Icons, by definition, can’t be born overnight. In the world of watchmaking, they emerge through excellence, creativity and – most importantly – consistency. They’re the reasons why, despite originally receiving lukewarm receptions, the Nautiluses and Royal Oaks of this world found their way into horological legend. Over the decades, they beat a path into our collective hearts.
So, what can put that process into fast forward? In a little over a decade, the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo has gone from ultra-thin attention-grabber to horological stalwart, a fixture on the annual ‘whatever-will-they-think-of-next’ list. It’s spent each year navigating a little further into that difficult journey from curiosity to canon – and the evidence increasingly suggests it has arrived.
When the Octo Finissimo debuted in 2014, it might as well have come from Mars. While luxury sports watches were still trapped in the gravitational pull of the 1970s integrated bracelet standards, Bvlgari offered something sharper, stranger and more architectural. Its faceted octagonal case, inspired by Roman geometry and filtered through the legacy of Gérald Genta, was industrial sculpture on a wrist-friendly scale.
Yet design alone didn’t create this icon. Its chameleon-like ability to transform and adapt without losing its essence placed it at the centre of a succession of ultra-thin world records and GPHG wins – moments that signalled Bvlgari had truly arrived as a watchmaker par excellence. More importantly, those technical feats were wrapped inside a design instantly recognisable from across a room — the true test of watchmaking permanence.
Perhaps the clearest sign of iconic status is imitation. Today, the Octo Finissimo’s monochromatic titanium aesthetic and razor-thin silhouette have influenced an entire generation of contemporary sports watches. Collectors debate it passionately, detractors criticise its wearability, and enthusiasts defend it with almost evangelical conviction. And it’s that tension that matters. Truly iconic watches are rarely universally loved; they are culturally unavoidable.
So, when does an icon become an icon? The Octo Finissimo may still be young compared to the Royal Oak or Nautilus, but it already possesses that rarest quality in modern horology: identity. Its silhouette has become shorthand for an era, and its transformations are far from over – just look to the buzz surrounding the new 37mm version at this year’s Watches and Wonders. No longer chasing that ‘thinnest’ high, the Octo Finissimo is now free to explore design territory well outside its box. But most importantly, the Octo Finissimo didn’t become an icon because Bvlgari made it one – rather, it was the timepiece that made the Maison itself an iconic horologer. And that’s truly something that’ll go down in history.
Conversation starter
The Octo Finissimo has been on the watch world’s lips for the best part of a decade – so how do collectors and connoisseurs really feel about it? WorldTempus tapped up a global group of experts to test the waters.
Benoît Colson, Geneva
Geneva Head of the Watches Department, Sotheby’s
“I remember discovering the Finissimo at Baselworld in 2014. It set a new record for the thinnest tourbillon movement at that time. However, the real turning point to me was the Octo Finissimo Automatique that was introduced in 2017. When first seeing it, my immediate reaction was that this watch had a bright future, as it was bringing something new to the watchmaking landscape.
The Octo Finissimo, and especially the automatic three hands version, brought a new proposition and a new aesthetic to the watch world. It is a bold, modern sport piece, that shows a real effort to create a revolutionary watch while still capturing the essence of what made the success of other legendary sport watches: a non-precious metal case, matching bracelet in thin and large yet wearable size. The tour de force to me was to create it without trying to take inspiration from the past but instead looking ahead to the future. The use of titanium instead of steel follows the same approach.
With its reduction to a 37-millimeter diameter this year, the Octo Finissimo has definitely pulled itself in the short list of the best sport watches. Regarding its iconic status, in my opinion, it will be for the next generation to truly confirm it. The size reduction is a smart move. It allows more people to wear the model. As we have seen with the Nautilus or the Royal Oak, the mid-size versions have always been very popular and they quickly found their place within the history of an important model.
I could definitely see one forming part of my own collection! I haven’t had the opportunity yet to try the new 37-millimeter version yet, but this might be the one that would best suit my wrist. And looking back at the Octo Finissimo’s many variations over the past 12 years, there are a few particular favourites. Apart from the regular production, the ones that instantly spring to mind would be the Sketch and the Ultra COSC.”
Katia Jundi, Dubai
Founder of KatsBling.com, collector and Middle East watch expert
“My relationship with the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo definitely wasn’t love at first sight and I actually think that says a lot about the watch. It grew on me. At the beginning, I respected it more than I felt emotionally connected to it. But year after year, as it kept breaking records and refining its identity, I found myself really appreciating what it stood for. It’s one of those pieces that earns your admiration over time rather than demanding it instantly. Why? Honestly, it’s the clarity of its design language. The Octo Finissimo doesn’t try to be everything to everyone – it knows exactly what it is. Those sharp architectural lines, the matte finishes, the way the case plays with light… It’s instantly recognisable. And in today’s world, where so many watches start to blur into each other, that level of identity is incredibly hard to achieve and even harder to sustain.
Seeing the 37-millimeter redesign this year, my first thought was this was long overdue for someone like me. As a female collector, I’ve always admired the Octo Finissimo, but realistically, it felt like a watch I could appreciate more than wear. It just sat a bit too large on my wrist to feel natural. So when the 37-millimeter was introduced at Watches and Wonders, I was genuinely excited. It finally made the watch accessible without compromising its DNA.
As for ‘icon’ status, I think it crossed that line a while ago. But this move makes it more relevant, more wearable, and honestly, more complete as a collection. Bvlgari has been very strategic in how they’ve built the Octo Finissimo story. But let’s be honest – pieces like the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak didn’t become what they are overnight. There’s a cultural layer, a generational attachment that only time can build. So yes, the foundation is there but becoming a true ‘unicorn’ is something only time can validate.
Would I add one to my collection? Now with the 37-millimeter it’s absolutely on my radar. Before, it just didn’t feel like my watch. Now it does. I already own three Bvlgari pieces, and if I’m being completely honest, I’d place the Octo Finissimo just after my Bvlgari Serpenti. The Serpenti is very emotional for me – it’s feminine, it’s iconic, it tells a story. The Octo is different. It’s more intellectual, more about design and engineering. I love it for completely different reasons. It comes very close—but the Serpenti still has my heart. But I do have a favourite edition – I keep coming back to the Sketch. There’s something about it that feels almost intimate, like you’re seeing the idea before it became the final object. It blurs the line between design and watchmaking, and for me, that’s when a watch becomes more than just a watch – it becomes a piece of art.”
Sara Sandmeier, Switzerland
Art director and former watch designer at Baume & Mercier
“As a watch designer, I attended the SIHH - now Watches & Wonders - every year. While browsing between interviews, the Octo Finissimo definitely caught my eye in its debut year. I thought ‘wow’. The genderless elegance is a compelling element. At first, you notice the roundness of the dial, the sober monochromatic design and seamlessly integrated bracelet, but the longer you stare at it the more you get drawn into its details and ingeniously sculpted facets.
What makes its aesthetic so enduring, in my view, is its architecture - immediately recognizable, yet never overpowering. There is space for the wearer to inhabit it, to project their own personality. For me, this has always been a key criterion when designing. The look of matte titanium enhances this perception, giving the watch a tactile lightness and a quiet sense of strength that reinforces its identity. Its ability to exist both as an object of design and a piece of jewelry give it a timeless quality. It doesn’t rely on trends - it defines its own space, which is perhaps why it continues to resonate so strongly today. What stayed with me is the incredible feeling of having it on my wrist - even just once. That, to me, says it all.
When it comes to the 37mm version launched this year, from a design perspective, adapting the diameter while integrating technical complexity - without losing the overall balance and proportions - is always a challenge. They’ve done a remarkable job. But the 40mm version remains, in my eyes, the most accomplished one. It has a sense of generosity, and the dial breathes more freely. The 37mm, by contrast, has more body and a slightly rectangular feel, but is understandably more wearable.
And as for whether the Octo Finissimo could ever reach the profile of the Nautilus or Royal Oak in horological history, the only question is, why not? From a designer’s point of view, the collection is just as convincing as the others. Yet I believe it’s less about the watch itself than about what gravitates around the brand’s image. Bvlgari comes from the world of jewelry and has built an entire empire on Italian opulence, savoir-faire and style. This watch stands out, yet remains deeply connected to the brand’s identity. Whether it will become a milestone in horological history - only time will tell. That said, I would certainly fall for the Bulgari Octo Finissimo in full titanium - especially if it came my way. Its elegance, the thinness combined with its lightness, and its genderless appeal are particularly attractive to me. My absolute favorite is the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Tadao Ando Limited from 2019, a 40mm automatic in titanium. I would wear it as a statement piece, paired with an olive-green Yohji Yamamoto coat.”
Peter Chong, Singapore
Publisher and editor in chief of Deployant.com, watch connoisseur and collector
“To me, its origins in Genta’s design is what made the Octo Finissimo so aesthetically pleasing. The basics were right and the refinement to the concept, making it very thin and allowing the design to ‘spread out’ like a wafer, is what makes it so appealing.
I think this year’s reduction of the Octo Finissimo to 37mm goes with the trend toward smaller watches. It suits not only the flavor of the day, but is also very much in line with the Octo Finissimo as an icon. My absolute favourite OF example is the Ref. 102713 in titanium with titanium bracelet. Ultra thin, and ultra light.”
