The new Bulgari Octo Finissimo Dazzle explores the relationship between watchmaking and visual perception, using geometric laser engraving to challenge the legibility of one of the collection’s most recognisable designs.
Its 40 mm sandblasted titanium case, opaline titanium dial and integrated bracelet feature a fragmented geometric pattern that disrupts the watch’s outlines, transforming its characteristic geometry into an optical illusion.
The design draws on the principle of dazzle camouflage, a technique used in the automotive industry to make a vehicle’s silhouette harder to discern during road testing. By covering bodywork with contrasting geometric patterns, manufacturers disrupt the perception of the underlying shape.
Bulgari applies a similar approach to the Octo Finissimo, where the engraved pattern causes the watch’s characteristic angles to merge visually, while the dial and bracelet appear as a continuous composition.
The bezel remains free of the motif, preserving a recognisable element of the collection’s design.
The Dazzle continues Bulgari’s broader exploration of the Octo Finissimo as a platform for artistic experimentation.
Previous collaborations have examined different approaches to form and perception, including the metaphysical work of Lee Ufan and the minimalist aesthetic of Tadao Ando. With the Dazzle, the focus shifts to optical disruption and the tension between a watch’s physical form and how it is perceived.
Achieving the effect required laser engraving, a technique developed and mastered in-house by Bulgari. The process allows the geometric motif to be reproduced with precision on the watch’s designated titanium surfaces, integrating the pattern into the design.
The square-based geometry reflects the modular structure underlying the case and bracelet, while making their individual planes and edges more difficult to distinguish.
Beneath the engraved surfaces, the Octo Finissimo Dazzle retains the collection’s characteristic emphasis on slim proportions. The sandblasted titanium case measures 40 mm in diameter and just 5.15 mm thick.
A transparent caseback reveals the manufacture BVL 138 automatic calibre, an ultra-thin movement equipped with a micro-rotor and measuring 2.23 mm in thickness. It is decorated by hand with Côtes de Genève, chamfering and perlage finishing.
Operating at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour), the BVL 138 provides a 60-hour power reserve and displays the hours, minutes and small seconds.
The opaline titanium dial carries the laser-engraved geometric motif and is fitted with black hands and hour markers. A sandblasted titanium crown with a black ceramic insert completes the case, while the integrated titanium bracelet incorporates a folding buckle and continues the geometric pattern.
Water resistance is rated to 30 metres or 100 feet. The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Dazzle, reference 104382, is priced at CHF 16,900 / €19,500 / US$18,300. bulgari.com
