Introducing the New Bulgari Octo Roma
Bulgari did not want to be left out of the week marked by Watches and Wonders (WnW) where many brands had the opportunity to present their main novelties.
So the Italian brand, despite not being present at the fair, was present at the Geneve Watch Week which ran in parallel with the WnW in the centre of Geneva and we went there to check out the news.
Among the novelties presented by the prestigious brand, we highlight the new Bulgari Octo Roma, which inhales the distinctive Italian design and a contemporary style.
There are five novelties in the Octo Roma collection, including three Octo Roma Automatic and two Octo Roma Chronograph.
The new Octo Roma Automatic that comes with the regular time function add only the complication of the date, wears a stainless steel case 41mm in diameter by 9.15mm thick, a two-layer bezel, an external round shape with a brushed finish that sits in a second with the octagonal shape with a polished finish whose finish extends to the remaining surface of the case, while the edges are brushed, crown with crown guards and a black cap, sapphire glass on the front and on the caseback and 100m of water resistance.
The dial that comes with the “Clous de Paris” motif comes in three colours: blue, anthracite or white. Applied hour markers and the traditional Arabic numerals at 6 and 12 o’clock filled with Super-LumiNova as happens with the hour and minute sword hands, central seconds hand and date window at 3 o’clock.
Inside they come equipped with the BVL 191 automatic movement that operates at 28,800 Vph and offers up to 42 hours of power reserve.
The watches are fixed on a steel bracelet and come with an additional blue or black rubber strap matching the dial. It should also be noted that both the bracelet and the strap benefit from the easy interchangeable system that allows you to change straps without the need for tools.
The new Octo Roma Chronographs, which have exactly the same stainless steel case configuration, although with larger dimensions, measuring 42mm in diameter by 12.4mm in thickness, add just two pushers buttons with a rectangular shape that are fixed to the walls of the crown guards and lugs.
The dial of the Octo Roma Chronograph comes with the same “Clous de Paris” motif but here only available in two colours, in blue or black, with three counters formed by a small second, 12-hour counter and 30-minute counter at 3-6- 9 hours respectively, applied hour markers and Arabic numerals and hands all filled with luminescent material, a central chronograph seconds hand and a date window at 4 1/2 o’clock.
At the heart of the new chronograph operates the Caliber BVL 399 with an automatic movement that runs at 28,800 Vph and offers up to 42 hours of power reserve.
As with the regular version, the new Octo Roma Chronograph is offered with a steel bracelet and an additional rubber strap.
Our Thoughts
We had the opportunity to try the new Octo Roma on our wrist and we really enjoyed it.
Despite the 41mm diameter case, the Octo Roma wears much smaller on the wrist and better than the Octo Finissimo.
We particularly liked the regular blue version, whose live hue is quite different from the available photos.
More information here.
General Specifications:
Brand: Bulgari
Model: Octo Roma Automatic, Octo Roma Chronograph
Reference: 103739 (automatic blue), 103740 (automatic anthracite), 103738 (automatic white), 103471 (chronograph black), 103829 (chronograph blue)
Dial: Blue, anthracite, white, black
Lume: Super-LumiNova
Case Material: Stainless steel
Case Dimensions: 41 mm Diameter x 9.15 mm thickness (automatic), 42 mm Diameter x 12.4 mm thickness (chronograph)
Crystal: Sapphire
Case Back: Sapphire
Strap: Stainless steel bracelet and an additional rubber strap
Caliber: BVL 191 (automatic), BVL 399 (chronograph)
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds (automatic), date, small seconds (chronograph), chronograph (chronograph)
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 Vph
Power Reserve: 42 Hours
Price: Not available
Limited Edition: No
