Introduced in 2017, the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic was Bulgari’s third ultra-thin world record. Since then, the Finissimo has become the defining feat of modern Bulgari watchmaking, so it’s no small wonder that slight variations of the theme keep on joining the Finissimo fleet. The latest is the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tuscan Copper watch (reference 103856) which is limited to just 50 watches, all 50 going to the North American market.

Specifications

Brand: Bulgari
Model: Octo Finissimo Tuscan Copper 103856
Dimensions: 40mm-wide, 6.40mm-thick
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Case Material: Stainless steel
Crystal/Lens: Sapphire crystal
Movement: BVL 138
Power Reserve: 60 hours
Operating Frequency: 3Hz
Strap/Bracelet: Stainless steel with integrated folding clasp
Price & Availability: $13,300 USD or $16,700 CAD, limited to just 50 pieces and available in the USA and Canada.

Don’t for a second think that the American influence would deter the Italian-Swiss brand from leaning on its rich Italian heritage: The Octo Finissimo Tuscan Copper is inspired by the supernatural light present in the paintings of an Italian artist of the 16th-century Florentine school, a light that Bulgari has distilled into a singular tonality.

Fabrizio Buonamassa, executive director of product creation at Bulgari Horlogerie adds: “Here, the particular metallic salmon tone — it is extremely rare in Bulgari watchmaking and has only been used once before — draws its inspiration not from the usual vintage aesthetic prized by collectors, but from the very roots of Italian art in the 16th century, and more precisely from a disruptive movement of the time called Mannerism, which marked my own training as a designer. Hence, my choice for this color symbolizes an experimental and disruptive artistic approach, like that of the mannerist current led by deeply anti-conformist painters, first among them Jacopo da Pontormo.” To put it more simply than that, the intention was to create something that is soft and metallic at the same time, a feat we’ll be the judge of when we catch this piece in the metal.

A bold design choice is how the rest of the watch appears completely monochromatic further highlighting the single color that is present on the dial. The case and the bracelet, the hour markers and hands, and even the ceramic insert in the crown are all silver or black in color. The BVL 138 caliber has the BVLGARI logo in golden letters — mind you on a solid .950 platinum micro-rotor — and a few wheels peak through in the same color from behind the massive plates.

All other specs remain unchanged from your regular, if we can call it that, Octo Finissimo Automatic and so the 40mm-wide case still measures a stunningly slender 6.40mm-thin courtesy of the 2.23mm-thin BVL 138 movement that operates at a 3Hz frequency and provides an extended 60-hour power reserve.

The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tuscan Copper watch is priced at $13,300 USD or $16,700 CAD and is limited to just 50 pieces available in the USA and Canada. You can learn more at the brand’s website.