Nobody would blame you if the mention of Hublot immediately elicits images of the Big Bang or, to a lesser degree, the Classic Fusion lines of watches. However, less well-known due to limited models and production numbers, there’s also the Tonneau-shaped Spirit of Big Bang collection. Stemming from a challenge to Jean-Claude Biver to create a Hublot watch inspired by Richard Mille was the Masterpiece line that in turn gave birth to the Spirit of Big Bang watches. One thing we wish to see more of in 2017 is more bright colors in watches, and we are glad Hublot is delivering. Mr. Biver’s sense of humor and irony is in play with the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang All Black watches. Despite the “All Black” name, these pieces come in four bright colorways of yellow, orange, red, and green.
Say what you will about color choices here, but it’s evident that anyone with a legibility preoccupation will be satisfied. The colors make it easy to read the dial and check the time, which is a pragmatic prerequisite for an actual day-to-day wear – if you can pull something like this off stylistically. Hublot’s “all black” tradition isn’t betrayed since you can see that, along with the case, various parts of the movement are also in black as the backdrop to the dial. It looks like a fun, well-thought-out line that shows that Hublot can create top-notch movements and cases without taking themselves too seriously.
The micro-blasted black ceramic case of the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang All Black is 45mm in diameter and serves as the perfect canvas for the new color choices. Everything just pops more with a black case and the all-black concept is tied together with a micro-blasted titanium crown, H-shaped screws, and push pieces with black rubber inserts. This aggressive evolution of the tonneau-shaped series is further complemented by the dial design.
All of the available versions feature colorized hands, indexes, and accents surrounding the date window. It’s a design approach that obviously serves as the centerpiece for this version and it’s all laid out over a beautifully contrasted, skeletonized dial. With so much going on visually, the layout is actually quite basic with a seconds counter at 9 o’clock, minutes counter at 3 o’clock, and a small hours counter at 6 o’clock. The main hands are big, bold, and varnished in the matching color as well. Naturally, Hublot also opted for a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating to cut out any visual distortions. Again, the legibility here looks great, and I’d love to see how the pieces look when we get to go hands-on with them.
The movement powering the Hublot Spirit Of Big Bang All Black watch is the HUB4700 automatic skeleton chronograph. It’s a fully “Hublot-ized” Zenith El Primero base operating at 5 Hz (36,000bph) with 50 hours of power reserve. No shots of it yet, but it’s also visible through an anti-reflective sapphire case-back that should show off all the crafty movement finishing Hublot is known for. Aside from that, each version comes with a black rubber strap and an alligator leather strap with a black PVD folding buckle matching the selected colorway.
Much can be said about Hublot, both positive and negative. What can’t be said is that the brand is ever satisfied or complacent. They also aren’t afraid to take risks that may seem too “loud” in an industry that can sometimes be frustratingly conservative, making every minor update blown out of proportion. The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang All Black watches in these four colorways represent a cohesive line that recognizes Hublot’s brand perception, finishes, and movement quality are solid enough to throw a few cans of paint on the whole thing. These are boutique exclusives that are only available at boutique locations throughout the world with a price of $26,600. hublot.com
