More than 50 collectors joined Watch Advice and Bvlgari in Brisbane for an evening centred around the Octo Finissimo, including the world-record collection and the new 37mm range.
One of the best parts of building the Watch Advice Collector’s Circle has been getting our community together around some of the watches and brands we spend so much time talking about. Last week, we did exactly that, hosting an evening with Bvlgari at its Brisbane boutique.
More than 50 guests joined us for the night, with collectors from across South East Queensland coming together for an evening of watches, drinks and plenty of conversation. The focus was firmly on Bvlgari’s watchmaking, with the brand bringing along an impressive selection of Octo Finissimo models, including a collection of its world-record-breaking watches that had never been shown together in Brisbane before.
It was a pretty special opportunity, even for those of us who have spent plenty of time around the Octo Finissimo over the years, or those who wanted to get to know the brand and the watches better.
A First For Brisbane
The Octo Finissimo has become one of Bvlgari’s defining collections, largely thanks to the number of world records the brand has achieved with the range since 2014. From the thinnest automatic watch to the thinnest tourbillon and a number of other records along the way, the collection has become an important part of modern watchmaking.
For the Brisbane event, Bvlgari brought together a selection of these record-breaking watches and displayed them for guests to see up close. It was the first time the collection had been presented together in Brisbane, giving our guests the chance to see just how far Bvlgari has pushed the limits of ultra-thin watchmaking.
There was plenty of interest throughout the evening, with guests taking the opportunity to get hands-on with watches that you simply don’t see together very often. And alongside the historic and record-breaking pieces was Bvlgari’s latest take on the Octo Finissimo, the new 37mm collection.
The smaller size was introduced earlier this year as a more compact interpretation of the Octo Finissimo, with Bvlgari retaining the distinctive octagonal case and ultra-thin profile while bringing the diameter down to 37mm. The collection includes versions in titanium and 18k yellow gold, along with different finishing treatments and complications.
Having recently gone hands-on with the new 37mm models ourselves, it was great to see them in the context of the wider Octo Finissimo collection. The smaller case changes the way the watch wears considerably, while still retaining the design language that has made the collection so recognisable.
Assistant Bvlgari Brisbane Manager, Brett Harrison, gave a small talk on the brand, the watches and some of the history, past and present of Bvlgari to kick off the evening, assisted by Watch Advice Founder, Chamath Gamage.
An Evening With The Collector’s Circle
While the watches were obviously the main attraction, the evening was just as much about getting our Collector’s Circle members together. More than 50 guests made their way into the Bvlgari boutique, with plenty of familiar faces from the Brisbane watch community alongside collectors who were attending a Watch Advice event for the first time.
As the evening progressed, the boutique became a pretty lively place, with groups moving between the watches, catching up with one another and talking about everything from ultra-thin movements to the pieces currently sitting in their own collections.
That’s really what we wanted the Collector’s Circle to be about. We spend plenty of time talking about watches online, in forums and chat groups, but there’s something different about being able to put the watches in front of people and have those conversations face-to-face.
Ruinart, Espresso Martinis And A Bit Of Bvlgari
Of course, an evening like this needed a few drinks to go with the watches. Moët Hennessy joined us for the event, with guests treated to Ruinart Brut throughout the evening. Later on, Espresso Martinis made their way around the boutique, made with Belvedere Vodka’s new Dirty Brew.
It made for a good combination with the watches, particularly as the evening moved from the presentation and viewing of the pieces into a more relaxed night, with everyone having fun and getting to know each other, and of course, Bvlgari.
A Great Night In Brisbane
For us at Watch Advice, events like this are becoming an important part of what we’re trying to build with the Collector’s Circle. There is a huge community of watch collectors within Australia, and getting more of those people together in one place is something we really enjoy, especially when it is in our own backyard.
Bvlgari also gave everyone plenty to talk about, with the opportunity to see the Octo Finissimo collection in a way that simply isn’t possible during a normal visit to a boutique. The world-record watches were obviously the highlight, but seeing the new 37mm collection alongside them was just as interesting, giving guests a chance to see the evolution of the Octo Finissimo and how Bvlgari is approaching the collection today.
The Serpenti collection, one of Bvlgari’s most iconic collections, also saw plenty of attention throughout the night, with guests getting the chance to see some of the pieces from the collection up close. While the Octo Finissimo was the main focus of the evening, the Serpenti pieces added another side to Bvlgari’s watchmaking and jewellery offering.
A huge thank-you to everyone who came along and made the night what it was, to the team at Bvlgari Brisbane for hosting us, and to Moët Hennessy for keeping the drinks flowing throughout the evening.
We’re looking forward to doing it all again soon.