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Hands-On The Bulgari Roma Finissimo With Grey Dial, An Ultra-Thin Version Of Bulgari's Mid-1970s Design Classic

The Bulgari Roma in the incarnation you see here is a very cool watch in itself: a clear, strong, simple design with all the architectural precision you'd associate with a Bulgari Roma watch. You might recognize the general design, but what you might not know is that the first Bulgari Roma watch came out all the way back in 1975, at an extremely interesting period in the history of modern watchmaking. The original Roma is of the same design generation that gave us the Royal Oak and the Nautilus, and like those two watches, it wasn't an instant success. Acceptance and enthusiasm took time to evolve, and the more so because the original Roma wasn't even intended to be a commercial piece. But I think you can make a case for the Roma as the starting point of a design evolution that is in its own way just as iconic as the Royal Oak or the Nautilus, and one whose enduring presence is a sign of its enduring strength as a design.

The Bulgari Roma in the incarnation you see here is a very cool watch in itself: a clear, strong, simple design with all the architectural precision you'd associate with a Bulgari Roma watch. You might recognize the general design, but what you might not know is that the first Bulgari Roma watch came out all the way back in 1975, at an extremely interesting period in the history of modern watchmaking. 

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The original Roma is of the same design generation that gave us the Royal Oak and the Nautilus, and, like those two watches, it wasn't an instant success. Acceptance and enthusiasm took time to evolve, and the more so because the original Roma wasn't even intended to be a commercial piece. But I think you can make a case for the Roma as the starting point of a design evolution that is in its own way just as iconic as the Royal Oak or the Nautilus, and one whose enduring presence is a sign of its enduring strength as a design.

The Bulgari Roma Finissimo 2014

The Bulgari Roma Finissimo

The very first Bulgari Roma might come as a surprise. It was an LCD wristwatch, in a 30mm gold case, with a macramé strap, believe it or not. It was the brainchild of Gianni Bulgari, who is the grandson of Sotirios Voulgaris, the founder of Bulgari. Gianni Bulgari was an internationally celebrated playboy, and in March of 1975 he was famously the victim of a high profile kidnapping that required a $2 million payment from the family for his safe return. 

bulgari roma lcd 1975

The original, 100 piece limited edition Bulgari Roma watch, 1975.

Now, a 33mm x 7.5mm solid gold watch with an LCD readout and a macramé strap would be a pretty hard sell today, but in 1975 it was the bee's knees (as they'd say). There were 100 made and, according to Bulgari, all 100 were given as gifts to the company's top 100 clients world wide. That would have been that, except for the fact that the watch turned into a big hit; everyone who couldn't have one naturally wanted one. The next year, therefore, Bulgari released the first Bulgari Roma proper, as you might say. It was a bit smaller than the ur-Roma at 30mm (the prevailing taste for gold dress watches at the time was still oriented towards a smaller-is-better philosophy) but it had a mechanical movement and an overall design whose influence is still obvious in today's Roma watches.

bulgari roma 1976

The first mechanical Bulgari Roma, 1976.

Interestingly, though the basic design codes of the Bulgari Roma were a direct and obvious influence on the near-identical Bulgari Bulgari (which first debuted in 1977) and the Bulgari Roma watch – with the words Bulgari Roma on the bezel – wouldn't return until 2013. In 2014, a limited edition of the Bulgari Roma, a 250 piece limited edition in yellow gold, was released. 2014 was also the year that the Finissimo caliber BVL 128 was released, in the Bulgari Octo Finissimo, and in 2015, Bulgari released the Bulgari Roma Finissimo, with that same, extra-flat movement. Available originally in steel, with a black dial, and rose gold, with a white dial, it's now also available with the grey dial you see here.

"We're now one of the (watch) companies that deserves the name 'manufacture' in a very strict sense."

– Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO Bulgari, in Revolution Magazine
Bulgari Roma Finissimo 2015 edition

The Bulgari Roma Finissimo, 2015 edition.

The 2015 edition of the Bulgari Roma Finissimo is a relatively large diameter for a dress watch at 41mm x 5.15mm (although it doesn't necessarily fit neatly into the traditional definition of a dress watch anyway, as it's a bit bolder in overall design than "dress watch" would ordinarily denote). Partly, that's due to the generous size of the movement, which though quite thin (2.23mm) is also quite large in diameter at 36.60mm, which is starting to get almost into pocket watch territory.  A payoff, however, to the slightly larger diameter – and 41mm isn't excessive, it's just a little north of that 36-38mm sweet spot – is that the thickness/diameter aspect ratio gives you a watch that feels very elegant and slim on the wrist, while at the same time having just enough mass to feel substantial without getting bulky.

The Bulgari Roma Finissimo sitting on a vintage lighter

Most of the original design codes of the original Roma are present, though the seconds sub-dial at 6:00 is new.

Bulgari Roma Finissimo side view.

The watch is quite flat, but at the same time still offers a 60-hour power reserve.

The Finissimo caliber BVL 128 is made at Bulgari's movement factory in Switzerland, and runs at 28,800 vph in 26 jewels. Its size means that it does an excellent job at filling the case, certainly. The movement has a very strong technical feel, and although it's not finished to the very highest traditional standards, this is partly thanks to the basic architecture of the movement; extra-flat calibers don't lend themselves as well to decorative embellishing as do slightly thicker ones, where (for example) the greater thickness of movement bridges means a better ability to expose bevels for polishing. 

Bulgari in house caliber bvl 128

Caliber BVL 128 is an in-house, hand-wound, extra flat 60 hour movement.

Bulgari in house caliber bvl 128

Finish and design of the movement do a good job of enhancing the design and feel of the watch overall.

While this is not the oiled muscular perfection of a Lange or the snow-on-cherry-blossoms clarity of a Credor Eichi II, it is cleanly done and honest with respect to the nature of the movement and the watch.

It's also a watch made almost entirely in house by Bulgari, although Jean-Christophe Babin does point out that in-house is not an end to itself, but rather a means to an end. In an interview with me at my alma mater, Revolution, in 2015, he said:

"We manufacture the dial internally, we manufacture the case, and for the movement, we are extremely internally integrated. We're now one of the few companies who really deserve the name 'manufacture' in a very strict sense ... Independence, however, is not a goal by itself ... you can find quite easily companies that produce a lot of movements and their only scope is to produce movements for a world industry. So, today, we've moved from a situation in which it was important to be independent from a manufacturing basis, to one where it's important to be independent so you are different and distinctive. If you buy a luxury car, you want an engine from that company, not from someone else; it's like that with watches as well."

Bulgari Roma Finissimo wrist

On the wrist, the Roma is a bit larger than most dress watches, but it's still very wearable.

Of course the question with a watch is always what it does for you on the wrist. All the technical and abstract qualities you can ascribe to a wristwatch don't mean very much if it's not fun to wear (so many of us know the feeling of buying a watch for all sorts of good reasons and then finding to our chagrin that it's rather dull to live with, like the wine enthusiast who can recite vineyards and vintages chapter and verse, but never seems to actually be able to taste what's in their mouth).

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This is a watch with a very specific identity, a connection to a very particular era in watch design, and an instantly recognizable design. Of its kind, it's one of the most fascinating watches out there just from an historical and design perspective, especially with the (fairly) new Finissimo movement. But what seals the deal for me is its air of slightly dandyish, slightly aggressive opulence – a tasteful but definitely luxurious vibe that's very (imperially) Roman indeed.

The Bulgari Roma Finissimo is currently available in two metals, steel ($13,400) and rose gold ($24,200), each available with either a grey or white dial. For more, visit Bulgari online.