So just how thin is ultra-thin? To get our terminologies straight, the average thickness of a watch is between 8mm to 12mm, so when we talk about “ultra-thin” watches, we’re referring to those slimmer than 8mm.

Ultra-thin watches are not a new development. In 1957, Piaget released its groundbreaking Calibre 9P movement, then the thinnest mechanical movement at just 2mm thick (or thin?). Three years later, Piaget released its 2.3mm Calibre 12P automatic movement, which solidified the Geneva-based brand’s position at the forefront of ultra-thin watches. This was a title they took seriously – and still do – continuing to research and create increasingly thin calibres that have even included chronograph and tourbillon complications.

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The pinnacle of Piaget’s more than six decades of R&D into ultra-thin watches came with the 2020 release of the Altiplano Ultimate Concept (AUC). At just 2mm – cobalt alloy case, sapphire crystal and all – this is the same thickness as their classic Calibre 9P movement alone.

The AUC was able to achieve this massive technical leap by using the case as the main plate where the movement is mounted and held. This development was instrumental to the AUC winning the Aiguille d’Or award, the highest honour at the 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Most importantly, following its release (the watch was first unveiled as a concept at the 2018 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) the AUC held the record for the world’s thinnest watch.

Note that “held”. Yes, it was groundbreaking and at 2mm, very impressive indeed for a mechanical watch. But it turns out it wasn’t thin enough. In March 2022, Bulgari became the new record-holder with its release of the Octo Finissimo Ultra at just 1.8mm.

Following pacesetters Piaget, Bulgari have also become a brand associated with ultra-thin watches. Since it launched the Octo Finissimo collection eight years ago, Bulgari has been relentless in its pursuit for ever-greater leanness. It set record after record, from the thinnest tourbillon and self-winding watch, to the thinnest tourbillon chronograph and perpetual calendar.

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To attain this thinness, the Octo Finissimo Ultra needed a complete redesign of the architecture of the automatic movement, with the components integrated right into the caseback. To prevent bending – which ultra-thin watches can be prone to – this dress watch uses tungsten carbide for added rigidity. The result is a watch that is 10 per cent thinner than the AUC and priced at around US$400,000. Phew.

So, is 1.8mm as thin as we can go? Not quite. Because there is already a new record-holder, and it comes from the unlikeliest of houses: Richard Mille, a brand notorious for its bulky, “look-at-me” watches. At just 1.75mm, its RM UP-01 Ferrari claimed the record on its release in July 2022 (price tag? US$1.88 million). Richard Mille is also behind the famous (and 13.5mm thick) RM 35-02 watch designed and produced especially for tennis superstar Rafael Nadal, and the RM 11-04 made for football manager Roberto Mancini, a whopping 16.5mm thick. Yes, that same Richard Mille.

The brand celebrated their partnership with Ferrari by making a statement of their shared quest for perfection and innovation: this was an exercise on how to flatten a watch which required its watchmakers not only to distribute the components across the baseplate, but also to combine functions together to reduce the number of components.

The case shape recalls the steering wheel of a Formula One car with the wearer having to select the function on top of the case, instead of using the usual crowns on the side. This timepiece is limited to just 150 pieces worldwide and will set you back at a cool US$1.9 million.

So why are ultra-thin watches growing in popularity? The most obvious reason is because of the way they’re made. A thinner profile means fewer components, making the watch lightweight and comfortable to wear, and its svelte form makes it a sophisticated choice no matter the setting. It’s also about making a statement: in a world dominated by big watches, putting on an ultra-thin watch shows that you’re willing to subvert current trends and march to your own beat. And of course, it does speak of a certain understated class.

An argument can also be made that ultra-thin watches take you back to what is essential for a watch: simplicity, accuracy and reliability. As ultra-thin watches require shedding a lot of components and complexity to achieve the desired profile, what is left is a minimalist design that does what it’s supposed to do, without any fuss or complications.

However, this same simplicity can also work against it. While they work well as dress watches, ultra-thin models lack the features demanded by divers, pilots or even weekend athletes. In addition, because of their construction, ultra-thin watches are susceptible to sustained high g-forces (although the RM UP-01 is claimed to tolerate up to 5,000Gs).

The issue of durability is also often raised with ultra-thin watches. Requiring materials that may have been “flattened” to achieve the desired profile places undue stress on the case and components, which might cause them to bend or break. While progress in materials science has allowed manufacturers to use metals that offer better rigidity, some care is still needed when strapping these ultra-sleek watches on your wrist.

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