Bvlgari Introduces An Octo Chronograph Watch

In the run-up to BaselWorld, Bulgari has released some information on their newest watch, the Octo Chrono. No, this one isn't emblazoned with any eight-legged sea creatures. Instead, you've got an octagon, a representative combination of a square and circle (and, if you follow their hyperbolic press release, it symbolizes the combination of Italian design and Swiss precision). While the design is sure to garner attention, that's not the main thing that makes this watch interesting to us.

For that, you actually need to look past the angular skin (though, with 110 alternating brushed and polished surfaces, that might be a tad hard to do). What I really want to draw some attention to is the movement that's beating away. With it's silicium escapement, 50-hour power reserve, and high-beat (36,000 VPH) nature, you've basically got what amounts to a Zenith El Primero movement (you can read more about the El Primero and column wheel chronographs here).

Now, I don't care what watch a movement like this shows up in - when it comes around, you know you've got quite a special chronograph on your hands. This one just happens to be packaged up in a physical embodiment of the aforementioned octagon. You'll see the shape in the lines of the case, as well as the dial. Overall, I think the case shape works well, with one exception.

That exception comes into play with the pushers flanking the crown. As they follow the lines of the case, they actually look like an extension of the case on the right hand side. Which, in and of itself, is a good thing, as it makes for a cohesive flow. However, If you look at the case as a whole, it makes things feel unbalanced, as the left hand side doesn't have this extension, which just kind of makes the watch feel a little "off" to me, at least when you're looking at it straight on.