Interpreted by Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima, BVLGARI’s latest Octo Finissimo blurs horology with abstraction.

BVLGARI 2022 Octo Finissimo Sejima PHOTO COURTESY OF BVLGARI
BVLGARI 2022 Octo Finissimo Sejima

Since the Octo design was reintroduced in 2012, it has quickly become an icon among BVLGARI’s watch collections. While it was initially only released with timeonly and chronograph references, the Octo Finissimo was the perfect canvas for BVLGARI to flex its watchmaking prowess and freely experiment with design. Within five years of the watch’s debut, it set multiple notable records: the thinnest tourbillon, the thinnest minute repeater and the thinnest ultrathin self-winding movement in the market.

Japanese architect Kazuo Sejima of Kazuyo Sejima & Associates. PHOTO BY MACIEJ KUCIA
Japanese architect Kazuo Sejima of Kazuyo Sejima & Associates.

For this year’s Geneva Watch Days, BVLGARI unveiled a lineup of new Octo pieces, including a limited-edition Octo Finissimo designed by Kazuyo Sejima. The watch features a 40 mm highly polished steel case, an automatic, ultrathin movement (Caliber BVL 138) that is a mere 2.23 mm thick, and has a 60-hour power reserve. As a special touch, the Sejima-edition Octo also has an open caseback with Sejima’s signature and is presented in special packaging in steel with the same mirrorlike aesthetic of the watch. The watch will be available as a limited-edition run of 360 pieces.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BVLGARI

The sharp lines on the Octo’s case design lend themselves well to Sejima’s clean, modernist aesthetic. A Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect, Kazuyo Sejima has designed a number of notable buildings around the world, such as the Glass Pavilion in the Toledo Museum of Art, the New Museum in New York City and the Serpentine Pavilion in London. Her work focuses on the integration of natural elements into a functional space and creating opportunities for social interaction. As a result, her buildings often incorporate materials such as metals, marble and glass that maximize natural light to create a connection between the building’s interior environment and its exterior surroundings.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BVLGARI

Sejima’s design philosophy permeates every aspect of this BVLGARI Octo Finissimo, from the highly reflective look to the minimalist dial. The watch is crafted in steel, making it incredibly functional and wearable, yet the mirrorlike finish brings an almost transparent quality that lets the watch blend into any environment in which it’s worn, similar to the way her buildings fit within the spaces they occupy. The dial also maintains the watch’s crisp look with only small etched metallic dots that add a light textural element. The contrast of the sharp, bold lines and the soft, airy appearance of this piece is a perfect wearable representation of Sejima’s architectural style—subtle and understated, yet powerful and striking at the same time.


Various angles of the BVLGARI 2022 Octo Finissimo Sejima limited-edition watch reveal the BVL 138 caliber mechanical manufacture in-house movement with automatic winding. PHOTO COURTESY OF BVLGARI
Various angles of the BVLGARI 2022 Octo Finissimo Sejima limited-edition watch reveal the BVL 138 caliber mechanical manufacture in-house movement with automatic winding.

In the last 10 years, BVLGARI has amplified its watchmaking capabilities and showcased a number of its horological achievements with the Octo Finissimo. The Sejima edition is no different, as it redefines the possibilities of watch design with its reflective properties and signature ultrathin movement. With this piece, BVLGARI has cemented itself as a power player in the watchmaking world that is able to effortlessly blend innovative design with technologically advanced horology. The Sejima Octo Finissimo is truly a unique watch that has the potential to become a hallmark piece of the brand, representing the best of BVLGARI watchmaking.

The highly polished reflective surfaces of the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Sejima limited edition designed by Kazuo Sejima are reminiscent of elements used in her architecture. PHOTO COURTESY OF BVLGARI
The highly polished reflective surfaces of the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Sejima limited edition designed by Kazuo Sejima are reminiscent of elements used in her architecture.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BVLGARI