Founded by Greek silversmith Sotirio Bulgari as a jewelry shop in 1884, Bulgari has since grown into the international luxury brand we know today.
Among the many products that bear the Bulgari name, its watches have become synonymous with class and prestige. Known worldwide for its distinctive and bold style which combines innovation with a historic legacy, Bulgari timepieces have become a mainstay in modern culture. Its Octo watch collection is no exception.
Originally founded by the prominent watch designer Gerald Genta in the 1980s, the Octo became a Bulgari design when the company acquired the brand in 2000. The Bulgari Octo collection made its debut in 2012 and has become one of Bulgari’s well-known designs.
At Geneva Watch Days 2022, Bulgari unveiled a handful of new Octo Finissimo watches for its 10th anniversary collection. The series come in a variety of different materials and configurations, and one of the new releases is the Octo Finissimo Sejima Edition.
This limited-edition masterpiece was created in collaboration with the famous Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima, winner of the 2010 Pritzker Prize, and features her fondness for highly reflective and semi-transparent surfaces reinterpreted on a smaller scale.
Sejima’s unique design signature is evident in the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Sejima Edition. From front to back, the watch plays on transparency and reflectivity in a unique way. The sapphire crystal watch dial surface is treated to give it a mirror effect and features no numbers, logos, or distinct markings. The rhodium-plated hour, minute and second hands complement the sheen of the dial and case. Its most defining feature is the mirror-polished sapphire crystal sitting above the dial with a metalized dot pattern. Finally, the back is covered with a clear sapphire window that lets the Bulgari BVL 138 standalone automatic movement to sit fully visible. It also features Kazuyo Sejima’s signature, along with text designating the model as a limited edition.
Powering the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Sejima Edition is the Bulgari BVL 138 caliber automatic movement. Running at a frequency of 21,600vph and offering a 60-hour power reserve, the micro-rotor system includes a 950 platinum oscillating weight mounted on ceramic bearings. Housing all of this is a stainless steel case based on the Octo Finissimo S model and measures 40mm in diameter with a thickness of 6.4mm. It sports a screw-down winding crown with a black ceramic insert, making it water resistant up to 100 meters.
For watch aficionados, this offers an opportunity to wear a piece of art designed by one of the most famous architects of our time. The Octo Finissimo Sejima Edition will be limited to 360 pieces with an official retail price of $14,100 USD, and will come in a special stainless steel box with mirror surfaces matching the Sejima’s design.
