Hublot Kicks Off Watches & Wonders 2021 With Groundbreaking Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire
At Hublot, they have a passion for materials. Whether it is gold, ceramic, or sapphire, they love to see if they can improve it or give it a color that has never been achieved before. In 2016 the brand introduced its very first sapphire watch, and things developed quickly in the years after. Not only was Hublot able to create sapphire in different colors they could also make them in modest volume. While this sounds less exclusive, the production process of sapphire watches is so intensive that being able to make more of them is a major achievement. Hublot kicks off Watches & Wonders 2021 with another amazing accomplishment, and that is a Big Bang Integral Tourbillon where both the case and the bracelet are made of sapphire.
Hublot went for ultimate transparency with the sapphire bracelet, which also made it such a challenging feat to accomplish. No compromises were allowed, so the bracelet needed to remain as transparent as possible, while flexibility, durability, and wearing comfort all had to be at the highest level. Hublot achieved this by cleverly screwing each link in the other, with the help of titanium inserts that take as little away from the transparency of the sapphire as possible.
Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, tells more about how this unique watch came to be: “For such an exceptional creation, we opted for the new Automatic Tourbillon calibre with its sapphire bridges, the transparency of which creates a stunning spectacle. The act of creating an integrated case and bracelet from sapphire was, however, deemed impossible. But we were the first brand to gain perfect mastery of sapphire, industrialising it and making it reproducible in series production. It took us five years to bring our first sapphire cases to life – and almost as long for the bracelet. Producing both from sapphire and integrating them together is the pinnacle of the in-depth work undertaken by all of Hublot’s teams. We are proud to be the ones writing the first lines in this new chapter in the history of materials”.
As Guadalupe already pointed out, for such an exquisite creation, they have to combine it with one of the best movements the brand has to offer. In this case, Hublot’s latest manufacture caliber HUB6035, which offers a tourbillon with automatic winding. This is done by a micro-rotor placed at twelve o’clock, crafted from 22 karat white gold. As most of the movements bridges, including the main plate, are also made from sapphire, the watch’s transparent nature takes full effect. Hublot will make 30 pieces of the Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire, costing $422,000 each. Those owners will get to wear a groundbreaking watch, that also means the start of a new era for Hublot, as they will for sure further pursuing the possibilities of this exciting new achievement.
