“The art of fusion” has been the motto of Hublot since 2004, and the Swiss brand has abided faithfully by that vision ever since. That commitment is evident not only in individual watches, but also in the selection of timepieces presented this time, which included the understated Classic Fusion Original, a reinterpretation of a 1980 vintage, alongside futuristic-looking tickers, such as the striking Big Bang Tourbillon Neon Yellow Saxem.
“At Hublot, we always try to create watches that are disruptive and different, that really don’t exist on the market, because if we want to have success, we must offer watches that are not [similar to those] produced by other brands,” says Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe. “We’re a young brand, we must demonstrate that we can make watches in a different way [compared with] a traditional brand. That’s why we call it ‘the art of fusion.’”
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Guadalupe describes the quest to push boundaries as the driving force behind watches like the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon Saxem. “I would say it is [Hublot’s] most stunning piece and its highlight for this LVMH Watch Week, because it’s a very [polarising] watch,” he explains. “People ask me, who will buy this watch? Of course it will not be the first watch that somebody buys; it’s for someone who loves Hublot, who has several watches of Hublot or is a collector of other brands, and wants something different.”
The instinct for dreaming up unimaginable, non-existent products that go on to become highly sought after is a tricky one to hone. “The idea is always to be unique or different, so I say to my team, ‘If you come up with an idea that doesn’t really exist, it can be a good idea,’” Guadalupe says.
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Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Yellow Neon Saxem: Not a brand that shies away from bold colours in its watches, Hublot dazzles once again with a ticker crafted from SAXEM. An acronym of ‘sapphire aluminium oxide and rare earth mineral,’ it was originally developed for use in space technology, and is resistant, stable, and more brilliant than sapphire crystal. Powered by the HUB6035 manufacture automatic tourbillon movement with a micro-rotor, the 44mm watch features an entirely skeletonised calibre, with even its bridges fabricated from sapphire crystal, and comes in a limited edition of 50 pieces.
Classic Fusion Original: A welcome blast from the past, this is a reinterpretation of the 1980 Hublot timepiece that shattered convention by combining gold and rubber. Strongly resembling the original design by Carlo Crocco that came in a diameter of 36mm, with a polished black
lacquer dial, porthole-shaped bezel, and yellow gold case, the Classic Fusion Original now features bolder facetted hands, a refreshed logo, fewer but more prominent screws on the bezel, and comes in 33mm, 38mm or 42mm cases of yellow gold, titanium or ceramic. The MHUB1110 self-winding movement drives the 42mm and 38mm models, with a power reserve of 42 hours, while a quartz movement keeps the 33mm model going.
Big Bang Integrated King Gold Rainbow: Another highlight of Hublot’s: the rainbow execution, whether it’s through graduated gemstones or ombre leather. Fully paved from case to bezel to bracelet and even caseback, the 42mm Big Bang Integrated King Gold Rainbow is festooned with nearly a thousand gems per watch, including rubies, amethysts, blue topaz, tsavorites, and sapphires in multiple colours. King Gold, the alloy exclusive to Hublot, imbues the watch with a warm glow, while the skeleton dial in matt black holds one’s attention on the sea of colour that surrounds it. The Unico Manufacture self-winding chronograph flyback
movement with column wheel provides a three-day power reserve.
This article originally appeared on Grazia Singapore.
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