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Bvlgari Octo Roma 41mm Mens Watch Grey
Ref. 103740
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Stepping up in Bvlgari's range
The Octo Roma's geometry traces back to a 2012 collaboration between Bvlgari and architect Peter Marino, which established the octagonal case language the collection still speaks. This 2023 generation refines that foundation without abandoning it — the case remains the distinctive shape that is neither round nor a true polygon but reads as both depending on where the light falls across its alternating satin and polished surfaces. At 9.15mm thick, the case sits closer to a dress watch in profile than most people expect from a steel sports piece, and that is where the Octo Roma makes its argument. The Clous de Paris hobnail texture on the anthracite dial gives the surface constant movement without adding visual noise — it shifts between near-black and a warm grey depending on the angle, holding the eye in a way a plain brushed dial would not. The BVL 191 Solotempo running beneath it is an in-house manufacture calibre built to be slim and dependable rather than decorative, which is the honest ambition for a movement that will be worn this way. The bracelet swaps without tools via pushers recessed into the case back — a practical detail that keeps the integrated look intact while allowing changes in a few seconds rather than a few minutes at a watchmaker's bench.
- Reference
- 103740
- Brand
- Bvlgari
- Collection
- Octo Roma
- Case size
- 41mm
- Case thickness
- 9.15mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Octagonal
- Dial
- Anthracite
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- BVL 191 Solotempo
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 42 hours
- Warranty
- 5 years
- Strap
- Interchangeable
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 5 collections
This watch appears in the Bvlgari Octo Roma range (6), Back in Stock (3,229), Stainless Steel Watches (3,088), Automatic Watches (1,763) and Grey Dial Watches (248).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Bvlgari's range as we list it
Bvlgari Octo Roma alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 103740 | SBGJ265 | AB01761A1K1X1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £6,800 | £6,900 | £5,950 |
| Case size | 41mm | 40mm | 41mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 42 hours | 55 hours | 70 hours |
| This watch | 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 42 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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