Following the reveal of the Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Silvered Dial, the brand has now released a steel version of the Octo Finissimo Chronograph. What could be seen as a possible alternative to the AP ROO, for those in the market, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Chronograph GMT now comes with a steel bracelet and case which encompasses a beautiful new sunray blue dial with contrasting silver sub-dials.
The original version of this timepiece (Octo Fiissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic) was available in titanium. The timepiece was crowned as the thinnest mechanical timepiece in the world when it was first released in March 2019. From the original titanium watch to this latest steel model, there certainly are quite a few changes.
Initial thoughts:
Straight off the bat, this new steel version doesn’t quite carry the same specs that the 2019 titanium record-breaking model did. While the original Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT measured at 42mm x 6.9mm for case size, the new S model measures 43mm x 8.75mm thick. Like the Octo Finissmo S Silvered dial that was released before, the new Chronograph S GMT also comes with an increase from 30m to 100m water resistance. For a sports model, this increase is certainly a plus and is sure to be met with positivity in the watch community.
The hour markers on the new Octo Finissimo S Chronograph GMT have increased in size from the previous titanium version. The 12 o’clock Arabic marker has been beefed up somewhat, making its presence known against the blue sunray dial. The reason the other markers have been increased in size is to now accommodate the lume. Along with the hour markers, the hour and minute hands have also been given lume, which the previous titanium model didn’t have. That was one of the drawbacks of the titanium Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT, the lack of lume affected the readability of the dial, especially in low light conditions.
The movement on this new piece is the brand’s own BVL 318. The Cal. BVL 318 is an ultra-thin automatic movement that produces a frequency of 28, 800 VpH. It’s a record-setting movement for Bulgari, as regardless of the different complications on the model, it’s still only 3.30mm thick! The calibre BVL 318 movement powers the 24-hour sub-counter at the 3 o’clock position, the 30-minute counter at 6 o’clock position, and the constant seconds counter at 9’clock position, along with the hour, minute, and chronograph seconds hand. The calibre BVL 318 can put out a power reserve of approximately 55 hours.
Compared to the previous titanium version, the new Bulgari Octo Finissimo S Chronograph GMT sure does look a lot more lively. The bigger case size however may not be to everyone’s liking as most enthusiasts today are preferring smaller sizes on the wrist. That’s not to say this new model is a deal-breaker, as the case size has only increased by an extra millimetre, which truth be told is barely noticeable. What is noticeable however is the beautiful blue dial, and the contrasting effect provided by the silver markers, hands, and sub-dials.
