Cronografo Capitale: Close-up with the Bulgari Octo Roma Chronograph

Italy’s capital, Rome, is not only the place where Greek silversmith Sotirio Bulgari (1857-1932) founded his company in 1884, it is also where the LVMH Group member is officially headquartered today. Switzerland, on the other hand, is obviously where Bulgari’s watches are being manufactured and assembled, with the help of sites in Neuchâtel, Le Sentier and La Chaux-de-Fonds. And with significant success: In the last decade, the brand’s Octo collection has become one of the most successful ambassadors for contemporary watchmaking, with dozens of international prizes awarded to the collection, including the “Aiguille d’Or” — the Best in Show award — at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

But even though Bulgari consistently made watchmaking headlines in the last 10 years by setting eight world records with the ultra-thin Finissimo models, and also by introducing some of the most creative contemporary designs (just look at the Sejima Limited Edition from 2022), it is, however, the Octo Roma where the more traditional haute horlogerie creations and complications can be found: Both the Tourbillon Sapphire, Grande Sonnerie as well as the Grande Sonnerie Perpetual Calendar models are part of this collection.

Compared to the Octo L’Originale (2012) or Octo Finissimo (2014), the Octo Roma (2017) also symbolizes perhaps the most organic interpretation of Bulgari’s take on the octagonal shape, while the Finissimo and Solotempo represent a much more angular, monochrome and puristic interpretation of a theme that has a rich history in Italian architecture. In this context, Antoine Pin’s (Managing Director of the Bulgari Watch Division) decision to position the Octo Roma collection even more clearly as a comparatively traditional counterpart to the Finissimo, makes perfect sense: There is the ultra-reduced, ultra-thin and quite often ultra-revolutionary Finissimo, here, the more restrained Octo Roma.

One of the biggest changes to the model from 2017 undoubtedly is the new set of hands and dial with Clous de Paris motif (hobnail pattern). Thanks to this pattern of small pyramids, the watch now adopts a typical Swiss Haute Horlogerie motif, and is also adding substance and more depth to the pieces. And thanks to the use of non-skeletonized hands, legibility at night has also been significantly improved. Also, the crown is now incorporated into the case and safeguarded by crown protectors — offering a water resistance to a depth of 100 meters (instead of the 50 meters of the previous model generation).

The new Octo Roma collection launched in March 2023 consists of a 41-mm automatic mechanical version with three hands, available in three dial color variations — blue (Ref. 103739), anthracite (Ref. 103740) and white (Ref. 103738).

On the other end of the proverbial scale are novelties like the new Octo Roma Striking Papillon Tourbillon (Ref. 103748), Striking Tourbillon Sapphire (Ref. 103914) and the Octo Roma Precious Tourbillon Lumière (Ref. 103751), the latter featuring a new case size of only 38 mm.

The First Chronograph in the Octo Roma Collection

The Octo Roma Chronograph, making a noteworthy debut within the collection, is available with a dial in either blue (Ref. 103829) or black (Ref. 103471). It is powered by a chronograph movement with a central second hand, a 30-minute counter (9 o’clock) and a 12-hour counter (6 o’clock); the date window is situated between 4 and 5 o’clock; and all three of the subdials come with sunburst finish. The Caliber BVL 399 is a Swiss-made in-house mechanical movement with automatic winding, visible through the sapphire caseback. It is based on the brand’s BVL 191 caliber (with a chronograph module), holds a 42-hour power reserve when fully wound and its decorative finishes include côtes de Genève, chamfering and snailing on the plates and bridges. The chronograph pushers have been particularly carefully integrated into the case, following through directly from the lugs.

To quote the watchmaker: “Form, function, design and ergonomics merge into a coherent and harmonious whole, arranged according to the immutable tenets of Roman architecture.” The minute and hour hands are covered with Super-LumiNova, so are the polished hour markers and Octo Roma’s Arabic numeral at 12 o’clock on the dial (the 6 o’clock counterpart of the automatic version was replaced with the chronograph hour counter). For consistency reasons, Bulgari decided not to apply lume to the permanent second hand at 3 o’clock, which would have offered a clearer distinction between time and chronograph indication. Thankfully, the brand went with three markers between the minute/second markers on the minute track to better match the movement’s frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour.

Speaking of better matches: The chronograph and three hand models also come equipped with interchangeable bracelets and straps; the push-button is placed on the caseback, between the lugs, which means the system requires no special tool, a simple click is enough to change the strap in a few seconds. For the automatic and chronograph models, Bulgari will deliver two wristbands at the time of purchase: a stainless-steel bracelet with folding clasp and a rubber strap with buckle. Additional straps in rubber and alligator leather of various colors appear to already be available separately, at least for the automatic versions, which is also a clear indication that Bulgari expects this model to be an even bigger commercial success than its predecessor.

What remains unchanged: The stainless-steel case still skillfully combines two distinct geometric shapes: The satin brushed upper round bezel on top is contrasted by a polished lower octagonal bezel part, creating what the brand calls an “eye-catching, ‘classic-yet-not-quite’ aesthetic with a bold personality.” Completing the look are the faceted lugs. In Italian, one would probably just call it “bellissimo.”

This article is from the WatchTime Archives and was originally published in the May/June 2023 Issue. To subscribe to WatchTime Magazine, click here.

To learn more, visit Bulgari, here.