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Bvlgari Octo Finissimo 42mm Mens Watch
Ref. 103068
Sits in Bvlgari’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Bvlgari watches we list, which start at £2,980.
Price range £2,980 to £26,200 across 22 Bvlgari watches in stock.The Octo Finissimo Chrono GMT has accumulated a remarkable run of records since its first iterations, and this titanium version sits at the centre of that story. The BVL 318 movement inside measures 3.30mm thick — a chronograph movement, which means it also manages a split-seconds architecture, a GMT hand, and a 55-hour power reserve within that height. The platinum peripheral rotor, wound at the outer edge of the movement rather than centrally, is what makes the overall case depth of 6.90mm possible. That figure matters practically: 42mm across but under 7mm deep is the profile of a dress watch, yet the complications here are unambiguously serious. The octagonal case architecture traces back to Gérald Genta, and the matte sandblasted finish across case, dial and bracelet gives it a deliberately monolithic quality — no polished chamfers, no contrast, just a single continuous grey surface that reads differently in direct and angled light. The GMT hand advances in one-hour increments via a pusher at 9 o'clock rather than through crown rotation, which keeps adjustments clean without disturbing the running seconds. On the wrist, titanium construction at this volume means the watch is almost surprisingly light, and the integrated bracelet with its flush three-blade clasp keeps everything sitting close and secure beneath a cuff.
- Reference
- 103068
- Brand
- Bvlgari
- Collection
- Octo Finissimo
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 6.90mm
- Case material
- Titanium
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Grey
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- BVL 318
- Functions
- Chronograph, GMT, Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Titanium bracelet
- Strap colour
- Grey
- Clasp
- Butterfly clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- 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 7 collections
This watch appears in the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo range (14), Back in Stock (3,225), Automatic Watches (1,759), Chronograph Watches (1,181), Grey Dial Watches (247), GMT Watches (245) and Titanium Watches (179).
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
- One of Bvlgari's more premium watches
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 | 103068 | 414202000 | 242-20/43 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £18,500 | £19,541 | £19,200 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 30m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Titanium bracelet | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 55 hours | 52 hours | 42 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
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.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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