LVMH Watch Week: Bulgari Goes for Gold in 2024

Jeremy Freed January 31, 2024

As an Italian brand with its roots in fine jewellery, Bulgari doesn’t have the same breadth of model families in its watch lineup as some of its siblings at LVMH, but that’s not a bad thing. With a mix of classic archival designs like the Bulgari Bulgari and modern ones like the record-setting Octo Finissimo, Bulgari remains among the most respected watchmakers on the planet, with a Swiss workshop that turns out more than its share of innovative new models each year. This week Bulgari unveiled two new 38mm versions of the 1970s Bulgari Bulgari in gold, and three new versions of the ultra-thin Octo Finissimo. Here’s what you need to know about each of them.

Bulgari Bulgari

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Next year marks the 50th anniversary of one of the brand’s most famous designs, the Bulgari Bulgari, and they are likely planning to go all-out in celebration of that milestone. The two new 38mm models, one in yellow gold with a black dial and one in rose gold with a white dial, will only build anticipation of what’s coming. They also represent a tantalizing return to form that complements the current enthusiasm for 1970s design.

Launched in 1975 as the Bulgari Roma, the Bulgari Bulgari was created by the legendary watch designer Gerald Genta, and like everything with Genta’s fingerprint on it (including his namesake brand, which is currently being revived by LVMH) has surged in popularity in recent years. The first version of the Bulgari Roma, of which just 100 were made, married a digital display (which was the height of cutting-edge cool at the time) with a yellow gold case engraved to mimic an antique Roman coin.

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In 1977, an analog version was introduced with “Bulgari Bulgari” engraved into the gold bezel, and its essential design has remained unchanged ever since. Bulgari updated the watch in recent years with steel cases, black PVD finishing, and matching metal bracelets, but missing until now has been the original combination of a yellow gold case and a leather strap — an addition that gives the new Bulgari Bulgari a decidedly vintage feel.

“With its pure aesthetic, the original Bulgari Bulgari perfectly embodies our DNA, without any need for further embellishment,” says Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Bulgari’s Product Creation Executive Director. While the face of the Bulgari Bulgari remains delightfully intact, the new models feature a transparent case back displaying an automatic movement made in-house by the Bulgari Manufacture in Switzerland. ($17,600)

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Yellow Gold

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The namesake octagonal case of the Octo Finissimo is inspired by a Gerald Genta design from the 1980s, but since its launch in 2014, it has become a proving ground for Bulgari’s ambitions as a 21st century watchmaker. With numerous records to its credit, including the ‘Ultra’ model that at just 1.8 mm thick became the world’s thinnest watch in 2022, the Octo continues to be the launchpad for Bulgari’s most advanced movements and innovative case materials, including recent examples in carbon, titanium, and ceramic. The new Octo Finissimo Yellow Gold takes things in a more old-school direction, pairing the model’s first-ever 18k yellow gold case with a blue sunray dial. ($59,000)

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tuscan Copper

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Also new to the Bulgari lineup is the Octo Finissimo Tuscan Copper, a steel version with a stunning salmon dial. “Here, the metallic salmon tone draws its inspiration from the roots of Italian art,” explains Buonamassa Stigliani. “More precisely [it draws inspiration] from a disruptive movement of the time called Mannerism, which marked my own training as a designer.” A version with a blue sunray dial also joins the collection this year. While perhaps the more timeless of the two, it’s hard to compete with the eye-catching pink of the Tuscan Copper version. 

True to the family name, all new additions to the Octo Finissimo collection are impressively svelte, measuring just 6.4 mm thick in total. Their modest profile is made possible by an extra-slim automatic movement with a platinum micro-rotor, which despite its size boasts a 60-hour power reserve. ($18,000)