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Bvlgari Octo Finissimo 42mm Automatic Mens Watch
Ref. 103371
The Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT has accumulated a remarkable number of world records for its category since it first appeared, and this 2021 variant makes a deliberate visual departure from the original titanium-bracelet release. Where that watch wore its grey monochrome as a kind of understatement, the sandblasted case paired with a black opaline dial pushes for contrast — the octagonal geometry reads more sharply against the dark ground, and the ceramic-set crown keeps the hardware consistent. At 6.90mm thick, the BVL 318 is the movement doing the real work here. Carrying a chronograph, GMT and small seconds into that profile required Bvlgari to develop a peripheral rotor in platinum and aluminium rather than a conventional central one, freeing the space a standard rotor would have consumed. The result is a watch that disappears under a cuff despite a 52.3mm lug-to-lug span — titanium keeps the weight low enough that the breadth across the wrist becomes presence rather than burden. The GMT function is worth noting for anyone who travels regularly: the local hour hand adjusts in single-hour steps via a pusher at 9 o'clock, leaving the running seconds and chronograph undisturbed while crossing time zones.
- Reference
- 103371
- Brand
- Bvlgari
- Collection
- Octo Finissimo
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 6.90mm
- Case material
- Titanium
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- BVL 318
- Functions
- Chronograph, GMT, Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Ex-display
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 52.3mm
- Power reserve
- 55 hours
Learn more about Bvlgari
Sotirio Bulgari was a silversmith from a village in Epirus who arrived in Rome and opened a shop on Via Sistina in 1884, later moving to the Via Condotti address the company still occupies. The Latinised V in the logo is a deliberate reference to classical Rome, and the house has drawn on Roman architecture and coinage ever since.
Two designs define it. The Serpenti, a coiled snake bracelet watch that first appeared in the 1940s, is the piece most associated with the name. The Bvlgari Bvlgari of 1975, with the brand name doubled around the bezel in the manner of a Roman coin inscription, began as a limited run for clients and became a permanent line.
Watchmaking became serious in 2000, when Bvlgari bought Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth and with them a genuine complications capability. Since 2014 the Octo Finissimo has set a series of world records for thinness across different complications — tourbillon, minute repeater, automatic, chronograph — which is not the sort of thing a jeweller was expected to be doing.
- 1884
- Sotirio Bulgari opens his first shop in Rome
- 1975
- The Bvlgari Bvlgari, with the name doubled around the bezel
- 2000
- Acquisition of Gérald Genta and Daniel Roth brings complications in house
- 2014
- The Octo Finissimo begins a run of world records for thinness
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo range (14), Automatic Watches (1,759), Chronograph Watches (1,181), Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (374), GMT Watches (245) and Titanium Watches (179).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 6.9mm is unusually slim for a 42mm case
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Second time zone for travelling
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Bvlgari Octo Finissimo alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 103371 | 1-90-12-03-12-02 | O13125342055001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £12,750 | £11,995 | £14,500 |
| Case size | 42mm | 40mm | 41mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 55 hours | — | 55 hours |
| This watch |
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Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 55 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 52.3mm, which suits wrists from roughly 17.5cm (7 inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
How to size a watch to your wristIs it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb list it at £12,750, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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