In the past 15-20 years, no new integrated bracelet watch has received the same fanfare from the collecting community as the Bulgari Octo Finissimo. With a Genta-inspired aesthetic and a unique design, it was a breadth of fresh air for the Royal Oak and Nautilus collectors who wanted something new and different. The Octo Finissimo gained immediate acclaim, not only because of a design that wasn’t meant to resemble the other heavyweights in the integrated bracelet watch category, but because of its thinness and easiness to wear. And as Bulgari has expanded the collection, they have managed to put forth winner after winner. The Octo Finissimo Grand Sonnerie Minute Repeater Ref. 103015 is just another example of Bulgari’s watchmaking prowess.

History

The Octo Finissimo burst onto the scene in 2012, immediately offering a different take on the integrated bracelet sport watch category from the traditional Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak (both watches I love). But that’s not to say that the Octo Finissimo was a completely original design.

While Gerald Genta didn’t directly design the Octo Finissimo, the first Octo (the predecessor to the Octo Finissimo) was released under Genta’s eponymous brand before Bulgari, which bought the Gerald Genta brand, would go on to redesign it and release the Octo Finissimo. Genta is known for his octagonal cases, which can be seen in the Royal Oak as well as pieces he made for his own brand. So clearly, there is some design inspiration in all Octo Finissimo models from the Maestro himself. 

Design Details

While early iterations of the Octo Finissimo remained simpler and more restrained, over the years, Bulgari has used it as a platform for complications and innovation. Indeed, just a few months ago, the brand released the thinnest wristwatch in the world with the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra (it is just 1.7mm thick). And while the Octo Finissimo Grand Sonnerie Minute Repeater Ref. 103015 featured here is a bit more of a traditional complication, there is a lot to like.

First and foremost, when you look at the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater, it might look like a fairly standard Octo Finissimo. It is fashioned from sandblasted titanium with a fairly standard dial with subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock. However, upon closer look, you’ll notice the minute repeater button at 9 o’clock. Clearly, this watch packs a lot more punch than you’ll notice upon first glance. 

Additionally, the unique way Bulgari fashioned the hour markers is definitely worth a second look. While the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater is not a skeletonized dial per se, the indexes are cut out, and through them you can see a small portion of the movement. It is a nice touch, and separates it from the other more standard Octo Finissimos in the collection. 

Inner Workings 

The watch runs on the manual wind movement that beats at 21600 vph and has 42 hours of power reserve. But what makes the movement so impressive is how thin it is. Over the past decade, Bulgari (along with Piaget) has made a name for itself creating some of the thinnest watches on the market. Indeed, the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater is the world’s thinnest minute repeater at only 6.85mm thick. This is incredibly impressive with the amount of engineering and complications needed to create such a watch. Bulgari is definitely pushing the envelope for what can be done. 

Personality

All Octo Finissimos have a more sporty look than the typical integrated bracelet watch, and that includes the pieces with high complications, like a minute repeater. But I particularly appreciate complications you normally find fitted in a more traditional timepiece. Being able to wear a minute repeater in an everyday watch is something you don’t see very often. Couple that with the super thin case, and I don’t think you’ll find a more wearable minute repeater.

Versus The Competition

If you like the look of the the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater, but its just a little bit out of your budget, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo ‘Sketch’ 10th Anniversary Limited Edition might be the watch for you. Like the Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater, the Sketch is made from titanium. It is also ultra-thin, at just 5.15mm thick (thinner than the minute repeater). What makes these particular watch special, is that the dial includes the original sketch of the Octo Finissimo from Bulgari’s Design Center Director Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani. At closer to $20,000 on the secondary market, its quite a bit more affordable than the minute repeater.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you are looking for a truly unbelievable grand complication, the Patek Philippe Minute Repeater Tourbillon Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5016P-018 is a work of horological art. This watch not only includes a minute repeater, but a hidden tourbillon (visible through the caseback) as well as a retrograde perpetual calendar. And while the watch has all of these complications, it is actually fairly understated in its design. But make no mistake, the Patek Ref. 5016P-018 is a true heavyweight. A real, if you know you know, watch.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for something sporty that you likely won’t see on anyone else’s wrist, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater has a lot to offer. It packages a high complication in an everyday watch in a way I have rarely seen before. Ultra-thin, easy to wear, and interesting aesthetically, this minute repeater ticks all the boxes.

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