Bulgari had a number of surprises in store for Geneva Watch Days, which helped the brand stand out from a somewhat quiet field. At the top of the list was the Octo Finissimo Dual Time x Vianney Halter, which shoehorns the steampunk aesthetic developed by Jeff Barnes and Vianney Halter into Bulgari’s minimalist Octo Finissimo platform.
The confluence of designs mostly succeeds, whether in sandblasted titanium or 18k rose gold. The latter recalls Vianney Halter’s beloved Antiqua, but the flat and wide Octo case gives this collaboration a distinct personality.
Initial thoughts
Bulgari is no stranger to collaborations, and neither is Vianney Halter, who is surely one of the most prolific collaborators in the field of independent watchmaking. At Geneva Watch Days alone, three different brands exhibited watches with his name attached to them.
Notably, the French watchmaker has collaborated with Massena Lab, Louis Erard, and even Behrens, the upstart from Shenzen.
For Bulgari’s part, the brand’s product director Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani has developed the Octo Finissimo into a platform for experimentation, lending its sleek footprint to renowned architects, painters, and even tattoo artists, often to good effect.
The versatility of the Octo Finissimo is due in large part to its singular character — its wide, aggressively tapering bracelet and ultra-slim construction make it recognisable with or without the Bulgari logo or other decorative treatments.
The collaboration with Vianney Halter comes in two configurations, with vastly different personalities and price points. The sandblasted titanium edition looks and feels more like a typical Octo Finissimo thanks to its muted colour and distinctive bracelet, while the rose gold variant more closely channels the spirit of Vianney Halter’s Antiqua.
The latter is priced more like an Antiqua too. The retail price of CHF108,000 is more than double the going rate for a Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time in the same metal, which means there’s a lot riding on the Halter/Barnes aesthetic. That might be a tough sell, since the signature details can be found for less than CHF5,000 from Louis Erard.
That said, there are probably at least 15 buyers for whom the mix of steampunk and minimalism will prove irresistible.
Antiqua reimagined
The Antiqua-inspired design gives the Octo Finissimo and instrument panel-like look, especially details like the crescent-shaped crystal for the day/night indicator, which feels straight out of Jules Verne.
The case finishing is also Antiqua-esque, with concentric circular brushing on the upper-most bezel, contrasting with the usual sandblasted treatment found on the rest of the case.
The riveted bezels of the primary time display at one o’clock and the day/night indicator bulge slightly, but stop short of overhanging the case entirely. This aspect of the design was probably dictated by Bulgari to ensure the overall shape of the Octo Finissimo remains undiluted.
That logic probably explains the use of the standard Octo Finissimo crown as well, rather than the studded design common to Vianney Halter’s own watches and his past collaborations with Louis Erard.
Unfortunately, the 40.5 mm case doesn’t wear anything like an Antiqua, as the wide lug spacing tends to ride up on the ulnar styloid of those with boney wrists for a somewhat awkward fit.
A bit thicker, but still thin
The watch is clearly still an Octo, but it’s slightly less finissimo due to the trio of protruding bezels that raise the total thickness to 9.7 mm at its thickest point. That’s still plenty thin, but it’s 50% thicker than the collection’s standard-bearer.
Bezels aside, the main body of the case is just 7.7 mm thick and houses the cal. BVF 200, which looks and feels like the BVL 138 inside the similarly sized 40 mm variant.
The roughly seven o’clock position of the second time zone dial, which features co-axial running seconds, reveals the commonality in the underlying architecture.
In short, it’s a wide, flat movement with an inset micro-rotor and small balance wheel. Despite its slim build, it still manages a respectable 60 hours of power reserve. The BVF 200 is a so-called ‘caller’ GMT — the case pusher advances the second time zone hour hand in discreet increments, and the second time zone is likewise synced with the day/night indicator.
The finishing is more industrial than one might expect for a six-figure watch, but that tends to be the case for overtly design-oriented watches. Notably, the movement is constructed with conventional screws, unlike the more thematic octagonal bolts used in the BVF 100, which debuted earlier this year and was probably developed somewhat in tandem with the BVF 200.
Key facts and price
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Dual Time x Vianney Halter
Ref. 104356 (sandblasted titanium)
Ref. 104355 (18k rose gold)
Diameter: 40.5 mm
Height: 9.7 mm
Material: Titanium or 18k rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m
Movement: BVF 200
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, second time zone, date, and day/night indicator
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 60 hours
Strap: Titanium bracelet or leather strap
Limited edition: 30 pieces (titanium); 15 pieces (rose gold)
Availability: From Bulgari boutiques and retailers
Price: CHF70,000 (sandblasted titanium), CHF108,000 (18k rose gold) excluding taxes
For more, visit bulgari.com.