The Battle for the World’s Thinnest Watches (Incl. Video)

Some of the standout highlights of the 2024 Watch Week in Geneva undoubtedly revolved around ultra-thin watches. Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC now reigns as the world’s thinnest mechanical wristwatch, boasting an astonishing 1.70mm profile. Meanwhile, Piaget clinched the record for the thinnest tourbillon ever with its Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon, measuring a mere 2mm! We are undoubtedly living in a golden age of the ultra-thin watch, with records for ultra-thin watches being beaten one after the other as timepieces materialise with a thinness that would have been literally unimaginable a few years ago. Let’s delve into some of the most notable advancements in this field.

Piaget can rightly be considered the precursor and historical specialist of ultra-thin watches. From the 9P and 12P presented in the 1950s to the legendary 20P and 25P, these record-thin yet delicate movements were made with Jean Lassale in the mid-1970s. The 20P movement was a staggering 1.2mm thick, while the 25P automatic version was only 2.08mm thick! More …