8 Days is presented with a black alligator strap with green stitching to match the luminescent elements on the dial. There is also a rubber strap with a textile finish. The watch launches officially in October 2024 and retails for CHF 33,100.

For more information, please visit bulgari.com.