The Octo Finissimo Skeleton by Bulgari is slim and modern, with its sleek black movement finished in black DLC and rich in contrasts provided by steel, gold and rubies. The hand-wound BVL 128SK movement is just 2.35 mm thick, hand wound, with seconds, minutes and hours, and power reserve indicator. This is a useful indication in any hand-wound watch, and this piece has a generous power reserve, about 65 hours. The balance runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hertz. From both front and back, it looks like a very abstract composition: the small seconds subdial seems to be placed randomly, and likewise the power reserve indicator just above. It’s only after you’ve observed it for a while that you see that the bridges are arranged in an approximately star-shaped pattern. Just about everything is in view, from the winding assembly, right through to the escapement and gear train. A nice touch consists of the two small circular windows revealing the pallet fork rubies.

The case is in steel, 40 mm in diameter, very slim at 5.37 mm. The black DLC of the case is framed by a bezel in pink gold; the crown is also in pink gold with a ceramic insert. Water resistance is 30 metres. The black alligator strap is integrated into the Octo case, and has a titanium pin-buckle with black DLC finish.

The overall aesthetic is more of a wristband than a watch. The faceted lugs convert the round bezel into a square case that continues the lines of the strap. The result is very young and very contemporary, and it reflects Bulgari’s multi-faceted identity but with strong links to the world of fashion.
Comparatively speaking, the watch is competitively priced at about €25,000, £18,900.