The New Bulgari Octo Finissimo Special Edition For Phillips Watches

Bulgari seems intent on marking the 10th anniversary of the Octo Finissimo with limited editions and collaborations. After all, what are friends for if not to share the festive mood? A couple of weeks ago, we talked about an Octo Finissimo Tattoo Acqua, the second edition in limited series created with tattoo artist Mo Copoletta. Now comes an even more unusual release. The fact that it is an auction house that took pride in co-creating this special edition is remarkable, yes, but what is amazing and previously not present in the Octo Finissimo Automatic series is a dial without the small seconds counter at 7 o’clock. Let’s have a look at the new Octo Finissimo Special Edition Phillips In Association With Bacs & Russo.

Bulgari reports that a few ideas were exchanged between Aurel Bacs, Senior Consultant, Bacs & Russo and Alexandre Ghotbi, Head of Watches, Continental Europe & Middle East and Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Product Creation Executive Director, Bulgari Watches. There were suggestions for different materials and dial finishes, “but the slimness of the watch limited our possibilities… and at the same time, it increased the challenge of creating an eye-catching dial.” The dial is indeed quite remarkable, evoking different references. The creators looked to pay homage to great Italian architects and designers of the 20th century, opted for minimalism and simplicity and agreed upon a sector dial design with symmetry around the central axis. By letting the small seconds go, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Special Edition for Phillips Watches draws all attention to the laser-engraved shapes. The circles in the octagon and the two large numerals 6 and 12 in their positions occupy the sand-blasted titanium dial, and the engravings’ colour changes depending on the lighting.

The 40mm case and bracelet with an integrated folding clasp are sand-blasted, just like the dial. Classic Octo Finissimo. The caseback is transparent and has an engraving on the sapphire crystal to immortalise the collaboration with Phillips, Bacs & Russo and to point out the limited number; only 50 watches will be made. The movement, not in any degree less than the unique dial, continues to impress, even after five years since introduced in 2017. BVL 138 is record-thin (2,23mm), developed and manufactured at the Bulgari calibre with automatic winding; it provides 60 hours of power reserve. It is decorated with the Geneva stripes, perlage and anglage, and it has a platinum rotor – for a practical reason. Since the mass is minimal, it has smaller inertia, and a heavier or higher-density metal has to do the job.

This new special edition Bulgari Octo Finissimo Phillips In Association with Bacs & Russo will be sold exclusively by Phillips Watches, the price is set at CHF 16,900. For more details, please visit www.bulgari.com.