In addition to clear-colored sapphire crystal, Hublot produces black, blue, and red (and perhaps more colors in the future) tinted sapphire crystal cases for Big Bang UNICO watches. All interesting choices but I find the totally clear sapphire crystal to be the most interesting. Perhaps the coolest part is simply being able to admire the movement from all angles. Which in this case like most Big Bang UNICO movements in the in-house Hublot caliber HUB 1242 automatic chronograph movement. aBlogtoWatch has written about this attractive and well-performing movement many times before. I’ll just remind you that it is a 4Hz (28,800 bph) movement with 72 hours of power reserve, uses a silicon escapement, and has a column-wheel controlled 30-minute chronograph (along with the time and date, of course). Being “open” and visible is a big part of the HUB 1242’s appeal – so in this totally clear case appreciating its mechanics is even more rewarding. In fact, being able to see how a mechanical movement is displayed in a high-end clear case really gets your mind thinking about all the amazing movements that would be so much more interesting if you could view them from all angles.
Above I mentioned how this particular Big Bang UNICO Magic Sapphire was my favorite sapphire Big Bang watch yet. The reason for that is because Hublot used a traditional dial mixed with a clear sapphire crystal. The first Hublot Big Bang UNICO Sapphire watch (aBlogtoWatch hands-on here) was designed to express the clear theme as much as possible. That means it has a lot of clear or translucent elements on the dial, hands, and even the strap. For me, it was a bit too “anti-pigment” to be practical even though it was clearly artistic. With the Magic Sapphire (a limited edition) you get what is, in my opinion, the best of both worlds. That means the visual fascination of the sapphire crystal case along with a legible dial and traditional black rubber strap. Of course with the push button-release for the strap, it isn’t difficult to switch straps to any color or material Hublot has available for purchase.
Wearing sapphire crystal as a case material out and about offers its own flavor of “bling” as the material catches and plays with the light. It doesn’t have the refraction of faceted precious stones but it does play with the light in an appealing and eye-catching way that I believe will be valued by owners of these timepieces. I would even go so far as to say that the clear sapphire crystal version of the Hublot Big Bang UNICO sapphire plays with light the best – which includes this Magic Sapphire model of course. The anti-reflective coating is applied only to the flat sapphire crystal over the dial of the watch. In the future, I have a feeling that there will be increased experimentation with how to best render sapphire crystal cases, and I am sure at some point that will include seeing how various coatings such as AR help adapt and modify what a sapphire crystal case can look like.
Does it get dirty easily? I’ve had questions as to whether or not sapphire crystal is a fingerprint magnet. It probably is, but you don’t really notice prints on the case (aside from the crystal over the dial) very much unless you are looking at it in the right light. With that said, it is probably a wise idea to rinse off the case every couple of weeks to keep it looking nice. The case is water-resistant to 50m, which is less than the 100m of most other Hublot Big Bang UNICO 45mm cases. That is likely to do with the sapphire crystal material versus other materials. The lower rating is probably a good thing since it reminds you to baby this Big Bang a bit more than you might other timepieces.
At 45mm wide the Big Bang UNICO is a larger watch but is still very wearable even though it extends a bit past the edges of my modestly-sized wrist. The transparent sapphire crystal case helps it feel smaller, and I imagine Hublot might want to release a 42mm wide version in the near future. This is possible because recently Hublot released a 42mm wide version of the Big Bang UNICO. I think that the fashionability of sapphire crystal cases makes them a winner. The only question is how much the price might go down (meaning more people can afford them) and when that might be. It really depends on the sapphire crystal “gatekeepers” which are the companies that can successfully machine synthetic sapphire into shapes like complicated watch case parts. In my opinion sapphire crystal is a great case material for watches even if it isn’t done in a transparent color. The crystal doesn’t need to be clear, but when it is this particularly interesting and hip transparent timepiece is the result. The wear-resistance makes sure it is luxury – and it is actually lighter in weight than metal. It’s great stuff (if you can afford it) and I look forward to seeing it in more shapes, on more watches, and hopefully on more wrists soon. The Hublot Big Bang UNICO Magic Sapphire reference 411.JX.1170.RX is a limited edition of 500 pieces and has a retail price of $57,900 USD. hublot.com
Necessary Data
>Brand: Hublot
>Model: Big Bang UNICO Magic Sapphire ref. 411.JX.1170.RX
>Price: $57,900 USD
>Size: 45.5mm wide
>When reviewer would personally wear it: Anywhere a large, modern Hublot would be acceptable. It is made more interesting by a very eye-catching and fun to admire material.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: Otherwise wealthy watch lover who won’t spend seven figures on a sapphire crystal watch but five figures sounds more reasonable. At this point, you are still paying for exclusivity to a degree.
>Best characteristic of watch: Sapphire crystal case material only enhances the modern, cool, and masculine feeling of the Big Bang UNICO watch collection. Light on the wrist, soft to the touch, and very scratch resistant.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Sapphire crystal as a case material will still cost you a pretty penny – though there are apparently good reasons for it. Potential for case material to break if subjected to enough shock. There will still be people out there who will say the watch looks like plastic (because they simply aren’t familiar with sapphire crystal cases).