Bulgari Launches Skeleton Version Of The Octo Finissimo Tourbillon

It is hard to surpass a watch like the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon. Its style is subtle, yet distinctly Bulgari, Roman flair combined with the finest in Swiss watchmaking. That last part, that remarkable ultra-thin tourbillon, with a height of only 1.95 mm has always been hidden behind a dial with only an opening for the tourbillon. That is now about to change with the new skeleton version of this extraordinary watch.

Bulgari did a little more than just remove the dial of the watch. Not only did they skeletonized the movement, but they also applied a PVD coating on the bridges and main plate to increase the contrast and highlight the moving components inside the watch. While it is already challenging to build a record-breaking, ultra-thin tourbillon, skeletonizing it takes it to a whole different level. Particularly in watches as thin as the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon, you really need most of your main plate and bridges to maintain the structural integrity of the movement. Without it, accuracy could suffer.

When holding and wearing the watch, you truly realize what an accomplishment Bulgari achieved. The gear train seems to almost float in the air, helped by the black coating on what parts of the mainspring and bridges that are still there. Part of this experience is also the ultra-thin case. Bulgari was able to put the 1.95 mm thick movement into a case measuring only 5 mm in thickness. This includes a sapphire crystal on both the front and of course the back to really show off the skeleton movement. Although perhaps more extrovert than the previous version, the skeleton is visually a well-balanced piece, where the moving parts of the movement match the color of the case and the main plate and bridges that of the strap. Despite that there is a lot to see, not in the least the flying tourbillon, the watch is in full harmony with itself as only an Italian design can be.