Always one to push the boundaries of watchmaking, Hublot‘s strong showing at the recent Watches and Wonders 2024 demonstrates its unwavering commitment to bold and innovative designs through its distinctive “Art of Fusion” philosophy. The highlight is the Big Bang MP-11 Water Blue Sapphire, the latest iteration of Hublot’s MP-11 that was first introduced in 2018. Powered by the famous 14-day power reserve movement driven by seven in-line barrels, this remarkable timepiece boasts a 2-week power reserve and debuts a striking new sapphire colour—a radiant and translucent water blue hue.
Coloured sapphire is one of the markers of Hublot‘s illustrious history, and this expansion of the palette signifies a milestone for the watchmaker. The unique colour is achieved through a custom chemical formula and exclusive transparency index without affecting its strength. The sapphire case retains exceptional properties such as brilliance, luminosity, durability, and resistance to impacts and scratches. The manual polishing process follows strict specifications and rigorous testing to ensure flawless water resistance, even under accelerated ageing conditions.
In the Big Bang Unico Pink Sapphire, Hublot debuts translucent light pink sapphire in an exclusive collection of just 100 pieces. It proudly showcases the inner workings of the Unico calibre, including the column wheel, flyback chronograph, tungsten oscillating weight, and silicon escapement. It is one of five new launches at Watches and Wonders 2024 highlighting Hublot’s proprietary Unico movement.
Introduced in 2010 as Hublot’s first in-house movement, the Unico calibre has been a cornerstone of the brand’s reputation for cutting-edge design. In 2018, it was further refined to feature a slimmer and more efficient design. The latest iteration, the MHUB1280, incorporates several technical advancements, all supported by five patents. These include a quieter winding mechanism, an improved chronograph display, and exceptional shock resistance, showcasing Hublot’s technical prowess and commitment to continuous improvement.
Other novelties powered by the in-house MHUB1280 include the Big Bang Unico Ice Bang e-commerce exclusive, two new references of the Square Bang Unico in Magic Gold, and two Big Bang Unico ceramic iterations in dark green and orange, notably the world’s first ceramic watch in vivid orange.
Historically, ceramic watches were limited to monochromatic colours like black and white. Hublot has gradually upped the game by exploring shades such as blue, grey, and green. In 2019, Hublot expanded the possibilities of ceramic even further by exploring vibrant colours, such as red, yellow, and now orange.
The new Big Bang Unico Orange Ceramic continues the legacy of its predecessors with a unique, uniform colour across all exterior components. It is finished to an exceptionally high watchmaking standard and boasts a perfect mirror polish. Due to the diverse shapes, thicknesses, and angles of the components, achieving this level of excellence required a blend of high technology and savoir-faire. Hublot has also matched the ceramic’s exact colour for the indices, dial counters, hands, and the integrated rubber strap.
Continuing its material exploration, Hublot unveils the Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu Sapphire, a groundbreaking creation that reimagines the signature intricate design of the Spirit of Sang Bleu watches in sapphire crystal. This revolutionary timepiece undergoes a transformative evolution with the introduction of Hublot’s high-tech material of choice, seamlessly extending from the dial to the case and bezel. Over 100 hours of precise 3D machining were invested to achieve diamond-like hardness and scratch resistance. The result is an ultra-modern masterpiece that combines avant-garde aesthetics with cutting-edge engineering.
Finally, Hublot introduces six new Big Bang Integrated Time Only watches in a refined 38mm size with solid dials, offering a more understated take on the Hublot aesthetic. They retain all the beloved features: the distinctive case with two “ears” on either side, a bezel adorned with six H-shaped screws, large skeleton hour and minute hands with Hublot’s signature counterpoise seconds hand, even-numbered indices from 2 to 12 on the dial, and the rubber on the crown.
The case and bracelet are integrated, giving the model its name, and both are made from the same material. Two versions are in brushed titanium with black or blue dials, two more are in King Gold with the same dial colour options, and the last two are in ceramic. One is entirely in navy blue, reflecting Hublot’s maritime spirit, while the other is in “Black Magic” with a case, bracelet, and dial in black ceramic.
The dial is made of soft ferromagnetic steel, protecting the movement from magnetic fields and preserving chronometric precision. For the first time, these models feature the new HUB1115 movement, which has undergone significant quality upgrades. Enhancements include a new oscillating weight bearing, a stronger mainspring extending the power reserve to 48 hours, and revamped finishes such as a satin finish on the bridges and anthracite ruthenium coating.
