Hublot’s “Watches & Wonders” 2024 Highlights

Hublot Unveils Spirit Of Big Bang Carbon Blue

With its mastery of “The Art of Fusion”, Hublot integrates mechanical aesthetics with innovative materials to create unique timepieces. The new Spirit of Big Bang Carbon Blue is powered by the movement HUB4700, providing a remarkable 50-hour power reserve. While its intricate mechanical construction is visible through the sapphire crystal case, the blue hands, hour hands and scales add a powerful sense of rhythm and structural beauty to the watch face. Positioned at 3 o’clock and 6 o’clock are 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph counters, capable of individually recording up to 11 hours, 29 minutes, and 59 seconds, while the seconds counter is located at 9 o’clock. These three chronograph counters are in blue, as are the hands, echoing the blue Hublot logo at 12 o’clock.

The new watch comes with both a blue velcro fabric strap and a black structured rubber strap, and wearers can enjoy an effortless strap-changing experience through the “One-Click” System. Limited to just 28 pieces, the Spirit of Big Bang Carbon Blue will be exclusively available at the Hublot Tmall flagship store, on April 9, followed by an all-channel launch in Greater China.

With its distinctive design and innovative materials, the new Spirit of Big Bang Carbon Blue showcases Hublot’s excellence in watchmaking. The timepiece, presented by Hublot and its brand ambassador Yosh, is a vivid illustration of the brand’s bold aesthetics and its mastery of innovative materials. Yosh embodies the courage and spirit of fearless exploration and relentless pursuit, aligning perfectly with Hublot’s brand philosophy “Be First, Unique, and Different”, while perfectly showcasing the unique glamour of the watch.

Big Bang Mp-11, 14-Day Power Reserve Water Blue Sapphire: Hublot Unveils A New Interpretation Of Sapphire

“The uniqueness of Hublot – a fully integrated Manufacture – lies in its technical excellence in terms of both its movements and its exterior. R&D is at the heart of our DNA, and each MP, shaped by our profoundly innovative approach, is an opportunity for us to test new sapphires that may later become part of our regular collections. Our MPs are a laboratory, an exploration of what the watchmaking of tomorrow might look like today.”  – Ricardo Guadalupe (HUBLOT CEO)

For some, it was just yesterday. For others, it has been an eternity. Just think: Baselworld 2018! Yet, Hublot regularly set the heart of the watchmaking world aflutter, beating to the rhythm of creations that defied all convention. The MP-11 was no exception. Six years on, it remains what it has always been: unique, first and different.

It has to be said that the bar is very high: seven barrels, and a 14-day power reserve. Quite a benchmark to reach! But beyond the numbers, there is the technology, which remains the pinnacle of inventiveness in watchmaking.  To maintain a conventional height (10.9 mm), the seven barrels are coaxial and vertical. They are not integrated into the thickness of the movement. They are physically in front of it, set at 90° to it.

To allow their 336 hours of power reserve to reach the movement, Hublot had to design a tailor-made device: a 90° transmission which uses a helical worm gear, following the principle of an endless screw. The wheel in question is clearly visible between 9 and 10 o’clock. To ensure harmony with this mechanism, Hublot has taken care to place the balance opposite it at 2 o’clock, with its rate at 4 o’clock. The Hublot HUB9011 calibre, with 270 components, is also distinguished by its patented index-assembly system and silicon escapement which protects the movement from any electromagnetic or thermal interference.

A very slowly rotating disc (one revolution every two weeks) indicates the remaining power reserve as close as possible to its energy source, directly at the head of the seven aligned barrels. Furthermore, by echoing the shape of the barrels, the sapphire crystal naturally creates a magnifying effect on this signature element of the watch. The Big Bang MP-11 can be wound manually using the large, fluted crown with a worm screw type relief that echoes the helical gear, or an electric Torx stylus. This sculptural construction is truly worthy of the name “Manufacture Piece”, earning its place in the MP collection.

A new variation of water blue sapphire

The MP-11 has been the power behind the most daring aesthetic interpretations: ceramic, SAXEM, Magic Gold, 3D carbon. But sapphire remains Hublot’s material of choice. The Manufacture is the undisputed master in its use, with probably the widest range of shades in the watch industry. The 2024 edition of the MP-11 is no exception to the long tradition of innovation at the heart of Hublot’s DNA. For the first time, it will be available in “Water Blue” sapphire.

This new shade is based on a new chemical formula, a custom development, and an exclusive transparency index, yet still boasts all the usual properties of sapphire: brilliant, luminous, perfectly inalterable, and 100% resistant to knocks and scratches. We must also highlight its exemplary polishing, a very delicate operation usually completed by hand. The result required compliance with a very strict set of specifications, and took several years to develop and test, in particular to simulate accelerated ageing and guarantee flawless water-resistance. The result is close to perfection, in line with the MP spirit.

Big Bang Unico Orange Ceramic: A Clockwork Orange

The new Big Bang Unico Orange Ceramic follows in the footsteps of its predecessors. It offers a unique, perfectly uniform colour, whatever exterior component it is used to adorn. It is finished to a very high watchmaking standard, with a perfect mirror polish all over. A blend of high technology and savoir faire were necessary to achieve this level of excellence on all the components, due to their diverse shapes, thicknesses, and angles.

Hublot has recreated the exact colour of the ceramic for the counters on the dial and the hands, as well as for the integrated rubber strap. This strap features the patented “One-Click” system for quick, tool-free changes.

This series is limited to 250 pieces. At its heart beats the UNICO Chronograph Manufacture calibre. This is the very latest generation of the automatic flyback chronograph movement developed by Hublot. Guaranteeing a three-day power reserve (72 hours), it retains the same aesthetic signature: column wheel at 6 o’clock, bicompax layout (small seconds at 9 o’clock, 60-minute counter at 3 o’clock with integrated date), silicon escapement, and the always demonstrative and powerful skeleton architecture. The UNICO sits inside the iconic Big Bang case. This version is 42 mm in diameter and features the famous 6 titanium ‘H’ shaped bezel screws and lugs on either side of the case that echo the design of a ship’s porthole.

Spirit Of Big Bang Sang Bleu  A High-Tech Creation Incised Into The Transparency Of Sapphire

Since 2016, the Hublot x Sang Bleu collaboration has seen the celebrated typographer, tattooist, artist, and founder of Sang Bleu, Maxime Plescia-Buchi, set down his indelible and distinct features, and stamp his three-dimensional geometry with both relief and depth onto Hublot watches. From the Big Bang in 2016 to Spirit of Big Bang in 2023, 2024 is once again making its mark.

Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu Sapphire – A play on similarities and differences

It has kept the Spirit of Big Bang, maintaining the 42 mm diameter and the soul of the barrel shape, while offering a different aesthetic finish. It is a watch that, even with its ultra-generous proportions and assertive shape, offers perfect ergonomics to suit all wrist sizes, both feminine and masculine. There’s no change on the movement side, with the HUB4700, a skeletonised automatic chronograph with date at 4.30, 50-hour power reserve and its oscillating weight redesigned in the Sang Bleu style.

The inspired design remains the same, a watch incised, chiselled, angled and faceted by Sang Bleu, revealing and overlaying hexagons, rhombuses and triangles redrawing forms and volumes, feature by feature. The playful relief and depth in Maxime’s features takes on a new dimension, as the sapphire reveals an entirely new personality.

Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu Sapphire – A contrasting softness of features incised into the hardness of the sapphire
The sapphire now extends from the dial – which already revealed the HUB4700 self-winding skeleton chronograph movement through the disc hands designed by Sang Bleu – to the case and the bezel, enhancing the watch’s organic design. The complexity of the design of the collection, plus the demanding geometry of Maxime’s polygonal tattooing, meant that Hublot once again had to push back the boundaries of machining sapphire. Under the impact of the sapphire’s transparency, the purity of the Sang Bleu features, which remain sharp and methodical, expresses itself here in an ultra-light minimalist style, both visually and on the wrist. A fascinating and highly demanding material, whose total transparency required an absolutely perfect level of finish.

Thanks to 3D machining and over 100 hours of work, the Spirit of Big Bang Sapphire Sang Bleu is practically as hard and scratch-resistant as a diamond (9 on the Mohs scale, compared to 10 for diamonds). The only remaining non-transparent elements are the crown, the push buttons, the screws on the case, the 6 H-shaped screws on the bezel, and the folding clasp, all cut out of titanium, and the components of the movement.

Produced in a run of 100 pieces; making this a collector’s edition!

The Big Bang Integrated Time Only

Iconic with an adventurous look, 38mm of elegance and materials that are at the heart of the Art of Fusion. The exceptional Big Bang has helped build Hublot’s reputation, and today we witness a new shift for the watchmaker with the striking evolution of a classic.

The Big Bang Integrated Time Only represents the essence of Hublot. Naturally, it has all the features of a “Big Bang”: the powerful case with its two “ears” on either side, the bezel adorned with its six H-shaped functional screws, the large skeleton hour and minute hands accompanied by their seconds hand finished with the Manufacture’s signature counterpoise, all the even-numbered indices from 2 to 12 on the dial, and the rubber on the crown. But this “essence” is not just limited to these aesthetic codes: Today, this essence makes it possible to reduce the diameter from 40 mm to 38 mm.

Although quite rare in Hublot’s collections, this is a natural choice. It was already the standard in the 1980s, when the brand was taking off. Secondly, it’s a diameter that fits everyone: If the great collectors only choose pieces between 38 and 41 mm, it’s because universal elegance lies there, in those three millimetres. There’s something here for every culture and every wrist size. Finally, it’s a unisex diameter. Hublot has always been at the forefront of this watchmaking vision. The brand’s current collections are not classified by gender. They can be filtered by the client’s desires, but it is important to remember that these pieces are imagined as being universal.

The six new Big Bang Integrated Time Only models have been created with this vision. The case and bracelet are integrated – inspiring the name of the model – and both are made from the same material. There are two versions in brushed titanium, with a black or a blue dial. The next two versions are in King Gold, available with these same two dial colourways. The dial of the Big Bang Integrated Time Only is made of soft ferromagnetic steel. The movement is thus optimally protected against magnetic fields, preserving its chronometric precision from these external influences. For the first time, the Big Bang Integrated Time Only will be equipped with a new movement  –  the  HUB1115, which  has undergone  a  major  quality  upgrade  in  terms  of  its  technical  and  aesthetic  features. The main improvements take the form of a brand-new oscillating weight bearing and a stronger mainspring enabling the power reserve to be extended to 48 hours. All the finishes have been revamped, including a satin finish on the bridges and an anthracite ruthenium coating.

The last two versions are in ceramic. The first version is entirely navy blue, with a blue dial, perfectly in keeping with Hublot’s original maritime spirit. The second and final version features “Black Magic” – a style dear to Hublot which runs through all the Manufacture’s collections. With a case, bracelet and dial in deepest black, this is the first Big Bang Black Magic ever created on a watch measuring 38 mm – a diameter previously only available on rare Classic Fusion models.

The Square Bang Unico Reinvented In Magic Gold

The Square Bang was designed as an everyday piece. This is why it was originally made from titanium. Since then, the piece has found its place, its public, and its fans. And there are many among them that do not want to have to choose between durability and luxury, resilience and the lustre of gold. Two new references of the Square Bang Unico in Magic Gold were, of course, the natural next step. They have been unveiled today at Watches & Wonders.

The piece retains its extraordinary design: a solid square with rounded corners, the bezel punctuated with the 6 signature Big Bang screws. It also has this icon’s skeleton dial, lugs on either side of the case, and the integrated “One Click” bracelet which allows it to be changed at will. But its strongest feature remains this bezel.

In watchmaking, the bezel is always approached with great care. It needs to be as slim as possible, so it is not too vulnerable to impacts. For this new Square Bang, the stance is radically the opposite. The bezel is massive and protruding. It powerfully underscores the geometry of the case. It extends generously away from it. It is clearly functional, supporting the six H-shaped screws which attach it securely to the case. And it is as lustrous as it is practical: made from solid Magic Gold, it is the framework within which the Unico, a bicompax manufacture date and chronograph movement, shines.

Its lustre is that of Magic Gold. Developed and patented by the Manufacture, Magic Gold is the first and only 18-karat gold alloy in the world to be completely scratch-resistant, even when leading an extremely active lifestyle. This scratch-resistance is due to its hardness of almost 1000 Vickers, compared to 400 Vickers for standard 18-karat gold and 600 Vickers for hardened steels. Only diamond can boast a greater hardness. This ensures it retains its beauty, lustre and polished finish over time. A genuine revolution in the world of precious metals, and its authenticity is duly certified: Magic Gold is an 18-karat gold verified by the Central Office for Precious Metals Control.

 Hublot Loves Football Every Second Counts Untiluefa Euro 2024!

Will Kylian Mbappé be the hero of UEFA EURO 2024? This is certainly the perfect scenario explored in the new Hublot campaign film “Every second counts”. As the final seconds of the match tick away on the dial of the referee’s Hublot Big Bang e Gen3 connected watch, Kylian Mbappé crosses the pitch with the ball at his feet, toying with his opponents, before scoring the winning goal at the very last moment! A deep dive into the mind of the French team captain, wholly focused on the game, outside of time and space.

This cinematic imagining, with Kylian Mbappé – Hublot Ambassador since 2018, and ambassador for the new Big Bang e Gen3 connected watch released to mark UEFA EURO 2024 – as its star, illustrates the passion for football that Hublot and UEFA share. Way back in 2006, Hublot became the first luxury brand to invest in the sport, with the goal of promoting the best of football, its stories and its incredible moments, and allowing its community to share in these unique experiences under the banner “Hublot Loves Football!”. From 2008, Hublot became the Official Watch Partner of the EURO tournament in Switzerland and Austria. In 2014, Hublot became the Official Timekeeper for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Since then, the watch brand has become a crucial part of the game, firstly by supporting teams and players, then, since 2014, as the technology partner, creating the fourth official’s board which, with its design that echoes that of the Big Bang, has now become an iconic sight as it signals player substitutions and extra time. 2018 was another first, with Hublot heading onto the pitch by developing the perfect working instrument for the referees in time for the FIFA Football World Cup in Russia. To help them in their tasks, the referees wore the Big Bang e, a connected watch specifically designed to assist them. Football’s legions of fans were not forgotten, with an exclusive model designed for them which provides real-time updates on the score and action and can be customised with their team’s colours. Six years later, and thanks to continuous technical developments implemented in close collaboration with the refereeing body of football’s highest governing authorities, a third version of this formidable instrument is being released.

The Big Bang e Gen3 was unveiled for the first time in 2022 to coincide with the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. In 2024, Hublot is continuing to express its passion for football by releasing an update to this Big Bang e Gen3 dedicated to the EURO 2024.

This connected watch fits perfectly with the watchmaking codes of the Big Bang collection. The 44 mm case crafted from titanium boasts a sandwich construction, an approach invented by Hublot in 2005. Its bezel is adorned with 6 H-shaped screws, and the sapphire crystal is scratch-resistant; the rubber strap has a deployant buckle, and can be easily swapped over using the patented One Click system. Everything is here: element by element, it is clear that this is a true Big Bang. A Big Bang, yes, but with highly impressive technology. Its case houses a Qualcomm® Snapdragon WearTM 4100+ processor, ensuring it outperforms all other Hublot connected watches. Notable features include 8 different sensors and GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC payment connectivity. The Big Bang e Gen3 is, of course, compatible with both Google Android and Apple iOS operating systems. And, so it can be dressed in the colours of the wearer’s favourite teams, the screen backgrounds and straps can be changed. Wear OS by Google is a trademark of Google LLC.

This new connected watch will allow its wearer to follow – in real time – the final phase of the next UEFA 2024 European Championship, set to take place in Germany from 14th June to 14th July, and for which 21 teams have now qualified. These include France, led by its captain Kylian Mbappé, who are looking to lift their third trophy. Join Hublot in Munich on 14th June for the opening match of the UEFA EURO 2024. Hublot Loves Football!

The Big Bang e Gen3 Euro 24 is on sale now on the Hublot e-commerce platform and in Boutiques.

UNICO

Launched  in 2010 as the first movement designed by the Manufacture, and a technical and aesthetic pioneer, the Unico calibre only served to strengthen the reputation of Hublot, already renowned for the cutting-edge design of its watches. It boasts a unique look, thanks to its column wheel which is perfectly visible on the dial side, its chronograph with flyback function, its stylish anthracite grey lines and its unrivalled performance. Eight years later, the Manufacture is launching a new generation of automatic chronographs with flyback function, with an updated, simplified design and formidable accuracy.

Constantly pushing one’s own limits, steering away from the familiar and comfort zones, incessantly creating and innovating. This is the driving force that has been behind Hublot’s strength since its inception. It is with this same deliberate fervour that in 2010, a year after unveiling its Manufacture that regroups the indispensable trades necessary for technical development and material research, that the watchmaker unveiled its very first 100% Hublot calibre.