THE NEW OCTO ROMA: THE FIFTH ELEMENT OR THE QUEST FOR QUINTESSENCE

ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME

All roads lead to Rome, according to the saying that placed the Eternal City at the centre of the ancient world. The same is true of OCTO: nurtured by the octagonal motifs adorning the Basilica of Maxentius, the watchmaking shape was born in the 2000s in the form of Grand Complication models, before gradually drawing closer to the very heart of the symbol in 2012 – when the hours and minutes version was launched, showcasing the well-known design. It is now reinterpreted in an approach that pushes the formal purity of the octagon to its very limits.

Ancient philosophers vaunted the principle of ‘quintessence’, meaning the most refined version of a material or a concept. Bulgari has chosen to strive towards this pure ideal by offering an additional version of its OCTO line, a highly refined model embodying this quest for absolutes.

The new OCTO ROMA epitomises the very heart of the collection, while endowing it with an extra dimension. Known for their structured case featuring 110 facets, OCTO watches introduced a new form-focused approach based on a strong and innovative design centred around the geometrical octagon shape. The collection is built around four major pillars: the classic OCTO watches; the Velocissimo chronographs; the ultra-thin Finissimo models of which the design finds new expression in the mastery of extreme slimness with the Small seconds; and the Finissimo models with horological complications, such as the spectacular Minute Repeater and the Tourbillon – both of which hold world slimness records in their respective categories.

The new OCTO ROMA embodies the ‘fifth element’ by introducing an elegant, modern and urban touch tending towards absolute purity, while respecting the design fundamentals of the model.

MASTERY OF FORMAL DESIGN

Simplicity is a complex matter. Pervaded by the inimitably Italian and highly subtle form of elegance that characterises the style of the Maison, the designers have striven to enhance the perfect sense of harmonious proportions enabling them to express the key elements of the OCTO watch.

The central feature is of course the octagon, the pure shape ideally balanced on eight sides and a token of life, infinite creation and regeneration. Brimming with cultural and symbolic connotations, this motif is present in the work of the greatest architects – and notably Italian ones – from the Middle Ages and Renaissance onwards. Its shape combines the circle and the square, two key shapes in watchmaking. Bulgari thus embeds the measurement of time within a perfectly geometrical framework.

Fired by a love of modernity and contemporary design, the Maison adopts a formal approach to watchmaking creativity intended to create beauty and stir emotions by making optimal use of aesthetic efficiency. The new OCTO lives up to this promise by focusing on essentials with genuine style: an ideal 41 mm diameter that is both highly contemporary in terms of its presence on the wrist, yet extremely easy to live with due to its sense of moderation. The iconic OCTO case has been subtly reworked so as to ensure an even smoother and more comfortable feel, while maintaining its inherent strength. Even the strap has been treated to a practical enhancement that will be especially appreciated by the wearer, thanks to a seamless, comfortable 32.5 mm width ensuring ideal flow on the wrist.

A NEW ARCHETYPAL EPICUREAN WATCH DESIGNED FOR DAILY WEAR

OCTO ROMA is a matter of choice. It becomes the watch of all those who refuse compromises and conformity. Should an elegant, timeless urban watch ideal for everyday wear necessarily be traditional and round? That’s only one way of looking at it. Those who choose the OCTO watch prefer to assert their personality and to affirm their preference for a singular, sensual watch model, propelling them firmly towards the future with its powerful design.

OCTO ROMA will be available in five versions with three dial variations – white, black or brown – and several case finishes, in steel, two-tone gold and steel, or gold alone. While the seamless leather straps are particularly pleasant for daily wear, the steel bracelet with its distinctive links and well-known comfortable fit is also available. Far removed from any tendency towards standardisation, OCTO epitomises a quest for absolutes.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

OCTO ROMA

Movement
Bidirectional mechanical self-winding movement, Calibre BVL 191 Solotempo, driving indications of the hours, minutes and seconds, date window at 3 o’clock; Côtes de Genève motif, chamfering and snailing; 42-hour power reserve.

Case and dial
58-facet case in 18kt pink gold, steel or 18kt pink gold and steel, 41mm in diameter, transparent caseback, screw-lock crown in 18kt pink gold or steel with a ceramic insert; water-resistant to 100m.

Bracelet/Strap
Steel bracelet or black or brown alligator leather strap with folding or pin buckle depending on the version; black lacquered, silver-toned or sunburst polished brown dial, facetted skeleton hands, hand-applied hour-markers.

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