Hublot continues its exploration into advanced materials with the introduction of the Big Bang UNICO Water Blue Sapphire. This timepiece represents another step in the brand's journey of mastering synthetic sapphire, showcasing not just transparency but also a captivating new color achieved through complex technical processes. The watch joins a lineage known for pushing boundaries in both aesthetics and material science within the watchmaking industry.
The story of
Hublot began in 1980 when Carlo Crocco introduced a watch that defied convention by pairing a precious gold case with a casual rubber strap. This bold move, named "Hublot" after the French word for porthole due to its bezel design featuring exposed screws, established the brand's core philosophy: the "Art of Fusion." This concept revolved around combining disparate materials and ideas, challenging the established norms of luxury watchmaking and setting a course for innovation that continues to define the company.
Courtesy of Hublot
This foundational idea of fusion wasn't just a fleeting concept; it became the guiding principle for Hublot's future endeavors. It signaled a departure from traditional watchmaking conservatism, embracing experimentation and unexpected combinations. The initial shock of gold meeting rubber paved the way for explorations into carbon fiber, ceramic, novel alloys, and, eventually, the intricate world of synthetic sapphire, always seeking to blend tradition with forward-thinking technology and design.
The arrival of the Big Bang collection in 2005 marked a pivotal moment, propelling the "Art of Fusion" to new heights. Characterized by its substantial size, distinctive layered case construction, and bold aesthetics, the Big Bang quickly became an icon of 21st-century watch design. Its impact was recognized almost immediately, earning Hublot the Best Design award at the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève that same year. The Big Bang became the flagship platform for Hublot's material and mechanical innovations.
Since its launch nearly two decades ago, the Big Bang has remained a canvas for Hublot's relentless reinvention. It embodies the Manufacture's drive to explore uncharted territory, utilizing exclusive materials developed in-house and showcasing sophisticated proprietary movements like the UNICO and Meca-10. The collection consistently breaks from staid traditions, offering a singular, bold look while demonstrating remarkable versatility through its numerous iterations and complications.
Hublot's journey into the challenging realm of synthetic sapphire began less than ten years ago. Driven by the desire for a perfect fusion between the intricate mechanics of the movement and the protective exterior of the case, the brand's engineers and chemists embarked on developing a transparent yet highly robust material. This pursuit led them to synthetic sapphire, a material known for its hardness (second only to diamond) and clarity, allowing the inner workings of the watch to be admired while ensuring robust protection.
Courtesy of Hublot
Mastering clear synthetic sapphire was just the beginning. Hublot quickly set its sights on expanding the possibilities by introducing color. Creating colored sapphire is a significantly more complex and laborious process than simply adding pigment. Each new hue demands the development of a unique chemical formula and precise adjustments to the high-temperature crystallization process. The goal is to achieve a consistent, vibrant color throughout the material while maintaining its structural integrity and transparency – a delicate balancing act, especially when forming complex shapes.
The challenge is magnified when applying this technology to the intricate architecture of the Big Bang case. Its signature layered construction, involving multiple components that must fit together perfectly, requires exceptional precision in machining the sapphire parts. Any inconsistencies in the material or manufacturing process could compromise the fit, finish, or structural soundness of the final watch. Hublot's success in producing a wide palette of colored sapphire Big Bang models underscores its R&D capabilities and manufacturing expertise.
The Big Bang UNICO Water Blue Sapphire introduces the latest color born from Hublot's dedicated research and development efforts. This specific shade, termed Water Blue, is described as a light yet intense hue, designed to evoke the clarity and color of tropical, crystal-clear waters. It represents a tangible outcome of the brand's mission to transform seemingly impossible material challenges into watchmaking realities, offering a distinct aesthetic experience.
Visually, the watch makes an immediate statement with its 44mm case crafted entirely from polished Water Blue sapphire crystal. The material's inherent transparency allows an unobstructed view into the watch's mechanical heart, while the unique light blue coloration imbues it with a striking, almost ethereal quality. The polishing enhances the sapphire's lustre, catching light and highlighting the facets of the signature Big Bang case shape with its multi-component construction.
Courtesy of Hublot
The bezel, also fashioned from polished Water Blue sapphire, mirrors the case material and features the six iconic H-shaped titanium screws that are a hallmark of the Big Bang design. These screws provide a subtle metallic contrast against the translucent blue, securing the bezel while contributing to the watch's technical and industrial aesthetic. The continuity of the colored sapphire from case to bezel creates a unified, monolithic appearance.
Through the sapphire crystal, treated with an anti-reflective coating for enhanced clarity, the polished transparent skeleton dial reveals the intricate workings beneath. The dial itself serves as a framework, holding the applied hour markers and hands, which feature blue accents coordinating with the case color. This openworked design allows the wearer to observe components of the movement, including gears and bridges, adding depth and mechanical intrigue to the watch face.
Powering this transparent marvel is the HUB1280 UNICO Manufacture calibre, a movement developed and produced entirely in-house by Hublot. Conceived as the soul of the watch, the UNICO was designed from the outset to be distinct. It's an automatic, self-winding chronograph featuring a flyback function and a column-wheel mechanism, elements highly regarded in chronograph construction. The movement's architecture is deliberately contemporary and open.
The UNICO HUB1280 is built with 354 individual components. Despite its complexity, Hublot notes that its construction has been simplified where possible to enhance long-term reliability and robustness – crucial factors for a movement intended for regular use. Its efficient bi-directional winding system helps maintain the substantial power reserve of approximately 72 hours, meaning the watch can run for three full days off the wrist before needing to be wound again.
Courtesy of Hublot
A key feature of the UNICO movement, especially appreciated by watch enthusiasts, is the placement of the column wheel. This crucial component, which controls the starting, stopping, and resetting of the chronograph, is visible from the dial side. This allows the owner to observe the precise mechanical action when the chronograph pushers are actuated. The flyback function adds another layer of utility, enabling the chronograph to be reset and restarted instantly with a single push, useful for timing consecutive events.
For the Big Bang UNICO Water Blue Sapphire, the movement components visible through the skeleton dial and the sapphire case back are given a sleek grey finish. This specific treatment was chosen to complement the Water Blue hue of the sapphire case, enhancing the overall visual brightness and coherence of the design. It provides a subtle, technical backdrop that allows the blue elements and the transparency of the case to take center stage.
Completing the aquatic theme is the strap, made from transparent Water Blue lined rubber. This material choice echoes the color and translucency of the sapphire case, creating a seamless visual flow from the watch head down around the wrist. The structured lining adds texture and detail. Rubber straps have been part of Hublot's identity since its inception, known for their comfort, durability, and sporty character, making it a fitting choice here.
The strap is secured to the wrist using a titanium deployant buckle clasp. Titanium, known for its strength, light weight, and hypoallergenic properties, provides a secure and comfortable closure. The deployant buckle design offers ease of use and helps preserve the condition of the rubber strap compared to a traditional pin buckle. The integration of the strap directly into the case lugs is another signature Big Bang characteristic.
The use of synthetic sapphire extends beyond its visual appeal. It is an exceptionally hard and scratch-resistant material, making the watch highly durable for everyday wear. However, this same hardness makes it incredibly difficult to machine and finish, requiring specialized diamond-tipped tools and extensive polishing processes. Crafting the complex, multi-part Big Bang case and bezel entirely from this material is a testament to Hublomt's manufacturing prowess.
Courtesy of Hublot
As a testament to its specialized nature and the complexity of its production, the Hublot Big Bang UNICO Water Blue Sapphire is offered as a strictly limited edition. Only 50 pieces will be produced worldwide, making it a rare and exclusive offering for collectors and enthusiasts drawn to its unique combination of material innovation, color, and mechanical complexity. This scarcity enhances its desirability among those seeking distinctive haute horlogerie pieces.
The Hublot Big Bang UNICO Water Blue Sapphire carries a manufacturer's suggested retail price of USD 138,000. Reflecting its limited production run and the advanced materials and mechanics involved, the watch is available exclusively through Hublot's own boutiques and select authorized retail partners globally. It stands as a vibrant example of the brand's "Art of Fusion," blending high-tech materials with sophisticated watchmaking in a characteristically bold Hublot style.
Case: 44 mm diameter, crafted from Polished Water Blue Sapphire Crystal. Bezel also in Polished Water Blue Sapphire Crystal. Water resistance rated at 50 meters (5 ATM). Features a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment.
Movement: HUB1280 UNICO Manufacture Calibre. Self-winding chronograph flyback movement with a column wheel visible dial-side. Offers approximately 72 hours of power reserve. Composed of 354 components with a grey finish for this model.
Dial: Polished Transparent Skeleton design. Features blue accents on the hands and indices, allowing visibility of the movement components.
Strap: Transparent Water Blue Lined Rubber Straps. Secured with a Titanium Deployant Buckle Clasp.
Price: USD 138,000
Reference Number: 421.JL.4890.RT
Notes: This model showcases Hublot's expertise in creating complex watch cases from colored synthetic sapphire. It is a limited edition release, with only 50 pieces produced worldwide.