Few brands are in a constant state of activity the way Hublot is. Its universe is rife with material innovation, technical mastery, artistic collaborations, and even the metaverse, all orbiting and sometimes even crashing into each other to create horological supernovas. One such star is the Big Bang Unico.
A cornerstone of the brand today, the Big Bang line launched in 2005 with an extravagant design that even back then focused on the play of materials. At a sizeable 44.5mm and with a sandwich construction, it was crafted in steel or red gold, with a carbon fibre dial, a ceramic bezel with six screws, crown and pushers featuring rubber inserts, and a rubber strap. The rotor of this chronograph watch, designed by movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret, had a black PVD treatment for the honeycomb surface. The overall effect was explosive, and over the next four years, the watch gained immense popularity. In 2013, the line hit another milestone – it was fitted with the in-house Unico chronograph. Featuring a flyback function, its column wheel was visible on the dial side of the movement, and its interchangeable escapement module could be adjusted, removed, or replaced without disassembling the entire movement. Add a silicon escape wheel and bi-directional winding, and the Unico became something of a workhorse movement for the brand over the past decade, featured in a variety of designs.
“It [the Big Bang Unico] is a watch with incredible charisma, and it is so recognisable. It is like no other watch that we can see on the market, with the visible movement and the unique chronograph,” says Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO, Hublot. “It’s a watch that has a lot of personality, and I believe the popularity of the watch comes from the fact that it stands out, is strong and is very different. When we fuse the Big Bang Unico with striking materials and colours, like ceramic, sapphire or if we set it with a rainbow of gemstones – the watch is truly unique and very bold.”
"When we fuse the Big Bang Unico with striking materials and colours, like ceramic, sapphire or if we set it with a rainbow of gemstones – the watch is truly unique and very bold.”
Not surprisingly, the Big Bang Unico has become a canvas for Hublot’s many expressions. Just this year saw the Big Bang Unico Nespresso Origin (whose case contained recycled Nespresso aluminium capsules), the Big Bang Unico SORAI (a collaborative project with cricketer Kevin Pietersen), and the Big Bang Unico Cheval Blanc Randheli (to celebrate the ninth anniversary of the luxury resort); last year saw the Big Bang Unico Gourmet watch (made from steel used in chefs' knives). “Because the Big Bang Unico is part of our DNA; it is only natural for us to use this model to showcase our partnerships. It is one of the watches that best represents Hublot, and by fusing it with the unique worlds of our partners like SORAI or with our chefs – we are really able to create something unique that represents both Hublot and our partners,” says Guadalupe.
Two years ago, the brand also launched the unisex ‘Summer watches’ concept in their 42mm Big Bang Unico line, in colours reminiscent of light days and balmy evenings. The year 2021 saw the introduction of the aluminium, turquoise model, and last year came the Big Bang Unico Summer Purple (which I had the opportunity to wear and experience). This year, sees the Big Bang Unico Sky Blue (Ref. 441.EX.5120.RX), a limited edition of 200 pieces, make a splash.
The watch is crafted in ceramic, a material that has quickly risen to become a mainstay at the brand since 2019, when Hublot’s patented processes that created brightly coloured ceramic. Since then, the brand has had almost every Pantone colour at its disposal, and the new sky blue is proof. The case is polished and satin-finished, and with emphasis on comfort and ergonomics, the high-tech material has been created to be hypoallergenic and adaptable to the temperature of the skin. Furthermore, ceramic lends itself to being lightweight and ultra-resistant to oxidation and scratching. Giving it its signature look are the six iconic H-shaped titanium screws on the bezel, which is also polished and satin-finished ceramic. Given the sandwich construction of the case, the watch’s ‘ears’ or lateral protective bumpers are cast in white, as is the shock-absorbing inserts on the flanks. The large steel piston chronograph pushers are brushed.
The skeleton dial is where the beauty of the automatic HUB1280 Unico Chronograph movement comes alive. Starting from the outermost part, a sky blue rehaut with minutes / seconds markings separates the sapphire crystal from the face. The Arabic numeral hourmarkers and bar indexes are raised and luminous, like the hour and minutes hand; the central chronograph seconds hand has a Hublot logo-shaped counterweight. At 3 o’clock rests the 60-minute subdial in matte sky blue, within which rests the day window; at 9 o’clock is the skeleton small seconds counter. Under the hour markers, running concentric to the rehaut, one can see the date wheel. And underneath it all, the Unico movement churns at 4Hz (28,800 vph). The calibre has 354 components, with parts like the column wheel (6 o’clock) and escapement (9 o’clock) clearly visible. The screwed-in exhibition caseback provides a look at the skeletonised bi-directional rotor, which ensures a power reserve of 72 hours. “The Unico is the iconic manufacture movement from Hublot, it is part of our brand’s DNA and it represents our identity: Being unique,” says Guadalupe. “The Unico represents the know-how of our manufacture and is one of the founding pillars of our brand. It is what makes Hublot unique and different.”
Thanks to Hublot’s One-Click system, the watch comes on a light blue and white lined rubber with a titanium deployant buckle, along with an additional white calfskin leather with Velcro® fastener and light blue ceramic buckle.
With the blue and white rubber strap
With the white Velcro strap
The latest Big Bang Unico Sky Blue joins a long list of watches that highlight why the line is important to the brand. “The Big Bang Unico, which is one of our most iconic designs, is the best way to represent the fusion - the fusion of the iconic Big Bang and the Unico movement with our different partners and ambassadors that make the Art of Fusion possible. We are really looking to develop the Big Bang Unico to become the iconic model of Hublot – the first words that come to mind when we think of Hublot is: Big Bang and Unico”.
Images: Courtesy brand
