James Robinson
Though it may have been a few weeks ago, such was the extent of Hublot’s 2020 novelties unveiled at LVMH’s Dubai Watch Week that it's still got the horological hemisphere talking.For a start, the big talking point was that the Swiss watchmaker’s iconic Big Bang was unveiled on an all-new integrated bracelet, and thus, the Hublot Big Bang Integral was born. Available from launch in three different materials Titanium, Black Ceramic and King Gold the handsome chronograph-equipped timepiece was a big surprise for the collective watch community, as it represents a significant shift from Hublot’s quintessential natural rubber strap, which has been a constant since the original Big Bang’s release back in 2005.The new Integral sports a well-sized 42mm case that measures a relatively slim 13.45mm thick and features the marque’s signature design language. All of the dials are open-worked, which provides a distinctly avant-garde aesthetic, and complements the angularity of the new bracelet.The skeletonised dial also gives wearers the opportunity to admire the in-house manufacture Calibre HUB1280, a self-winding movement that features the aforementioned chronograph complication with column wheel (visible at six o’clock on the dial), 70 hours of power reserve, 43 jewels and an operating frequency of 28,800 (4Hz) vibrations per hour.Prices for the all-new Big Bang Integral start at $29,200 AUD for the Titanium variant, $32,200 for the Black Ceramic (limited to 500 pieces), and $73,200 for the Solid King Gold iteration. The watch will also be available in two full pave variants in Titanium and King Gold, which cost $95,400 AUD and $140,000 AUD, respectively.The other showstopper from Hublot’s 2020 novelties was the Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Red Magic. This limited edition leviathan of a watch is the latest model to be powered by Hublot’s deeply impressive manufacture Calibre HUB9011, which was also utilised in the recently released Hublot Big Bang MP-11 SAXEM.The stonking manually wound movement offers up a scarcely believable 14 days of power reserve, and the barrels that allow for this absurd level of power reserve also mean that both the case and sapphire crystal have to be shaped to accommodate the said barrels. The result is both a completely inimitable case and sapphire crystal construction. Paired with a patterned rubber strap with a black-plated titanium deployant clasp, this is a watch that’s not for the faint of wrist, nor the short of coin, as the sizeable ceramic timepiece measures in at 45mm across, 14.4mm thick and will retail in Australia for $119,000 big ones.It’s set to be another big year for Hublot, and with the Big Bang Integral now entering the fray as a viable contender in the luxury integrated sports watch market, it will be interesting to see if and how this new timepiece may shake up the industry status quo, just as the first Big Bang did way back when.
04.02.20