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It’s easy to view the modern pursuit of ultra-thin timepieces as a recent phenomenon. Indeed, the competitiveness of the market has greatly increased since Doctor Strange appeared on cinema screens in 2016 wearing an elegant Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual timepiece.

 

In fact, six decades previously, Cary Grant flashed his elegant Cartier Tank watch in North by Northwest, and the years succeeding have seen James Bond pop up on screens in many timeless and sophisticated wristwatches. However, watchmakers have been pursuing the art for centuries.

 

 

The History and Evolution of Thin Watches

Away from movie screens, ultra-thin watches have been a pursuit of horologists for centuries. Similarly to the evolution of computers and mobile phones, slenderness has always been viewed as a hallmark of sophistication and elegance.

The first breakthrough in the history of thin watches came from 18th century watchmaker Jean-Antoine Lépine. In the years preceding Lépine, watches were clunky yet elegant drum-shaped portable clocks. Yet Lépine’s discovery of the modern mechanical device, incorporating all the moving parts of a timepiece onto independent bridges on a single disc, smoothed the path for more elegant ultra-thin watches.

 

In 1957, Swiss brand Piaget introduced a groundbreaking ultra-thin hand-wound watch as thick as a one euro coin. By removing the complex mechanical technology that added weight to watches, Piaget ushered in a new era for modern watches. Piaget’s breakthrough, followed by the introduction of quartz watch movement, accelerated the quest for watchmakers to find the perfect slender watch.

 

In modern day horology, ultra-thin watches are widely available across the market. No longer burdened by clunky mechanics, watch enthusiasts are able to take their pick from a variety of timepieces for each desired use. And the fierce competitiveness that drives the market shows no sign of stopping. In March 2022, Bulgari broke new ground with the unveiling of the world’s thinnest watch, at just 1.8 millimetres thick – only to be beaten four months later by the revolutionary Richard Mille/Ferrari RM UP-01.

 

 

Thinnest Watches in the World by Category

Here we’ll give you a quick guide to the thinnest watch in each major category (spoiler alert: Bulgari dominates), and also provide a timeline of major thinness advancements.

 

To put things in perspective, in 2011, the slimmest automatic tourbillon watch in the world was 10.4mm thick. By 2018, Bulgari had smashed that record with a 3.95mm Octo Finissimo model. That also means an automatic tourbillon from 2018 was thinner than the thinnest mechanical watch, period, that existed in early 2013.

 

Later in 2013, a 3.65mm time-only Piaget was blowing minds, but the leanest mechanical watch in the world today is less than half as thick! The current thinness champ is Bulgari’s 1.7mm Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC. Let’s take a look at all the major current record holders.

 

Category	Thickness	Watch	Year
Thinnest Quartz Watch	0.98mm	Delirium IV (unwearably delicate)	1980
Thinnest Mechanical Watch	1.70mm	Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC	2024
Thinnest Tourbillon	2.00 mm	Piaget Altiplano Concept Tourbillon	2024
Thinnest Automatic Watch (And Thinnest Automatic Tourbillon)	3.95mm	Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic	2017
Thinnest Minute Repeater	6.85mm	Bulgari Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater	2016
Thinnest Chronograph (and Thinnest GMT)	6.90mm	Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT	2019
Thinnest Perpetual Calendar	5.80mm	Bulgari Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar	2021
Thinnest Dive Watch Rated to 200m	6.80mm	NOVE Trident E001-02 (Quartz)	2019
Thinnest Tourbillon Chronograph	7.40mm	Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Skeleton Chronograph	2020
Thinnest Minute Repeater Tourbillon	7.90mm	Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon	2013
Thinnest Flyback Chronograph	8.24mm	Piaget Ultra-Thin Chronograph	2014
Thinnest Split-Seconds Chronograph (Rattrapante)	8.45mm	Patek Philippe 5959 Split-Seconds Chronograph	2005
Thinnest Perpetual Calendar Minute Repeater	10.44mm	Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar	2019

Timeline: World Records (2011-Present)

Year	Brand	Model	Category	Thickness
2011	Piaget	Emperador Coussin Tourbillon Automatic Ultra-Thin	Thinnest automatic tourbillon	10.4mm
2011	Piaget	Altiplano	Thinnest automatic watch	5.25mm
2013	Jaeger-LeCoultre	Master Ultra-Thin Jubilee	Thinnest mechanical watch	4.05mm
2013	Piaget	Altiplano Ultimate 900P	Thinnest mechanical watch	3.65mm
2014	Bulgari	Octo Finissimo Tourbillon	Thinnest tourbillon	5.00mm
2014	Jaeger-LeCoultre	Master Ultra Thin Minute Repeater Flying Tourbillon	Thinnest minute repeater tourbillon	7.90mm
2014	Bulgari	Octo Finissimo Tourbillon	Thinnest tourbillon	5.00mm
2014	Piaget	Ultra-Thin Chronograph	Thinnest chronograph	8.24mm
2015	Jaeger-LeCoultre	Master Ultra Thin Squelette	Thinnest mechanical watch	3.60mm
2015	Nomos	Tangente Neomatik	Thinnest full-rotor automatic watch	6.90mm
2016	Bulgari	Octo Finissimo Minute Repeater	Thinnest minute repeater	6.85mm
2017	Bulgari	Octo Finissimo Automatic	Thinnest automatic watch	5.15mm
2017	Piaget	Altiplano Ultimate Automatic 910P	Thinnest automatic watch	4.30mm
2018	Bulgari	Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic	Thinnest automatic watch, thinnest automatic tourbillon	3.95mm
2018	Piaget	Altiplano Ultimate Concept	Thinnest mechanical watch	2.00mm
2019	Vacheron Constantin	Les Cabinotiers Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar	Thinnest perpetual calendar	8.10mm
2019	Audemars Piguet	Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra Thin	Thinnest perpetual calendar	6.30mm
2021	Bulgari	Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar	Thinnest perpetual calendar	5.80mm
2022	Bulgari	Octo Finissimo Ultra	Thinnest mechanical watch	1.80mm
2022	Bulgari	Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT	Thinnest chronograph, thinnest GMT	5.80mm
2022	Richard Mille	RM UP-01	Thinnest mechanical watch	1.75mm
2024	Bulgari	Octo Finissimo Ultra COSC	Thinnest mechanical watch	1.80mm
2024	Piaget	Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon	Thinnest tourbillon	2.00mm

 

 

How Watch Winders Preserve Thin Watches

If you’re a collector of luxury thin watches, or you choose to save your thin watch for special occasions, you may wish to consider a watch winder.

 

A watch winder is a handy device that maintains a self-winding automatic watch away from the wearer’s wrist. The watch winder mimics the motion of a wrist to simulate day-to-day wear.

 

Unlike quartz watches, automatic watches are self-winding, relying on the movement of the wearer’s wrist to keep the watch’s mechanism maintained. If the mechanism is not maintained, you may need to reset the date and time the next time you wear it. It may even stop running altogether. They can also protect your luxury watch from damage or theft, serving as a useful storage place when you’re not using them.

 

The MOZSLY Watch Winder is an excellent choice for collectors with multiple luxury watches in their collection. So too the Single Watch Winder, made from carbon fiber leather, which comes with an ultra-quiet Japanese motor that can be personalised for each watch. 

 

Wrapping Up

The pursuit of thinness in watchmaking has captivated enthusiasts for centuries. Today, a diverse array of ultra-thin timepieces cater to every taste and occasion, from classic dress watches to sporty icons. As collectors hurry to preserve these delicate designs, watch enthusiasts can revel in the leaps taken to perfect the creation of the elegant ultra-thin watch.

 

To understand the appeal of lightweight atches is to appreciate not only their slender profiles but also in the centuries-old craftsmanship, innovation and heritage that define them.

 

FAQ

1. What’s the thinnest men’s watch in the world?

The world’s thinnest mechanical watch is the RM UP-01 Ferrari. The watch’s release in March 2022 caused shockwaves around the world with its $1.9 million price tag.

2. What’s the thickness of the thinnest watch in the world?

The thinnest watch in the world is a tiny 1.75 millimetres thick. Released by Ferrari and Richard Mille in March 2022, the timepiece is a genius feat of engineering and revolutionised the way slender watches are designed.

3. What’s the thinnest TAG Heuer watch?

In April 2023, TAG Heuer released the TAG Heuer Carrera Date 36mm model – their thinnest watch to date. With a 56-hour power reserve, the elegant and competitively-priced watch is water-resistant to 50 metres.

4. What are some ultra-slim watches for ladies?

The Bering Ultra Slim 4.8mm is the perfect ultra-slim watch for ladies. Featuring a sleek and minimalist design, the watch offers the wearer a contemporary and stylish look. The Nordgreen Native 28mm is another great option. Combining timeless aesthetics with modern craftsmanship, it strikes a perfect balance between elegance and versatility. For a touch of class, the Rotary Ultra Slim 27mm enjoys a slim profile and sophisticated design. For those willing to spend more on an elegant timepiece, the Longines La Grande Classique 24mm Ladies Watch exudes timeless beauty and refined elegance.

4. What’s the most lightweight watch in the world?

The RM UP-01, a super-thin timepiece resulting from a collaboration between Richard Mille and Ferrari, stands out as the epitome of lightweight design. With a thickness of just 1.75mm, this watch not only achieves remarkable thinness but also boasts an incredibly light weight of just 2.82 grams.