Riomare's original post delves into the contentious marketing of the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Salmon dial, initially presented as a 50-piece North American exclusive. This article examines the community's reaction to Bulgari's subsequent decision to release the same reference as a regular production model, exploring the implications for collectors and brand trust. Riomare meticulously documents the initial marketing claims, including direct communications from Bulgari sales staff, setting the stage for a robust discussion on brand transparency and collector expectations.
The Salmon dial was marketed last year as a 50 piece North America only edition. Did you buy the Salmon dial Finissimo last year and was misled by that marketing.
MODERATOR EDIT:
Here are the facts:
I was verbally told by my Bulgari Boutique Salesperson that this was a "50 piece limited edition" for the "North American" market and that the color of the dial was called "Salmon."
Bulgari salesperson also sent me the following text message below. "Good morning ☀️, there are 50 made for this watch model . The color is called Salmon. Based on the corporate communication, the watch should be available in April 2023. One piece per a client , and first come first serve with 100% deposit. "
Said Bulgari Salesperson also sent me photos and the following documentation that uses the wording "salmon" dial and the marketing does mention Tuscan-color inspiration for the dial, the documentation also says with model "103856" (the new unlimited model is also the same model number), and the documentation is a little inconsistent sometimes saying this piece is a North American market watch, one mention that it would be available in "America," and another mention saying it's a "USA market" watch. Notice, the documentation here does not explicitly mention the limitation.
Here is my interpretation of said facts.
Now, obviously, the salespeople weren't lying when they told me this. This was what Bulgari corporate communicated to the sales team on paper. And the sales team is simply relaying to the client what they've read. So somehow, somewhere, Bulgari corporate has conveniently forgotten that this was a limited edition and has now decided to make this a regular production piece. A move that backstabs the individuals whom bought it thinking it was a 50 piece limited edition and that it'd be unlikely there'd be anyone else with a similar watch. This is unfortunately not a good move!
This message has been edited by patrick_y on 2024-02-15 17:00:14 
