Hublot unveils its first square-shaped case. What inspired this choice of style?

We would like to explore new designs. This too is the “art of fusion”. After the “barrel” shape, we now have the square shape based on our Big Bang icon. We are actually squaring the circle.

How would you define the identity of the Square Bang?

Unique and different! The Square Bang is inspired just like the Big Bang.

What does the arrival of this new collection mean for Hublot?

We are adding to our treasure chest of shaped watches for the future, with the aim that they make up a third of our sales in a few years.

How will the Square Bang distinguish itself from Hublot’s other collections?

It is part of the Shaped Collection, alongside our two other collections: Big Bang and Classic Fusion.

Is the Square Bang likely to incorporate further complications?

It’s a possibility, yes. But for now, it is fitted with the UNICO 2, our in-house chronograph movement.

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Not everything spins round in the watchmaking world. Hublot injected its founding spirit into the elegant “barrel” watches of its Spirit of Big Bang collection unveiled in 2014. And this year, with The Shaped Collection, its Manufacture proves that the brand’s geometry can be altered without erasing its iconic DNA. The range consists of five Square Bang Unico models, each with same square 42mm case, water-resistant to a depth of 100 metres. Two of the models are machined from sold titanium or King Gold respectively. Two combine these materials with a black ceramic bezel, while all are fitted with a black rubber strap that can be easily changed thanks to the convenient One Click release system, and replaced with novel leather straps.

The optimized ergonomics fit in with the aesthetics of the Square Bang Unico. The chronograph push buttons, ideally integrated into the case middle, facilitate the measurement of time, which is easily readable in the bicompax display. The roundness of the calibre adds depth to the tiered structure of the openwork dial, which provides a fascinating dive into the inner workings of the UNICO HUB1280. This self-winding movement created from 354 components is not only precise, but also efficient, with an impressive 72-hour power reserve. The watchmaker from Nyon channels its expertise into a striking limited edition of 250 Square Bang Unico All black timepieces. The case, bezel, push buttons, strap, base plate and indices are monotone throughout, creating a powerful look. By choosing the Square Bang Unico, not only do you make a personal statement, you also assert your style!

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After just over 95 days at sea, Alan Roura, the youngest participant in the event at the age of 27, has completed his second Vendée Globe. Already! The experience the Swiss skipper has gained during his two circumnavigations has earned him a great deal of respect and his potential has not gone unnoticed. In the next race, he will take the helm of one of the most powerful boats in the IMOCA fleet, that of Alex Thomson. This 60-foot-long beauty of a boat, with its innovative foils, has everything it takes to get through and win the world’s toughest solo race. All he needs now is a major sponsor to help him realize his dream of becoming the first foreign competitor to sail to victory in his third participation in a row. His prayers have been answered with Hublot on his side and he can now assemble a team that is 100% Swiss Made – just like the watches it creates.

Hublot embraced the world of sailing very early on, awarding chronograph watches to the top three sailors taking part in the Vendée Globe in 2005. Two years later, the brand was on board the Luna Rossa and in 2012, it partnered with Bol d’Or, the world’s most prestigious inland regatta, on Lake Geneva. Training continues non-stop at Lorient La Base, in France, a centre of excellence for professional sailors. The Imoca 60 Hublot will soon sport the colours black and yellow, a tribute to the brand’s first watch combining a gold case, with a design inspired by the famous circular window (‘hublot’ is French for ‘porthole’), and a rubber strap. In the run-up to 2024, Hublot’s new ambassador will be in Saint-Malo on 6 November 2022, for the start of the legendary Route du Rhum.

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As the author Saint-Exupéry pointed out, “What matters is not to arrive, but to go towards.” At Hublot, innovation is not a destination, but a journey, with the production team perpetually pushing the boundaries of what is feasible. The watchmaker’s chromatic palette continues to grow. Translucent no longer means colourless. In 2021, orange revolutionized sapphire and blew conventions out of the water with a bold case for the tourbillon calibre. This year, Hublot’s disruptive vision brings a new colour to life in the world of watchmaking with the Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Purple Sapphire limited series of just 50 pieces.

The symbolic purple sapphire case measuring 45 mm in diameter, with a bezel made in the same material, incorporates an automatic movement with a 3-day power reserve. Because it does not have a dial, the calibre adds to the watch’s avant-garde aesthetics. The micro-rotor visible at 12 o’clock echoes in beautiful symmetry the tourbillon positioned at 6 o’clock. This aerial design once again demonstrates Hublot’s expertise in the art of fusion. Interchangeable rubber straps fitted with the patented One Click quick-release system and a folding clasp in titanium guarantee to bestow excellence and distinction to any wrist.

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Through his faceted sculptures infused with allusions to pop art, Richard Orlinski has made shaking up the status quo his trademark. Turning convention on its head is also part of Hublot’s DNA. The contemporary French artist began a fruitful collaboration with the Hublot Manufacture in 2017. The result: singularly unmistakable angular timepieces bursting with colour. This year, Orlinksi’s artistic stamp is not just on the 40mm-diameter case but also on the dial and integrated metal strap made up of 83 parts. A real technical tour de force given the complexity of the inner workings!

The HUB1100 calibre sits neatly behind the sublime, fully embossed dial in black and white ceramic. This self-winding movement delivers a 42-hour power reserve. During this time, it accurately powers the traditional Dauphine hands, and the centre second hand with the characteristic Hublot “H” logo on its counterweight. “I like the idea that in any kind of art, you can capture a snapshot of an emotion and peel it back to its raw state in the eyes of the beholder, sublimate the fantastical and explore what the artist has transformed through their work.” Orlinski’s reflections come to life with the Classic Fusion Orlinski strap watch. Here, the strap and case work as one. The surface, in its three-dimensional articulation, exposes the customary mirror polished finish. Like the works of a visual artist, the watch creates a powerful visual impact. Enough to satisfy the non-conformist desires of any wrist, male or female!

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Being a visionary. Setting trends rather than following them. These characteristics, which are woven inextricably into Hublot’s DNA, are again undeniably evident in the new variants of the Big Bang Integral Ceramic series. Released first in black, then in white, blue and grey, the chronograph, the epitome of a luxury sports look, is a promise of escape. With its four new styles, the brand offers a passport to elsewhere.

The beige version whisks us off to the expanse of the desert and tropical beaches, while the blue conjures a seascape of inviting waters and clear horizons. With the indigo blue version, it’s almost impossible not to visualize the facades of buildings in Moroccan medinas or  towns in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The green, meanwhile, evokes idyllic landscapes brimming with lush greenery. Each of these colours features on both the 42mm diameter cases and their integrated straps, with beveled and chamfered links, in a satin-brushed and polished finish: a symbiotic fusion of the two elements.

Against this monochromatic backdrop, the mechanical components contribute to the modern look, with a skeleton dial and sapphire caseback. The hour and minute hands are powered for at least 72 hours by the HUB1280 calibre in its flatter version. This self-winding movement also accurately measures small seconds thanks to the central flyback second hand and the counter located at 3 o’clock and the date display. One material, one colour. How can we not quote St Augustine here? “Unity is the form of all beauty.” The Big Bang Integral Ceramic proves once more that the art of fusion is the basis of everything Hublot does.

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