Novak Djokovic has been a Hublot ambassador since 2021, and the Serbian tennis star has experienced massive success since signing with the Swiss luxury brand — which means that he has also frequently been spotted wearing various Hublot watches while holding (and often kissing) his trophies. Just as you would expect, Djokovic has worn a variety of models from Hublot’s catalog throughout the last several years; however, for the brand’s latest release of 2024, Hublot has given the tennis superstar his own signature watch. Created to be as lightweight as possible while incorporating an innovative sustainable material, the new Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic (ref. 441.QKB.5120.NR.DJO24) weighs less than a tennis ball, and it features a unique skeletonized case made from rackets and shirts that were used by Djokovic himself.
Novak Djokovic started his professional career back in 2003 and the length of Djokovic’s Wikipedia page alone is a testament to the remarkable amount of success that he has had within the sport. Before signing with Hublot in 2021, Djokovic was a Seiko brand ambassador, and the athlete’s previous horological partnership resulted in multiple different signature models, such as the Seiko Premier Kinetic Perpetual Novak Djokovic Special Edition that we covered back in 2017. Last year in 2023, Djokovic claimed his 24th Grand Slam title, making him the sport’s all-time record holder for most Grand Slam wins, and when he held up (and kissed) the trophy after his victory at the US Open, he was wearing the Hublot Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic. To create the new Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic watch, the Swiss manufacturer started with the foundation of its popular Big Bang Unico and then modified the model to make it as lightweight and personally connected to the tennis star as possible.
While certain components such as crown, caseback, and pushers are crafted from aluminum, the rest of the Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic’s case is made from a unique composite material that incorporates 25 HEAD rackets and 32 Lacoste polo shirts (17 dark blue and 15 light blue) that were used by Djokovic during his record-setting 2023 season. The recycled rackets and shirts were broken down and combined with quartz powder and glass fibers before being set into a bio-sourced epoxy resin that serves as a binding matrix. The resulting composite is both strong and lightweight, with an asymmetric camouflage pattern consisting of black carbon and blue textile fibers. Measuring 42mm in diameter by 14.5mm thick, the case of the Bang Unico Novak Djokovic appears in the same overall shape as the brand’s other Big Bang models, although its lugs and side sections have been skeletonized to further decrease the overall weight of the watch.
Water resistance for the Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic comes in at a solid 100 meters; however, rather than featuring a sapphire crystal (like virtually all other Hublot models), the new lightweight chronograph watch uses tempered Gorilla Glass, which is twice as light as sapphire, although it is not quite as hard or scratch resistant. Gorilla Glass can frequently be found on premium electronics (such as smartphone screens), and while it is more susceptible to abrasions than sapphire, it is generally considered to be a bit more resilient to impacts. That said, the use of Gorilla Glass on the Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic is all about cutting down on weight, and the cumulative effects of the brand’s efforts have resulted in a total package of just 49.5 grams, which even includes the most minimalist option among its three straps. At less than the weight of a tennis ball, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic is significantly lighter than a normal Big Bang chronograph, although its innovative case materials are only partially responsible for its significant weight reduction.
Just like other Big Bang Unico models, the new Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic is powered by the brand’s manufacture Caliber HUB1280 automatic flyback chronograph movement, which runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 72 hours. However, rather than having plated brass structural components like the standard version of this caliber, the Cal. HUB1280 fitted to the Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic uses aluminum for its plates and bridges, which has been anodized either light blue or gray to match the hues of the case. While the 43-jewel caliber still consists of 354 individual components and offers both a date display and a 60-minute flyback chronograph, its use of aluminum instead of brass results in a 27% reduction in weight compared to the standard version of the HUB1280 Unico movement.
While the transparent skeletonized dial of the Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic watch follows the same fundamental design as other Big Bang chronographs, the counterweight for its central chronograph seconds hand appears in the shape of Djokovic’s logo (rather than Hublot’s logo), and the hands, hour markers, and registers are all completely skeletonized to create a more technical and mechanically-focused aesthetic. In that same spirit, the Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic also receives a custom rotor, which has been skeletonized to incorporate the famous tennis player’s logo. Additionally, subtle tennis-themed design details can be found throughout the rest of the watch, and along with having neon green tennis-ball-colored accents on its dial and chronograph pusher, the bezel screws have a domed profile with a curved line running down their centers to mirror the appearance of tennis balls.
Similar to other Big Bang models, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic features the brand’s One Click quick-release system, which allows users to easily swap straps by pressing the two trapezoid-shaped buttons located on the top surfaces of its lugs, and included with the watch are four different straps. The first option is a Lacoste tennis wristband that connects to the case using the One Click system, while the second is an ultra-minimalist blue elastic strap that is the most lightweight option among the quartet. The third strap is one of Hublot’s Velcro fabric straps with an anodized aluminum buckle loop in the same pale blue color as the case, and the fourth and final strap is made from white rubber with a deployant-style clasp crafted from titanium. Lastly, housing the watch and its four straps is a special racket-inspired skeletonized wooden box made from sustainable oak and unique to this limited-edition collaboration model.
Given that the case of the watch is made from the famous tennis star’s game-used rackets and polo shirts, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic (ref. 441.QKB.5120.NR.DJO24) was destined to be produced in a finite quantity, and the model will be a limited edition of 100 pieces with an official retail price of $52,700 USD. Each watch will have its limited edition number engraved on its caseback, and all 100 examples will come with a Lacoste wristband and polo shirt that have been autographed by Novak Djokovic. While most of Hublot’s models would be far from ideal to wear while playing a serious tennis match (let alone at a professional level), the lightweight design and sport-specific straps of this latest limited edition make it a watch that I could easily see the tennis star wearing during matches, and it will be interesting to see if Djokovic will start sporting a Hublot both on the court and the podium. For more information on the Hublot Big Bang Unico Novak Djokovic, please visit the brand’s website.
