I have no doubt it wasn’t easy to integrate the alligator strap so seamlessly into the case; but that does not save me from looking at the Bulgari Octo Velocissimo and wishing that it was on a slightly less wide and thinner band. On the bracelet – and again, this is a subjective note – I find it to be one of the most balanced, masculine, and unique-looking sports chronographs in steel.
Speaking of chronographs, the movement inside the Bulgari Octo Velocissimo is the BVL 328 – which probably won’t ring a bell for too many out there. When I say Zenith El Primero, though, that is a different story altogether, and you’ll instantly know what I’m talking about. Since both brands are under the LVMH umbrella, Bulgari could base its Octo chronograph on the Zenith El Primero movement – and the full-on 5-Hertz, 36,000-beats-per-hour version, at that.
Despite the Bulgari branded winding rotor’s skeletonized and, again, nicely decorated looks, the El Primero remains instantly recognizable to those who know it. Automatic winding, running seconds, a central seconds, 60-minute and 12-hour displaying chronograph, and a discreet, white-on-black date at 4:30 marks the total list of functions. Bulgari does have its own, so-called Solotempo, “time-only,” fully in-house-made caliber with the BVL 191, but for a chronograph of this caliber (ha!), you are probably better off with something proven and more easily serviceable, such as the El Primero, rather than a fiddly and complex new in-house chronograph.
The BVL 328 marked movement inside the Bulgari Octo Velocissimo provides approximately 50 hours of power reserve and has that usual El Primero quirk that you can set the time in the crown’s first position, and the date when you pull it all the way out to its second setting. You can, of course, hand-wind the movement in the zero setting right after unscrewing the crown. Another, less welcome quirk of the El Primero is still present as well: the lack of hacking seconds. Pusher action is as good as it has always been on the El Primero – a solid click and consistent travel says it all.
We promised we’d compare the Octo to its main rivals, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph and the Rolex Daytona in steel, so we should not omit this when discussing the quality of bracelets and movements either. While we do have the leather strap option Octo in for review this time, we did have several days hands-on time with Octos on the company’s in-house made bracelets – so compare, we can.
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak bracelet ranks slightly but, for the keen eye, noticeably higher in quality of execution when compared to both the Rolex Oyster and the Octo’s proprietary steel bracelet. By contrast, the Octo and the Royal Oak, thanks to their higher number of wide but thin links, wrap around the wrist with greater ease when compared to the Rolex Oyster – but all three perform exceptionally well when it comes to wearing comfort. At the end of the day, while all three are comfortable and indeed beautifully made, quality of execution remains the Royal Oak bracelet’s forte. Still, it does demand a considerable price premium over the other two contenders – the Royal Oak Chronograph in steel costs twice as much as either of the others… and so the value proposition shifts very fast when you factor that in.
The movement in the presently available steel Royal Oak Chronograph (do not mistake it for the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph) is the AP Caliber 2385, that actually is based on a Frederic Piguet movement. The 2385 runs at 3 Hertz as opposed to 5Hz in the BVL 328, and offers 40 hours of power reserve, that is ten shorter than that of the AP movement. Last but not least, the Royal Oak Chronograph in steel comes with a solid case back, so while AP’s caliber is undoubtedly more painstakingly finished, you will not be able to appreciate it unless you open the case – which is a bummer, especially when considering the 50-meter water resistance.
Rolex’s 4130 caliber the in Cosmograph Daytona stands out for its new Rolex in-house-tested -2/+2 accuracy rating, which should blow both the El Primero-based Octo and the rather dated 2385 out of the water. The Daytona, as do all Rolexes, comes with a solid caseback as well, so no eye-candy for you here either, unfortunately. Third party sapphire case-back options are available for a few hundred extra dollars, though you do void the warranty by replacing the case-back – something one should always bear in mind.
Okay, with all that noted, a few more notes on basic aesthetics. The Octo’s dial is highly legible, thanks to the contrast between the deep, non-shiny (and yet not matte) black lacquer background and the shiny, polished, applied indices along with the long, skeletonized, faceted hands. Silver-colored hands over black dials is a recipe for disaster in terms of legibility, but the Bulgari Octo Velocissimo shows that it can actually be done right. It is extremely difficult to find a lighting situation where the hands blend into the black of the dial – at least one of their facets almost always finds a way to reflect light back at you, and the ample size difference between the hour and minute hands make it even easier to distinguish them at a glance. I hope Bulgari will soon start to offer a wide range of color options – the Octo is already available with a blue and an off-white colored dial, but I feel the masculine case design could certainly carry the weight of some more fun, colorful dials.
At this point, the Bulgari Octo Velocissimo still is an underdog in the luxury sports chronograph segment. Underdog it is, because it clearly is less “out there” than Royal Oaks and Nautiluses are, while it puts up a more than a respectable fight – even if it is priced at around half of the AP and one fifth of the Nautilus (with the obvious differences in haute horlogerie movement finishing noted, of course). It was designed by the same, renowned “watch architect,” offers fantastic, in-house case finishing (which can be matched to a superb steel bracelet), an unmolested version of one of the most famous mechanical chronograph wrist watch movements of all time, and a price point that is more than competitive when compared to these other two famous Genta designs. Like it or not, the Octo has as much if not more “manufacture pedigree” than other popular luxury steel chronographs in this segment, and it is admittedly trying very hard to convince the watch loving masses about that.
Has it succeeded, though? I think it has – when on the steel bracelet, that is.
Price for the Bulgari Octo Velocissimo in steel on the alligator leather strap is $9,900, while on the steel bracelet it is $11,000. bulgari.com
Necessary Data
>Brand: Bulgari
>Model: Octo Velocissimo
>Price: $9,900 USD as tested, $11,000 on the bracelet
>Size: 41mm wide (wears larger)
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Yes.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: The one that likes to not go for the obvious choice but rather make his own – in this instance when choosing from the packed luxury chronograph segment.
>Best characteristic of watch: Beautifully designed and executed case that has to be seen and worn for a while to be fully appreciated. Tons of fine details inside and out which make it lasting and interesting.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Personally not a fan of the wide and thick leather strap, the steel bracelet makes it pale in comparison.
