Days after introducing a wide range of timepieces at Watches and Wonders 2022, Hublot has now released the new Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Cathedral Minute Repeater, the world’s first-ever fully ceramic minute repeater. Not only this, it’s also the first tourbillon model in the Big Bang Integral collection and the first Big Bang Integral timepiece by Hublot that has been crafted from black ceramic.

It’s a well-known fact that minute repeaters are notoriously complex to manufacture. To perfectly craft them, watchmakers not only require mastery over their craftsmanship but also need to pay great attention to the shape and material of the watch’s case as it serves to amplify and shape the sound of the minute repeater complication. Therefore, in order to enhance the sound quality, brands usually opt for metallic materials such as gold and titanium and avoid materials like ceramic that can dampen the sound. 

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However, Hublot has been able to execute a 100 per cent ceramic minute repeater watch, which offers a clear and powerful sound. What the watchmaker has done is use cathedral gongs—first developed by Patek Philippe—that are twice as long as the classic gongs and provide a rich tone and long reverberation. On top of it, the Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Cathedral Minute Repeater features an openworked dial, which further helps in improving the sound quality. 

The rest of the timepiece is equally fascinating. Sized at 43mm, Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Cathedral Minute Repeater offers optimal legibility along with a central, two-hands timekeeping system and a tourbillon complication located at 6 o’clock. The ceramic minute repeater is powered by the in-house manual-winding MHUB801 calibre that can store a minimum power reserve of up to an impressive 80 hours despite the tourbillon. What’s more, the inner workings of the movement can be admired through the intricately designed skeleton display as well as the transparent caseback.

Available in a limited edition of 18 pieces in total, with 12 for the black ceramic iteration, and 6 pieces for the white ceramic variation, the Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Cathedral Minute Repeater will be sold in Japan only.

Image: Courtesy Hublot