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Bvlgari Octo Finissimo 40mm Black Dial Automatic Stainless Steel Mens Watch
Ref. 103297
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Stepping up in Bvlgari's range
The Octo Finissimo line has spent years accumulating world records for thinness, and this 2020 stainless steel reference marks a deliberate shift in how it presents itself. Where earlier iterations leaned on sandblasted matte surfaces, here the 110-facet octagonal geometry is dressed in alternating satin-brushed and mirror-polished planes — an approach borrowed from Bulgari's jewellery work, and one that rewards angled light rather than diffusing it. At 6.40mm the case is extraordinary for a self-winding watch, yet it wears larger than 40mm suggests because the integrated bracelet reads as a continuous architectural surface rather than an accessory attached to a case. On the wrist it sits completely flat. The BVL 138 that drives it — made in the Vallée de Joux at a facility carrying the technical inheritance of Daniel Roth and Gérald Genta — measures just 2.23mm thick, wound by a platinum micro-rotor dense enough to do useful work at that scale. The caseback earns a look: mirrored anglage, perlage, Côtes de Genève and solarisation finishing are all present, and the full balance bridge, which most movements at this thickness forgo, gives the calibre resistance to shock that the case alone cannot provide. The clasp recesses its joints flush with the bracelet links, so nothing interrupts the profile when worn.
- Reference
- 103297
- Brand
- Bvlgari
- Collection
- Octo Finissimo
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 6.40mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- BVL 138
- Functions
- Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 60 hours
- Origin
- Swiss made
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 4 collections
This watch appears in the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo range (14), Back in Stock (3,225), Stainless Steel Watches (3,084) and Automatic Watches (1,759).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 40mm suits most wrists
- 6.4mm is unusually slim for a 40mm case
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
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 | 103297 | 1-37-02-08-02-63 | 49.9300.3620/21.I001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £12,900 | £12,700 | £13,900 |
| Case size | 40mm | 40mm | 41mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Rubber strap | Ceramic bracelet |
| Power reserve | 60 hours | 70 hours | 60 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
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 60 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, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
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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