Modern Classics: Bvlgari Octo Finissimo
Daniel PintoIn this section, we'll take a weekly look at the modern watches that are making their mark on the industry, charting their own paths with their own unique identities, to become future icons of their respective brands.
When we strike up a conversation with any stranger at a barbecue, we can usually tell that everyone, even those who aren't watch nerds , knows what a Rolex Submariner is. If they don't know the Submariner, they know the Daytona. The Omega Moonwatch? The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak? Probably too.
You could say there are watches that are true classics. The equivalent of a Porsche 911 or a Converse All Star. Items that have remained in the pop universe until they became part of the landscape, generally acclaimed for their timeless design, for being pioneers in their field, or simply for their undeniable beauty. They are the must-haves in any collection, the ones that generally retain their value over time, and the ones their respective creators squeeze to the extreme to coat the rest of their less commercial catalog with a layer of desirability.
The problem with classics is that they sometimes cloud our vision and prevent us from seeing the beauty of those new models that seek to break the mold of tradition and create a new paradigm around a design approach that is sometimes radically different, and other times very similar, but with a special appeal. With the perspective that time and its unstoppable march give us, today we look in the rearview mirror and realize that recent decades, also known as the modern era , have witnessed the creation of true watchmaking icons that are in no way inferior to the venerated Nautilus. These are true modern classics that have created their own unique recipe and stand out for having brought something new to the table, attracting both seasoned collectors and the "casual" who worship them on social media.
They weren't designed by Genta, they don't have a long history, and yet we believe they are the foundation upon which their respective brands plan to build their catalogs for decades to come.
Without a doubt, the most beautiful and slender of the new classics is the most stylish Italian watch of recent times. When Fabrizio Buonomassa of Bvlgari took an existing model, the Octo —which could have been a product of Genta's designs, not necessarily Gérald's—and took it to the extreme, we didn't expect it to become the hit it has become. Sweeping every design award and record for ultra-thin watches, the Octo Finissimo has been the Cinderella of annual awards ceremonies for the past decade.
Its faceted hexagonal case combines with a brutalist bracelet to deliver a product that feels more like a jewel of the future on your wrist, faithful to the Italian house's jewelry heritage. Based on this perfect foundation, the brand has iterated with new versions of the chronograph, GMT, and even a tourbillon, breaking many records along the way. Its greatest appeal is combining a truly original design with technical prowess to which Bvlgari had not previously accustomed us. Overnight, the brand transformed into a heavyweight in complications and haute horlogerie, all expressed through what, for us, is the finest interpretation of precious materials in a watch. Perfect Italian golds, ultra-technical titanium, ceramic, and steel combine with ultra-shiny polishes and almost tenebrous satin finishes to achieve rarely seen contrasts and an effect on the wrist that can absorb you for hours on end, while you stop to contemplate every detail of the case and how it plays with the light.
Even more appealing is its price, as this marvel of Italian engineering and design starts at just over $10,000, which seems like a lot of money, but turns out to be a real gift when you compare what you get here with a similarly priced Submariner. It's hard to believe this watch competes in slimness with the Richard Mille UP-01 Ferrari, a watch that, at $1.9 million (about 100 times more expensive than the Bvlgari), can't generate even half the desire and admiration we feel for the Octo Finissimo.
The best compliment we can give this Octo Finissimo is to thank it for putting Bvlgari back on the map, for making it cool again, and for becoming the foundation upon which its future is built. We're sure that in 50 years, we'll be closely following the new versions of this watch, and that the first models released a few years ago, especially the limited editions and collaborations with famous artists—keep an eye on the one designed by Kazoo Sekima —will be collector's items that will sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
We are fortunate to witness firsthand the birth and early development of a true modern watchmaking classic.
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