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Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater

Bulgari presents the thinnest striking watch in the world.

The Octo continues exploring the theme of extreme slenderness. After the world’s thinnest tourbillon model launched in 2014, enter the latest newcomer to the world of superlative horology: the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater, which earns the title of the smallest on the market.

Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater belongs to a proud line of ultra-thin watches developed by Bulgari, after the tourbillon and the mechanical hand-wound movement simultaneously launched in 2014.

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A striking watch implies a number of specific construction constraints and full command of certain distinctive skills in order to achieve the best possible outcome: an intense, crystal-clear chime with a perfectly uniform and regular cadence when the mechanism is activated. Achieving this set of parameters calls for a rare and sophisticated breed of expertise and a degree of experience that very few watch brands can still claim to possess.
Moreover, these principles generally apply to striking watches that are large enough to provide sufficiently generous interior volumes enabling optimal diffusion of the sound within the case, and thus ensuring optimal acoustic quality. In the case of the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater, everything was different right from the start, since the aim was to achieve perfect sound within the smallest possible space! The numbers speak for themselves: the in-house developed and produced BVL Calibre 362 measures just 3.12mm thick and the overall case thickness amounts to only 6.85mm.

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The Manufacture in Le Sentier solved the problem by working on several different fronts at once. Firstly, the 40mm case was to be made of titanium: in addition to its appreciable lightness, the properties of this low-density metal ensure the best possible sound diffusion. The hour-markers on the dial – also made from the same metal – feature an incised, cut-out design, as too does the small seconds counter at 6 o’clock: the openings serve to amplify resonance inside the case and thereby optimise the sound effect.
These solutions were backed up by another. The circular-section gongs directly affixed to the case are individually fashioned and finished by hand. Preparing and shaping the steel parts, defining the notes and the harmonics: many separate stages are involved in producing the completed gongs. The two hammers are also crafted with the same meticulous care. The extreme miniaturisation of the 362 components housed within this extremely slim case is vividly illustrated in the centrifugal strike governor, featuring a total diameter of just 3.3mm including its two inertia-blocks. The pusher activating the striking mechanism, fitted with an “all or nothing” safety device, is positioned on the case middle at 9 o’clock. It is designed to guarantee continuous water resistance to 50m. This hand-wound movement delivers a 42-hour power reserve once fully wound.

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The Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater is fitted with a vulcanised black alligator leather strap, with triple-blade titanium folding clasp. It is issued in a strictly limited 50-piece edition.

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