Watch Paparazzi

Singer Ed Sheeran spotted wearing Bulgari

Ed Sheeran may project an image of hoodies and guitar picks, but his wrist tells a more considered story. The British singer was recently spotted wearing a Bulgari Octo Finissimo in stainless steel, reference 102711 — a watch that earns its reputation through engineering substance rather than brand cachet alone.

The Octo Finissimo Ref. 102711 is powered by the in-house BVL 138 calibre, an automatic movement measuring just 2.35mm in height. When Bulgari introduced it in 2017, it set a world record for the thinnest self-winding mechanical movement — a record the manufacture had been systematically chasing across multiple complications throughout the decade. The movement operates at 21,600 vph with a 60-hour power reserve and is visible through a sapphire caseback. The case itself measures 40mm in diameter and a remarkably svelte 5.15mm in total thickness, crafted in polished and satin-finished stainless steel with the signature octagonal bezel geometry designed by Daniel Roth's legacy and refined under the direction of Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani.

From a collector's perspective, the Octo Finissimo automatic in steel occupies an interesting position: it is the accessible entry point into a family that includes a skeletonised tourbillon, a perpetual calendar, and a minute repeater — each of which has, in turn, claimed its own world thinness record. Owning the Ref. 102711 is, in a sense, owning the foundation stone of one of haute horology's most coherent modern narratives.

Sheeran's choice is telling. He has been photographed with Rolex and Patek Philippe pieces in the past, but the Octo Finissimo signals a collector who appreciates architectural design and mechanical innovation over conventional status signalling. It suits someone who operates confidently outside expectation.

At a UK list price of approximately £9,500 — translating to roughly $12,000 USD — the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ref. 102711 sits at a competitive price point for an in-house automatic with genuine horological credentials. Grey-market values have remained close to retail, reflecting healthy demand and Bulgari's increasingly respected standing among serious collectors.