The Bvlgari Octo Solotempo ref. 102031: My Brief Review After 6 Months On The Wrist

Guest writer at Eleven:11, Max Aidala, reviews his Bvlgari Octo;

Earlier this year I was inspired to do something a bit crazy after a close friend of mine did the same: I sold almost my entire watch collection for one watch. A watch I had wanted for a very long time, the Bvlgari Octo Solotempo.

I've always loved Gerald Genta's watch designs, most notably the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus. The design of the Bvlgari Octo is no exception with it's complicated case inspired by the original Octo from the Genta brand. In my opinion Bvlgari did an excellent job contrasting the case with a very simple, minimal and legible dial with an elegant set of hands. The bracelet also complements the aesthetic of the watch perfectly. The build quality is everything you would expect from a watch at this price point- everything is sturdy, solid, the finishing is immaculate with crisp sharp lines and perfect contrast on the dial. Not to mention it just looks & feels fantastic on the wrist. At 41.5mm it does seem to wear a bit bigger than it's actual size because of the case design, but with a 38mm case option also available I wouldn't rule this watch out for someone with smaller wrists. The Calibre BVL 193 Movement has been keeping excellent time since I got the watch, and although I haven't done any type of actual test on it, it seems to keep time as well as my Tudor Black Bay does (Tudor's in house calibre in the Black Bay is a COSC certified chronometer movement). The watch also features a display caseback so you can have a peek at what I think is a pretty good looking movement. If I absolutely had to complain about one thing on this watch I guess I could complain about not having lume anywhere on the dial (the applied indices & hands are all steel with a mirrored finish). It's​ still not a big deal for me as I don't find myself in pitch-black environments without my phone and with a desperate need to check the time all that often, so while some lume would be nice it's not bothering me to not have it.

All in all the Octo is absolutely by far my favorite watch I currently own or have ever owned. I feel that it sets my fairly humble collection apart from others because while I could have gone with Rolex, Omega or a million other more popular brands at this price point I chose the Bvlgari. It stands out among the much more common pieces in my collection like the afformentioned Black Bay, Sinn 103 etc. If you're considering adding an Octo to your collection and have the means to do so, don't hesitate to go for it.

Follow Max's Instagram: @mxdla for photos of his adventures in watch collecting, including his beloved Bvlgari Octo.