REVOLUTION_International_Vol 54

2018: OCTO FINISSIMO
TOURBILLON AUTOMATIC
But there was another model in the Octo Finissmo family,
which like the minute repeater, established Bvlgari as an
innovator in the high-complication segment, and that was
the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic. Says Babin, “The
watch [the manual-wind version of the Octo Finissimo
Tourbillon] also set a record as the world’s thinnest at its
launch in 2014 — it was launched beside the petite seconds
manual wind. You should understand that, at Bvlgari, we
do not pursue these world records for their own sake. At
the early stage of development of the Octo Finissimo range,
we realized that we were already at such a thin profile that
it encouraged us to really explore what we were capable of
in the ultra-thin category. And this resulted in the world
records for the manual wind, the automatic, the repeater,
the tourbillon and later the chronograph. I suppose part
of this comes from my past as the CEO of TAG Heuer
for many years. That was a brand that was purely about
performance and precision, and so this became part of who
I am. It would not be possible for me to create a watch that
was aesthetically compelling but that did not also have this
performance credibility. On the other hand, I think the
world records as well as the many prizes we have received
for our watches, from the likes of Revolution and the Geneva
Grand Prix, are great for the morale at our manufacture.”
Fabrizio Buonamassa adds, “The automatic tourbillon
is a watch that really shows off the technical side of Bvlgari.
Here you have a flying tourbillon that is resting on ball
bearings. It is a flying tourbillon, meaning that there is no
visible bridge, giving you a full unobstructed view of the
one-minute tourbillon and the oscillator beating inside it.”
The first version of the flying tourbillon in the Octo
Finissimo range dates to 2014. It was a stunning classic
model with a solid black dial, with a tourbillon appearing at
six o’clock. But in 2018, Bvlgari also offered an automatic
version, with a stunning openworked version in grade 5
titanium with, of course, the brand’s signature ultra-thin
titanium bracelet. This is a watch that I consider to be one
of the most beautiful creations of the last decade. What is
particularly beautiful about the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon
Automatic, to me, is how power is retained in a skeletonized
barrel at 12 o’clock. Along the right side of the BVL 288
movement, you see how power from the crown is transmitted
to the barrel. You can actually just look at the state of wind
of the mainspring for an idea of the watch’s power reserve.
From there, you can see how that power is transmitted to a
compact gear along the left side of the movement to power
the perimeter of the tourbillon cage.
What you don’t see from the front of the watch,
however, is the peripheral mass that powers the movement’s
automatic-winding function. Also, if you compare the
openworked titanium version to the manual-wind classic
Octo Finissimo Tourbillon, you’ll see that even the
tourbillon cage and balance wheel have been executed in a
stealthy hue to keep the entire watch monochromatic. Says
Babin, “There are few brands that would create a different
finish on their balance wheel and tourbillon cage, simply
to create a different visual identity from one version to the
next of the same watch. But at Bvlgari, we don’t believe in
compromise.” Bvlgari followed up the titanium version of
this tourbillon last year with a stunning carbon CTP case.
Below
The Octo Finissimo
Tourbillon
Automatic (left)
with a skeleton
movement and
peripheral winding
mechanism.
The caliber 288 has
individual bridges
for the moving
parts of the gear
train, enhancing its
shock resistance.
Opposite
The Octo Finissimo
Tourbillon
Automatic in
sandblasted
titanium.
White cotton wing
tip dress shirt, Ralph
Lauren Collection,
Black gabardine
pleated front
trouser, Equipment;
Black silk bow tie,
Budd Shirtmakers;
Sapphire blue
and white sterling
silver bourbon
cufflinks, Codis
MayaatTheRake.
COVER STORY 39