Hublot : Celebrating ten years of big bang

Big Bang Alarm Repeater 

Case : satin-finished and polished titanium, satin-finished and polished black ceramic bezel, satin-finished titanium crown, upper and lower anti-reflective sapphire crystals Diameter : 45mm Movement : HUB 5003, hand-wound, GMT, alarm, day/night indicator. 72-hour power reserve Dial : sapphire, rhodium-plated indices, satin-finished, micro-blasted and rhodium-plated hands Strap : structured ribbed rubber with titanium deployant buckle Limited edition of 250 pieces

 

Big Bang Unico Full Magic Gold

Case : Magic Gold, polished Magic Gold and black composite resin bezel, upper and lower anti-reflective sapphire crystals Diameter : 45mm Movement : HUB1242 Unico, selfwinding chronograph flyback movement with column wheel, date, 72-hour power reserve Dial : satin-finished gold-plated appliques, satin-finished and microblasted gold-plated hands Strap : structured lined rubber with black PVD titanium deployant buckle

Ten years after redefining the luxury sports watch, the Big Bang is as big as ever. Movements, shapes, materials : its unique recipe keeps working with a bang. The Big Bang blends materials that are not normally found together : carbon and gold, ceramic and steel or denim and diamonds.

 

Ten years have passed since Hublot unveiled the first Big Bang, the Big Bang Gold Ceramic. The idea emerged in 2005, when Jean-Claude Biver, now President of Hublot, came up with the name “Big Bang”. The term defines the art of fusion : the surprising combination of materials that seem to have nothing in common, like carbon and gold, ceramic and steel or denim and diamonds. To showcase these surprising alliances, it was vital to create a case that was different from traditional, three-part cases. With its 70 components, the Big Bang case embodies the concept of modularity and stands out with its vast range of subtle variations. For Baselworld 2015, Hublot celebrated its icon’s 10th anniversary with three new models. They each feature unique and fundamental Hublot elements.

 

Trifecta

Firstly, the Big Bang Unico Full Magic Gold is powered by a new version of the Big Bang Unico. This column wheel chronograph with double clutch visible on the dial side is unique in the industry. The watch’s case is made of Magic Gold, Hublot’s unique, scratch-resistant 18K gold. Secondly, Hublot introduces the first tourbillon in the new generation Big Bang line. The Big Bang Tourbillon 5-day Power Reserve Indicator Full Magic Gold sports a beautiful skeleton movement with a practical power reserve indicator on the dial side, developed and produced entirely by Hublot’s micro-mechanics, engineers and watchmakers.

 

Eye-shattering

Finally, an exceptional “anniversary” collection is the icing on the Big Bang’s 10th  anniversary cake : the Big Bang “10 Years” Haute Joaillerie series. A first for Hublot, the collection includes ten watches, each priced at $1 million. To create these pieces, three of the most complex gem-setting techniques have been used : invisible setting, Clou de Paris setting and rail setting. 650 or so stones totalling in excess of 40 carats adorn these unique timepieces. For the first time at Hublot, the bezel is set with invisible inverted trapeziums, leaving neither space nor metal between the baguette-cut gems.

 

 

Big Bang Unico Haute Joaillerie

Case : white gold, white gold bezel, crown and pushers, set with 558 white baguette diamonds totalling 35 carats, upper and lower anti-reflective sapphire crystals Diameter : 45mm Movement : HUB1242 Unico, selfwinding chronograph flyback movement with column wheel, date, 72-hour power reserve Dial : skeleton, white gold, set with 62 white baguette diamonds totalling 1.42 carats Strap : alligator on black rubber base, deployant buckle in white gold set with 33 white baguette diamonds, totalling 3.70 carats

Big Bang Ferrari Carbon King Gold

Case : King Gold, carbon and King Gold bezel, satin-finished King Gold overmolded black rubber crown, upper anti-reflective sapphire crystals, King Gold caseback Diameter : 45mm Movement : HUB1241 Unico, selfwinding chronograph flyback movement with column wheel, date, 72-hour power reserve Dial : sapphire with white Hublot logo transfer, King Gold-plated Ferrari prancing horse applique, satin-finished, gold-plated with Ferrari-red varnished finish hands Strap : black rubber, brown Schedoni leather with brown stitching, King Gold deployant buckle with carbon inserts Limited edition of 500 pieces

 

Drive fast

On the sportier side, the Big Bang Ferrari Carbon offers a quintessential fusion of high-quality and high-tech materials. It took Hublot’s R&D department six months to develop its bi-material bezel. It combines components which cannot be mixed : carbon and metal. The result is a carbon bezel incrusted with gold, or titanium, which reinforces the high-tech spirit of the Big Bang. Its case is made of titanium or an exclusive King Gold alloy and features a special finish : a shiny, micro-blasted coating. Hublot’s exclusive bezel is the first to feature this original composite and innovative style. Following on from Magic Gold, the Ferrari collection now benefits from the best solutions from Hublot’s R&D department.

 

Wake-up call

On the complications side, Hublot revisits one of the most practical of them all, the alarm clock. The Big Bang Alarm Repeater is the fusion of two functional complications : a mechanical alarm clock and a second time zone. The alarm clock is indexed on the reference time. At 5 o’clock, a 24-hour counter with two hands shows the programmed alarm time, while an “on-off” indicator shows the alarm status at 6 o’clock. At 7 o’clock, the hammer visible under the sapphire is coated with SuperLuminova so it can be seen at night. The second time zone has a 24-hour display at 11 o’clock. The alarm clock chimes for around 16 seconds as a steel hammer strikes a gong. The dial on the Big Bang Alarm Repeater displays a complex, 3D architecture featuring metal and sapphire, through which the exquisite finishes of the movement can be admired.

 

 

Classic Fusion Blue Chronograph Titanium

Case : polished and satin-finished titanium case, bezel, crown and pushers, upper and lower anti-reflective sapphire crystals Diameter : 45mm Movement : HUB1143 selfwinding chronograph movement, date, 42-hour power reserve Dial : blue sunray satin-finished, polished rhodium-plated appliques and hands Strap : blue rubber and alligator strap with titanium deployant buckle

 

Not all Hublot’s chronographs are as deeply rooted in the art of fusion as the Big Bang. The Classic Fusion line is just as sophisticated but more on the elegant side. Its slimmer case nevertheless resorts to unusual combinations. The Classic Fusion Blue Chronograph Titanium has the good looks of a sporty yet chic chronograph, but is entirely made of titanium. The choice of this light, scratch-proof and highly technical metal is typical of Hublot’s approach to comfort and sportiness. Polished on the outside, satin-finished on the lugs and bezel, its 45 mm case stands out. All the more so as its large dial is entirely crafted in a deep, vibrant blue with sharp rhodium-plated indices and hands. Its sunray-finish enhances the way its plays with the light. With a complete set of high-end complications, a vast range of materials and an even larger set of combinations, Hublot proves yet again that it masters all aspects of the art of watchmaking.


Brice Lechevalier is editor-in-chief of GMT and Skippers, which he co-founded in 2000 and 2001 respectively. He has also been CEO of WorldTempus since it joined the GMT Publishing stable, of which he is director and joint shareholder. In 2012 he created the Geneva Watch Tour, and he has been an advisor to the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève since 2011. Also closely involved in sailing, he has published the magazine of the Société Nautique de Genève since 2003, and was one of the founders of the SUI Sailing Awards in 2009 and the Concours d’Elégance for motor boats at the Cannes Yachting Festival in 2015.

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