1.85mm Thick Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon is World’s Thinnest Tourbillon Watch

The obsession with ultra-thin watches continues with the release of the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon (USD$678,000), which has reclaimed the title from the Piaget Altiplano Concept Tourbillon (2mm thick) as the world’s thinnest tourbillon watch at just 1.85mm thick.

Released at Watches & Wonders 2025, it’s the latest in an ever-evolving line of ultra-thin watches from Bvlgari that dates back to 2014 when the brand released the hand-wound Octo Tourbillon. The brand followed that release with the world’s thinnest minute repeater (3.12 mm in 2016), the Octo Finissimo Automatic (2.23 mm in 2017), and the thinnest perpetual calendar ever (2.75 mm in 2021), which earned the prestigious Aiguille d’Or at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). Finally, the Octo Finissimo Ultra (2022) set another record with a total thickness of just 1.8 mm and then a COSC-certified variant was released in 2024.

“Each record has been a stepping stone,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of LVMH Watches and Bvlgari. “Setting a record isn’t just about crossing barriers – it’s about redefining what’s possible in mechanical watchmaking. With each challenge, we’ve had to rethink not only traditional techniques but also how watches are designed and developed.”

How is the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon So Thin?

• Diameter: 40mm
• Thickness: 1.85mm
• Case Material: Titanium
• Strap/Bracelet: Bracelet

Movement aside for a second, we have to first talk about how Bvlgari was able to package such a watch that measures 40mm in diameter and just 1.85mm in thickness.

There are eight specific patents covering innovations on the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon, and all of them help this watch achieve a thickness of 1.85mm.

Here’s the list of the patents for the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon:

• Differential display
• Integrated case middle and plate design
• Bi-material case back
• Crystal mounting method
• Novel barrel structure
• Oscillator module
• Modular construction
• Bracelet design

If we were to break it down into the sum of its parts, the tungsten carbide main plate that houses the mechanical movement is the hallmark piece of the watch. It’s joined by the two stainless steel planar ‘crowns’ that protrude from the side of the case, at left (8 o’clock) to wind the mechanism and at right (3 o’clock) to set the time. Likewise, the ratchet is adorned with engraved geometric decorations rendered in circular-grained steel.

This watch also marks the return to a two hand display with rhodium-plated hour and minute hands set against a sand-blasted brass surface with a DLC anthracite coating – unlike its predecessors, the Octo Finissimo Ultra and Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC.

To match the bezel, case middle, and lugs, a microbead-frosted titanium integrated bracelet mirrors the watch with an ultra-thin design that’s just 1.5mm thick—including the folding clasp.

Not without genuine highlights, the bezel flange has a polished slope, there’s rhodium-plated tourbillon balance and inertia blocks, and a sunburst finished rhodium-plated tourbillon bridge. It’s hard to wrap your head around just how hard this is to achieve from a manufacturing perspective, but Bvlgari has done it.

“The idea was to create a watch that encapsulates all our expertise,” said Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Product Creation Executive Director at Bvlgari. “It’s not just about having the finest design but achieving a precise execution that tells the story of the Octo Finissimo series while respecting the integrity of its distinctive aesthetic codes. Every detail, from the indexes to the tourbillon skeleton, bears witness to our commitment to excellence.”

Finally, the octagonal shape was inspired by the coffered ceilings of the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine.

What Powers the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon?

• Calibre: BVL 900
• Functions: Hours and minutes
• Power reserve: 42 hours
• Winding: Hand-winding
• Frequency: 4 Hz

The manually-wound movement in the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon is a work of art, made even more special because of the fact it’s skeletonised.

Technically-speaking, it’s the BVF 900 tourbillon calibre, a manually wound mechanical movement that beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz) and offers a 42-hour power reserve. It looks rather similar to the BVL 180 calibre we saw last year, but the bottom section of the movement has clearly been reworked to squeeze in a tourbillon and only increase the thickness by 0.15mm (about two human hairs).

Compared to models past that used the BVL 180 movement, such as the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra ref. 104081 which offered a COSC-certified movement and 50 hours of power reserve, it’s not quite as highly-specified. However, it’s a tourbillon for crying out loud, and these specifications and the records they set showcase the Bvlgari Manufacture’s incredible watch-making abilities.

Where Can You Buy the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon?

If you want to purchase the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon and your AD hasn’t already contacted you, good luck! This release is limited to just 20 pieces and is priced at USD$678,000

You can, however, get your hands on a lovely Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days in titanium that was also released by the brand at Watches & Wonders 2025.