Hublot leads the way when it comes to launching watches that will make us take a second look. This is the challenge that the R&D team faces when it comes to creating resistant materials, setting up partnerships and developing complications. This year, they met those challenges head-on by changing things up with an emphasis on shapes. Square takes its rightful place in the world of Horlogerie, and features a lesson in geometry. The first lesson is the movement, as every calibre has the wheel as its basic component. It, therefore, needs a round movement.
If you are to place a round movement in a square case, that makes it a game-changer as this requires a whole new design spec. This is why most watchmakers hide their movement, to give the illusion of using a shaped movement or because they have failed to find a consistent aesthetic style.
Not for Hublot, as nothing is hidden. In fact, the watchmakers are proud to show off its in-house Unico movement, the pride of the Nyon watchmakers and the beating heart of most of its designs for over 10 years.
This is how it works: The chronograph has a column wheel visible at six o’clock, while its bicompax display dispenses with a dial, to reveal its secret inner workings. The second challenge was the modular construction of the case, designed in line with Hublot’s DNA, with a central housing dressed with an upper and lower plate to enable a myriad of combinations and transformations.
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The collection is square in shape, and therefore much more difficult to make water-resistant. But Hublot defies all odds and pulls off the challenge with a timepiece that has guaranteed water resistance to 100m. The size of the case plays an important role too and that is to ensure this model is perfectly ergonomic, providing comfort on the wrist very similar to that of the 42mm Big Bang.
Take a closer look and similarities will pop up such as the sandwich construction of its dial, which gives it different levels of depth and a highly architectural feel. As with the Big Bang, the Square Bang Unico’s dial makes extensive use of sapphire to give a clear view of the Unico movement and also reuses the same hands.
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Balance and protection
The next iconic feature is the six (functional) screws on the bezel, placed in exactly the same way as the Big Bang. On either side of the Square Bang, you find the ‘ears’ from the Big Bang’s case, giving balance to the design while protecting the case.
To round off the look is the strap, in addition to the much appreciated One Click system of the Big Bang and its textured rubber, two screws are fixed in the middle as an attachment. Finally, the Square Bang uses the same materials as its predecessor, including titanium, ceramic and King Gold, not to mention the famous ‘All Black’ finish.
Finally, a new strap decorated with ‘chocolate squares’ further emphasises the Square Bang’s identity. Thanks to its interchangeable (One Click) system you can change the look of your watch in one click with an impressive range of Rubber, Alligator and soon soft-touch leather straps.
Five 42mm models are available: The first three are in solid titanium, black ceramic, or King Gold. The last two blend titanium or King Gold with a black ceramic bezel. Each model comes with a black rubber strap and a folding clasp in the same material as the case. These original designs get their power from the HUB1280 Unico Manufacture movement, a 354-component automatic chronograph, set at 4Hz (28,800 vib/h).
Check out the finish that has a modern feel to it such as the polished and sandblasted screws, over-moulded rubber crown, push-pieces decorated with rubber ‘chocolate squares’, polished satin bottom and rhodium-plated or 5N gold-plated hands, depending on the model. The crown comes in over-moulded rubber. The textured pattern of the strap was created especially for the Square Bang. It includes four rows (like the four sides of the case) of raised squares (like the bezel on the case).
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If you had to choose just one, it would be this one: the ‘Square Bang Unico All Black’. Like all the All Blacks, only 250 pieces will be made, making it the only limited edition item of the Square Bang Collection.
More than 15 years after its invention, the All Black livery once again proves its versatility and power. This is clearly showcased in its new incarnation as Square Bang Unico. Whether it is the case, bezel, push-pieces, strap, plate or hour markers: Black is present on all the surfaces while polished or satin-finishes alternate to reveal subtle shades which are for the owner’s eyes only. Ceramic and titanium meet, harmonise and merge. A rare design, for collectors who prefer to take the path less travelled.
Purple reins
While most brands are producing watches that are colourful, Hublot takes it to another level with a fresh, colourful approach with the “Summer in the City” campaign with the introduction of a purple version of Big Bang Unico.
The watch’s 42mm case is cut from aluminium, a modern, lightweight material. This anodised, satin-finished and polished case is purple all over. This colour has been made possible using a process that guarantees impeccable durability and offers remarkable protection from scratches and impacts.
The HUB1280 manufacture calibre, a chronograph movement whose column wheel is visible through the dial keeps the timepiece ticking. It has a power reserve of 72 hours. The hands and indices are in the same shade of purple, enhanced here and there with touches of luminescent white.
To match its all-purple look, the Big Bang Unico Summer Purple comes with two straps in the same colour. The first takes the form of a Velcro strap with matching stitching which is closed with a sports clasp. The second adopts the brand’s signature natural rubber and both bracelets feature the One Click system, an interchangeable clasp system patented by Hublot.
The story of Hublot
Founded in Switzerland in 1980, Hublot is defined by its innovation, which began with the highly original combination of gold and rubber. This “Art of Fusion” stems from the imagination of its visionary chairman Jean-Claude Biver, and has been driven forward by CEO Ricardo Guadalupe since 2012.
The release of the iconic, multi-award-winning Big Bang in 2005 paved the way for new flagship collections (Classic Fusion, Spirit of Big Bang), with complications ranging from the simple to the highly sophisticated, establishing the extraordinary DNA of the Swiss watchmaking house and ensuring its impressive growth.
Keen to preserve its traditional and cutting-edge expertise, and guided by its philosophy to "Be First, Different and Unique", the Swiss watchmaker is consistently ahead of the curve, through its innovations in materials (scratch-resistant Magic Gold, ceramics in vibrant colours, sapphire), and the creation of manufacture movements (Unico, Meca-10, Tourbillon).
Hublot is fully committed to creating a Haute Horlogerie brand with a visionary future: A future that is fused with the key events of our times (FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League and UEFA EURO) and the finest ambassadors our era has to offer (Chiara Ferragni, Pelé, Kylian Mbappé, Usain Bolt and Novak Djokovic).
