Hublot has collaborated with the renowned men's leather goods fashion house Berluti to create a new interpretation of the Big Bang Unico - the Big Bang Unico Berluti Aluminio. A limited edition of 100 pieces, the timepiece is akin to a canvas where both brands have come together to showcase their prowess.

This, however, is not the first time Hublot and Berluti have joined hands - the brands announced their partnership back in 2016, with the unveiling of the leather-dial Hublot Classic Fusion Berluti. Now, to celebrate the five-year-old bond, Hublot and Berluti present the Big Bang Unico Berluti Aluminio, which unites fashion and watchmaking by fusing leather and titanium. Berluti's dash of patinated Venezia leather features on the Big Bang Unico Berluti Aluminio's polished titanium bezel, as well as on the dial, where the indexes and words 'Swiss Made' are gauffered directly on the surface.

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"This new Big Bang Unico Berluti Aluminio isn't quite what people were expecting - so, of course, that's why we made it!" says, Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO, Hublot. "In an urban style, it reflects the smooth, satin tones of the concrete that adorns the greatest cities. Understated but technical, monochrome but packed with nuance, it explores some very minimalist creative ground that we are not used to travelling. A piece that many will find surprising."

The craftsmanship of the watch admirable, given how the leather is held between two pieces of sapphire glass, and also how the cut in the leather on the dial reveals the gears of the Unico movement - an in-house self-winding flyback chronograph with a power reserve of three full days. Hublot's imagination of the two-part bezel design is noteworthy as well - with the help of a sticky, rigid resin, the first piece of the bezel - in leather, about 1mm thick - is inserted onto the second piece, in grey titanium, and then screwed onto the case of the watch. This enables the bezel to develop a surreal patina over a period of time, just like the strap.The strap is available in two versions - a burnished Aluminio Venezia leather and a patinated Aluminio Venezia leather with the Scritto motif (exclusively for Japan).

You'd be forgiven for thinking the 44mm case of the Big Bang Unico is made from aluminum. It is actually crafted in titanium; Aluminio in the name refers to the grey Venezio leather that adorns the timepiece. To add to this, Hublot has made use of an assortment of materials - resin for the central horn, tungsten for the oscillating weight, satin-finished rhodium for the hands, and titanium of the deployant clasp.

This elegant yet sporty timepiece will be delivered in a special case with a travel pouch and a shoehorn keyring with the Berluti logo.

Watch | Hublot Big Bang Unico Berluti Aluminio

Technical Specifications

Reference: 421.NX.0500.VR.BER21, limited to 100 pieces
Case: Satin-finished and polished titanium
Caseback: Satin-finished titanium etched with 'LIMITED EDITION 100NUM' and 'BERLUTI' sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Bezel: Satin-finished and polished titanium with a genuine patinated Venezia leather insert by Berluti
Dial: Genuine patinated Venezia leather by Berluti with indexes in relief and words 'Swiss Made'
Movement: Hublot MHUB1280 self-winding Unico manufacture chronograph flyback movement with column wheel, frequency - 4Hz (28,800 A/h), power reserve- 72 hours, number of components - 354, and rubies - 43
Strap and buckle: Black rubber and genuine patinated Venezia leather by Berluti with titanium deployant buckle clasp

Images: Courtesy Hublot