The Classic Fusion is one of Hublot’s pillar collections, and it has also become a popular canvas for collaborations with other brands and associations. Some examples include the Classic Fusion Chronograph Chelsea FC watch, the Classic Fusion Italia Independent watches, the Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti Scritto, and many more. The latest collaboration is with Bucherer, one of the oldest watch retailers not only in Europe but also the world. This is the new Hublot Classic Fusion Bronze Bucherer Blue Edition watch.
Unless you live in Europe, there’s a chance you might not be familiar with Bucherer. As I mentioned above, it is one of the oldest watch retailers in the world. It was founded in 1888, and over the past 130 years, it has built solid relationships with many watch brands and watchmakers. This led to the creation of its Blue Editions watches, a collection of limited edition timepieces that Bucherer has created with watch brands. Unsurprisingly, the watches contain elements in blue and they include brands like Vacheron Constantin, IWC, Blancpain, Piaget, Panerai, Longines, Tudor, and of course, Hublot.
The Hublot Classic Fusion Bronze Bucherer Blue Edition is based on the Classic Fusion Chronograph and so it comes in a 45mm-wide and 13.05mm-thick bronze case that has been given a special black brushed finish that is unlike most other bronze watches. The black brushed finish gives it a weathered look as if it has already been through a lot. The bezel is black ceramic and it is adorned with Hublot’s signature H-shaped titanium screws. The crown at 3 o’clock is signed with the Hublot logo and is also blacked brushed bronze. The pushers, on the other hand, are black ceramic. So there is a range of contrasting colors and materials in play here. The watch is water-resistant to 50 meters, which is adequate for a sports watch.
The dial is a sunray blue and features 3N gold-plated applied hour markers and 3N gold-plated hour and minute hands, and the gold theme continues in the two subdials, which have gold rims, gold markers, and gold hands. The Hublot logo at 12 o’clock and “Automatic” wording at 6 o’clock are also in gold. Curiously, the date at 6 o’clock uses white font, which, presumably, is to help it stand out so that it can be read more easily. To complement the blue dial, the watch comes with a blue alligator strap with gold stitching on the sides and rubber lining on the back for wearing comfort – and Hublot’s straps are indeed comfortable.
The movement within is the good old caliber HUB1143, Hublot’s basic self-winding chronograph movement. An integrated chronograph movement it ain’t. Instead, it employs an ETA base and a chronograph module from Dubois Dépraz. It runs at 4Hz and has a power reserve of around 42 hours. The movement can be seen through a sapphire display case back.
A Hublot Classic Fusion watch with a blue dial isn’t exactly new. Hublot already produces one in titanium. That said, one with a blue dial and a specially treated bronze case is novel and kind of interesting. Personally, I find the Classic Fusion Bronze Bucherer Blue Edition quite attractive based on Hublot’s press pictures. I especially like the contrast between the bronze case, gold markings on the dial, and the blue dial. The Hublot Classic Fusion Bronze Bucherer Blue Edition is priced at £15,000 and is limited to just 30 pieces. Learn more at hublot.com