Twenty years ago, Hublot delivered what it had hoped was going to be its gamechanger. The brand built to disrupt did just that with the introduction of the Big Bang.
That collection did indeed revolutionise the entire perception of Hublot – becoming one of the most important watches in this century. Over the next two decades, the Big Bang helped Hublot to solidify a reputation that it was bold, assertive, experimental, laying the foundations for a departure from tradition.
For its 20th anniversary year, Hublot is looking to celebrate its icon with the launch of a whole bunch of new pieces, that it hopes will be a fitting tribute to its legacy, before turning the capture to its exciting new future under its new CEO, Julian Tornare.
Most impressive are two once-in-a-lifetime sets aimed squarely at high-end collectors. The Materials and High Complication Set () contains five models made of different materials, including sapphire, ceramic and Texalium, a form of carbon fiber. Each watch houses a tourbillon movement, with some models also boasting chronograph and minute repeater complications. One model the — Big Bang Tourbillon Chrono Cathedral Minute Repeater — contains all three.
Another important set is the Master of Sapphire set, that features five Big Bang watches — four in sapphire and one in Saxem — all in different colors and each powered by a Meca 10 movement.
There are tons of individual releases as well, from 20th-anniversary editions recalling the original Big Bang in titanium/ceramic, King Gold/Ceramic, Red Magic ceramic and others; a new colorful collection of bejeweled ladies’ watches called One Click Joyful; and more.
Delightfully, Hublot has also flexed its innovating muscles and introduced a pair of Big Bang Unico chronographs in two new shades of ceramic: Petrol Blue and Mint Green. Both come in at 42mm across the case and feature open-worked dials with color-matched highlights along with matching rubber straps equipped with Hublot’s excellent One-Click exchange system.