BaselWorld 2014: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon-Thinnest Tourbillon Movement

Apr 05, 2014,17:53 PM
 


This year at BaselWorld 2014, Bulgari introduces its new Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon. The spectacular extra-slim tourbillon movement, with a thickness of 1.95mm, is the the thinnest on the market and slimmest ever made. 

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon

The tourbillon cage which measured 1.95mm in thickness determined the overall thickness of the entire movement. The movement also incorporates two bridges, one for the minute wheel and the other for the gear train of the tourbillon cage, which rotates once a minute. Bulgari was able to create such a thin tourbillon movement by using various elements including:

- Ball bearings for the moving parts. There are 7 ball bearings positioned on the basic movement, while the tourbillon cage has a cartridge bearing that allows it to pivot. The final ball bearing lets the escape wheel pivot.

- The regulator assembly was omitted. Instead, timing is now adjusted on the balance wheel directly. This helped to make the movement even thinner. 

Another significant development for this watch is how the barrel remains in position guided by three ball bearings around the outer edge. The height of the spring was able to be doubled due to this and as a result yields a power reserve of close to 55 hours. Other notable elements of this watch include:

Movement

- Finissimo Tourbillon calibre, Manufacture-made ultra-thin hand-wound flying Tourbillon movement performing one turn/minute. The thinnest ever made at just 1.95 thick
- Total thickness of the watch: 5.00 mm
- Fitting diameter: 32.00 mm; total diameter: 32.60 mm; 14.5 lignes
- 249 parts, frequency of 21,600 vph (3Hz)
- Tourbillon carriage: 1.95 mm thick, mounted on a peripherally-driven ultra-thin ball-bearing mechanism 
- Variable-inertia balance requiring no index-assembly
- Approx. 55-hour power reserve
- High-end finishing: bevelling, Côtes de Genève

Case and dial

- Platinum case, 40 mm in diameter
- Polished black lacquered dial
- Black alligator leather strap


Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon

With the addition of the new Finissimo watches, Bulgari continues to develop its Octo collection of watches with innovations in both form and content. The iconic line is expanding significantly with a wider range of sizes and complications, having added a chronograph version as well in addition to the elegant and formal hand-wound ultra-thin complication watches.

It is evident that Bulgari has learned how to combine a sensational aesthetic inspired by Italian creativity with its fine-jewelry legacy and the wonderful precision of exceptional Swiss mechanics. The manufacture’s advancements have been fueled by its efforts to gradually bring all of the traditional skills under its roof and gaining full mastery of modern technologies and all of its production abilities. As a result, Bvlgari now has complete control of all creative and assembly processes.







With the Octo Finissimo watches, Bulgari matches style with performance. The tourbillon improves the accuracy of mechanical watches by offsetting perturbations caused by the earth’s gravity in the balance wheel’s isochronism. Delicately made and protected by its cage, the tourbillon defies gravity with its rotations, which are as “finely tuned as a high-performance racing engine and as poetic as a beating heart.”

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon

This message has been edited by pingtsai on 2014-04-06 10:24:35


More posts: Ballon BleuFlying TourbillonOcto Finissimo

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Comments: view entire thread

 

The Bulgari is NOT the thinnest tourbillon ever made

 
 By: Goldenlutin : April 6th, 2014-00:51
The thinnest tourbillon in a wristwatch is and was the Audemars Piguet from 1986 with 4.8mm and it even is AUTOMATIC! The Bulgari is a nice watch though, but not the thinnest ever made ... Best, Goldenlutin

Are you talking about this one?

 
 By: foversta : April 6th, 2014-02:02
Fx ...  

Hmm...maybe the movement is the thinnest

 
 By: pingtsai : April 6th, 2014-10:10
They are marketing it as such I think. They are saying the movement is 1.95mm. Is that the thinnest?

The Bulgari IS the thinnest tourbillon.....

 
 By: timekeeper703 : April 6th, 2014-14:31
Hi, The AP your referring to is Calibre 2870 where the back of the case is part of the base plate.....that movement is 5mm thick. The point of that watch wasnt being thinnest....it was the size of the tourbillon cage being the smallest. The Bulgari Tourb.... 

The iconic Octo

 
 By: jrwong23 (aka watchthebin) : April 6th, 2014-05:28
Is growing into a family with complications! Very exciting for Bulgari. I like the black lacquered dial and iconic Octo case. Even the simplest Octo in steel and black lacquer will attract me. This Octo tourbillon, whether the thinnest or not, is simply f... 

Great engineering and taste...very impressive indeed.

 
 By: jimjenkins : April 7th, 2014-20:29
Being a Patek wearer for some time, I am increasingly being disappointed by the bulky pieces Patek is producing these days. The new Pateks seem to be the same old movement, which is good for reliability, fitted into increasingly bulky and thick cases, whi...