Watch Brand of Note: Hublot

Hublot Watches: What Makes them Unique

What is Hublot? In essence, Hublot is a watchmaker that has perfected the art of fusion. Fusion of materials: carbon fiber, fine ceramics, and hard-wearing, waterproof rubber. Joining traditional and modern design. Integrating the Hublot brand with sports icons and institutions.

But above all, the creative spark of Hublot was triggered through the cohesive fusion of two men, both possessed of superb watchmaking pedigrees: founder Carlo Crocco and Jean-Claude Biver, the man who made Hublot a modern household name.

Let’s be clear—assembling watches using different materials and techniques is not in itself unique. However, Hublot’s seamless process makes their watches revolutionary.

 

In a short time, Hublot has established a formidable reputation in luxury watchmaking. The brand has done so by introducing classic pieces that are boldly innovative in both its design and materials. What is Hublot? Learn more about this unique young watch brand, the most popular Hublot watches, and what you should expect to pay for a Hublot watch.

Hublot Watches: What Makes Them Unique

In essence, Hublot is a watchmaker who has perfected the art of fusion. This includes fusing of materials, joining traditional and modern design, and integrating with sports icons and institutions. Still, above all, Hublot is the fusion of the vision of two men with superb watchmaking pedigrees: Carlo Crocco and Jean-Claude Biver. 

Crocco launched the Hublot brand at Baselworld in 1980. However, his work in the industry spans long before. Before establishing his own brand, Crocco worked for the Binda Group, a prominent Italian watch company of the era. He left his role in 1976 to begin developing Hublot, which means porthole in French. His first design drew from this name and image. The result was a porthole shaped case that has since become a signature of the brand. In addition, Hublot’s initial offering was the first luxury watch to feature a natural rubber strap. Needless to say, the watch and the brand’s overall concept was avant-garde for the time. This reflected in their sales, and their future became uncertain. Soon, Crocco acknowledged he was a skilled designer but not a businessman, and he needed support. Hublot needed a new CEO.

A New CEO at Hublot

Enter industry legend Jean-Claude Biver. Biver and Crocco first became friends in 2003, when Biver served as CEO of OMEGA. A year later, he joined Crocco at Hublot and quickly revitalized the company’s reputation for innovation. Biver launched his first collection for the brand in 2005, using Crocco’s vision and his industry know-how. It was then that the Hublot Big Bang history began. The result was a watch that proved to be a hit both commercially and critically, winning numerous awards. The Big Bang’s unique mix of materials – steel, ceramic, and rubber – had the effect Biver wanted. In addition, it heavily influenced the trend for large watches.

 

Hublot Watches: Famous Models

Since the introduction of the Big Bang, Hublot has created a number of other memorable models. With each new creation, Hublot continues to embody Crocco’s unique vision for the brand. The LVMH Group purchased the brand in 2008. Soon after, they introduced two new collections that built on the Hublot Big Bang history. These included the Classic Fusion and King Power, both launched in 2009. In addition, Hublot has continued to expand the Big Bang line with new variations. 

Big Bang

First released: 2005

Jean-Claude Biver’s original flash of genius remains as sporty and stylish today as when it was first unveiled at Baselworld. The watch is undeniably robust. However, its design has a refined elegance. This explains the Hublot Big Bang’s enduring reputation. The initial model featured a 44.5mm stainless steel case, ceramic bezel, and woven carbon fiber dial. However, over the years, the collection has expanded in both its range of sizes and materials. This has included some special edition variations of the model. For instance, in 2015 the Big Bang celebrated its tenth anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, the brand released three new iterations of the model. The first is the Unico Full Magic Gold. While it’s the most basic of the three anniversary editions, it still boasts upgrades from the standard Big Bang. The Unico Full Magic Gold showcases the brand’s in-house Unico movement and a scratch-resistant 18-karat gold case. The second anniversary model is the Tourbillon 5-Day Power Reserve Indicator Full Magic Gold. This model is particularly special because it marks the first tourbillon in the Big Bang collection. Last but not least is the Unico Ten Years Haute Joaillerie, which includes four different iterations within the line. These include blue, white, ruby, and black. Each showcases 653 precious stones in the colors for a total of over 40-carats per watch. A year later in 2016, Hublot built upon the Unico iterations of the model with the Big Bang Unico Sapphire. This totally transparent model features a case, bezel, and caseback made of sapphire crystal. Once again, this marked an industry first. The Hublot Big Bang history has certainly seen numerous variations in colors and materials over the years. However, the original design remains a firm favorite among collectors.

King Power

First released: 2009

The sheer size of the Hublot King Power’s 48mm case divides opinion, but with its rubber strap and lightweight materials, it’s still comfortable on the wrist. The King Power has a sophisticated, almost military look—all straight edges and sharp corners, but as one might expect from Hublot, the design displays meticulous attention to detail, from the visibility of the movement to the deep, multi-leveled dial. The King Power features a Hublot-designed UNICO movement. Sports stars such as Diego Maradona and Usain Bolt have worn this watch.

Classic Fusion

First released: 2010

The Hublot Classic Fusion takes the Big Bang’s iconic design and slims it down. The result is a watch a thinner profile and a dial with fewer details. Still, it retains the porthole case and the bold hour markers and hands that make the Big Bang so recognizable. They offered the original model in two case sizes, 42mm and 45mm. Today, the collection has expanded with smaller options, including 38mn and 33mm. Like the Big Bang, the Classic Fusion is available in a range of materials, like carbon, titanium, ceramic, and gold. In addition, the Classic Fusion collection has seen a number of limited edition variations with names like Ferrari and artist Carlos Cruz-Diez in a Hublot collaboration.

Hublot’s Key Athletic Partnerships

Hublot has continued to build on the success of the Big Bang by forging key partnerships and creating dedicated collections. The brand has tapped standout athletes across an array of modalities, from Usain Bolt to Dustin Johnson to Masahiro Tanaka. However, their work with The Dallas Cowboys is the first Hublot collaboration with an entire team. It is also an industry first.

The Dallas Cowboys’ Hublot Partnership

As the Cowboys’ Official Luxury Watch and Timekeeper, Hublot maintains a presence at the team’s AT&T stadium in Arlington and on the wrists of players and fans. Hublot clocks adorn the stadium walls and HD displays above the field for the pre-game countdowns at home games. When the initial partnership launched in 2014, the brand debuted three special edition timepieces. Hublot produced these watches in limited quantities of just 50 pieces to commemorate the occasion. They include the Classic Fusion Dallas Cowboys men’s and ladies’ and the King Power Dallas Cowboys. Each model features the Cowboys star at the five-o’clock position as a nod to the team’s five Super Bowl wins. Of course, the watches boast a white, silver, and blue color scheme in honor of the team’s hues.

A year after the partnership began, they released another Dallas Cowboys and Hublot collaboration: the Big Bang Dallas Cowboys. The model launched at the team’s AT&T stadium, which kicked off Hublot’s Big Bang Ten Year Anniversary Tour. The event took place prior to a Cowboys game. It included a pre-game charity football toss to benefit the Warrior Family Network foundation. At halftime, former safety Darren Woodson debuted the model during his induction into the Cowboys Ring of Honor. Later, it was available to the public in a limited run of 50 stainless steel and 25 rose gold pieces. The model continued to feature the signature Cowboys star at the five-o’clock position. In addition, there were options for an alligator or rubber strap in the team’s trademark blue.

Hublot Expands their NFL Presence

In 2016, Hublot announced plans to expand their partnerships within the NFL. This time with The Dallas Cowboys rivals, the New York Giants. Together, the pair designed the Aerofusion Limited New York Edition. They produced the unique skeletonized chronograph in a special run of just ten pieces in gold and 40 in titanium. It features blue and red accents in the team colors as well as a pebbled “pigskin” football-inspired strap. However, Hublot’s partnership with the Giants only lasted a year. 

World Cup and Hublot – the Official Timekeepers

In 2018, Hublot served as Official Timekeeper of their fourth World Cup. In addition, they created a limited edition timepiece to commemorate the special event. The Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia isn’t just unique because of its ties to the tournament. The model is also the brand’s first smartwatch.

With the Hublot collaboration, FIFA expressed the need for a superior connected watch that referees could wear on the pitch during matches and that would appeal to the event’s global fan base. The result was the brand’s first connected watch, produced in a limited quantity of only 2,018 pieces. The Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia combines the iconic features of Hublot’s beloved Big Bang with the modern touches of a smartwatch. It’s composed of functional, lightweight titanium and features a bezel decorated with six screws and a Kelvar insert. Yet, the connected aspect of the model shines through on its analog face. It features two neutral dial options in addition to 32 unique “fan” dials. They take inspiration from the colors of the flags of each participating country.

Keeping with the contemporary look and feel, the Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia boasts a 49mm case. It comes equipped with the brand’s patented interchangeable “One Click” strap and two strap options. These include a cuff showcasing the 2018 FIFA World Cup emblem and a sleek black rubber strap. Additional strap options in each of the country colors were also available.

For those who sported the watch throughout the tournament, there were a few particularly special, interactive features. First, there was a notification announcing each match fifteen minutes prior to kickoff. In addition, the watch displayed match statistics. This included the score, names of goal scorers, player substitutions, match time, and issues of red and yellow cards. Finally, when a player scored a goal, the watch vibrated and proudly displayed the word “GOAL” on the dial.

In addition to the standard functions of the Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, the variation worn by the referees came equipped with a few other features. Each was synced with goal-line technology as well as an electronic video assistance system. These followed each trajectory of the ball, allowing them to definitively determine if the ball entirely crosses the goal line.