Bulgari’s 8 World Record-Setting Timepieces are Coming to Stephen Silver
Thin is Coming In
Bulgari’s aplomb in ultra-thin watchmaking is a fact that is now well known to most watch collectors. Its Octo Finissimo line of watches has blossomed since 2014, with each new introduction seemingly punctuated by a world record for thinnest watch in each of the various categories.
Now, for the first time in the United States, Bulgari’s eight world record setting watches will be on display at Stephen Silver’s Rosewood Sand Hill boutique during the last two weeks of May, 2022. Visitors will get a chance to see the company’s latest achievement, the Octo Finissimo Ultra—the thinnest mechanical watch ever created—for the very first time.
Bulgari launched its Octo Finissimo watch line with a world record, that for the thinnest tourbillon wristwatch ever built, and followed it up in succeeding years with records for minute repeater, automatic watch, automatic tourbillon, chronograph, automatic tourbillon chronograph and perpetual calendar. Its latest Octo Finissimo Ultra mounts the movement on the case back and measures a mind-boggling 1.8 millimeters thin overall.
Ultra-thin watchmaking is much more than mere bragging rights. The effort to produce movements as thin as possible has been a goal of watchmakers since the time of Abraham-Louis Breguet. Thinner cases lead to an elegance of form with the proper design, but the technical requirements needed to get there can be exacting. Extra time and ingenuity in movement design are required as are care in assembly to see that delicate components are not bent under load.
These concerns compound exponentially as dimensions shrink to those pursued by Bulgari. It is small wonder that many watchmakers consider ultra-thin watchmaking to be a complication in its own right. Bulgari has managed to master this art along with housing the movements in one of its most successful and distinctive designs, as well as offering them at very reasonable prices.
The SF Bay area Bulgari World Record timepiece exhibition will run from mid-to-late May of 2022 and will only be on display for a limited time.
Contact us to book an appointment to see the Bulgari World Record Timepieces in-store at Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry in Menlo Park, CA.