Hublot set sail with the launch of their new boutiques in Cannes and St. Tropez, along the coast of the Côte d’Azur, with Lapo Elkann – designer and style icon, and Ambassador of Hublot, and Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot.

The official ribbon-cutting was replaced with a traditional ship launch ceremony, which included breaking a bottle of champagne across the "hull" as a goodwill blessing of sorts for the two newly-launched vessels. Both the summer boutiques have the summer nautical air about them, reflecting a Mediterranean ambience with the rope door handles (representing the sailor's knot), the wood and fabric display cases in nautical shades, natural jute carpeting and the sand-coloured soft-seating.

The launch was celebrated with the release of the new Big Bang Blue timepiece, painted in the colours of the sea and the sky. The watch is available in two strap options: blue and white natural rubber and blue alligator. The cerulean dial covers the trademark UNICO manufacture movement, and its self-winding flyback chronograph with column wheel, which helps manage your time in complete autonomy for three days.

Limited to 100 pieces, the Big Bang Blue will only be available in the Cannes, Saint- Tropez, Porto Cervo, Capri and Mykonos boutiques, before hitting the rest of the world.