Bulgari Honors 10th Anniversary of OCTO Collection By Unveiling Its Eighth Record-Breaking Watch

In a mere decade, Bulgari’s OCTO Collection has become one of the most extraordinary watchmaking adventures of the 21st century.

Photo Credit: Bulgari

After 10 years of the original OCTO collection (OCTO L’originale), Bulgari marked a historic day in Rome in the legendary Piazza della Rotonda. The Italian luxury brand honored the beauty and history of the Pantheon and Rome itself as it celebrated a dream come true: the 10th anniversary of the OCTO Collection. A dream made possible thanks to the collaboration with the Direzione Musei Statali Città di Roma, and the Museo del Pantheon, but also for the support received from Soprintendenza Speciale Archeologia, Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali and Parco Archeologico del Colosseo.

“This fabulous landmark that we are setting with the Octo Finissimo Ultra is in fact – for me and all the teams – the fulfillment of a dream,” said Jean-Cristophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari.

“One which now guarantees that Bulgari will forever be acknowledged as having written some of the finest chapters in Swiss watchmaking. And the fact that the Maison is Italian makes us particularly proud.”

The dream of earning an eights world record seemed impossible. However, the Octo Finissimo Ultra is the embodiment of that dream. The slimness of the watch is 1.8mm (barely thicker than a sheet of paper) and triggers a peerless physical and emotional sensation when worn. Additionally, it serves as an extraordinary mechanical feat that heralds a new era of ultra-thinness.

Photo Credit: Bulgari

The Pantheon was the scene of an iconic art installation which consisted of three moments, one of which in Live real time. The beginning and the end of the show saw thousands of data from the history of Italian architecture and art that, through artificial intelligence algorithms, have been reworked and projected on the pronaos of the Pantheon.

In the intermediate section of the event, the orchestra of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia made its debut with a live performance. On stage, the 8 + 8 Percussion Ensemble of the “Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia – Alta Formazione” led by Edoardo Giachino gave a breathtaking concert notably demonstrating exceptional percussion mastery.

Photo Credit: Bulgari

The artwork, at this moment of the show, has been created in Live, using data extracted from the brain waves of the conductor monitored through an EEG Headset device. The ultimate result was a stunning creation of a never-before-seen work that crosses the boundary between man and machine, merging the flow of human consciousness with the flow of data collected and reprocessed through artificial intelligence algorithms.

“The mastery of Academia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia magnifies the majesty of the OCTO watch,” said Antoine Pin, Bulgari Watches manning Director.

“The rhythm of the music infused with the digital AI artwork by Oouch artist creates the perfect scenery to express 10 years of a record-breaking journey.”

Guests, friends of the Maison, celebrities and ambassadors all enthusiastically gathered around Bulgari CEO, Jean-Cristophe Babin, to celebrate the event together.

Photo Credit: Bulgari

The number eight became somewhat synonymous with the historic event. There are eight columns in the Pantheon. The occasion celebrated Bulgari’s eighth world record. Eight patents had to be filed for a watch that measured 1.8mm in thickness. Furthermore, this one-of-a-kind watch’s design has eight facets (an exhibition on the history of the octagon shape is currently on display in the historic Bulgari boutique on Via Dei Condotti), the octagon is now complete.

Thanks to a QR code engraved on the ratchet wheel of the watch, the first ten owners of the Octo Finissimo Ultra will receive an exclusive NFT artwork that guarantees the authenticity and uniqueness of the watch by means of blockchain technology. The artwork conceptualizes the narrative of his decades-long experience in the Octo world and the creative path that led to the birth of Octo Finissimo Ultra.