This year at Baselworld 2017, three new sapphire Hublots have been released to join the other Hublot Big Bang Unico Sapphire watches released last year. The new Hublot Big Bang Unico Blue Sapphire, Big Bang Unico Red Sapphire and Big Bang Unico Sapphire Diamonds are a perfect example that there are no limits when it comes to releasing crazy watches by this brand. For these new colors, Hublot has now fused sapphire and metals to create a Big Bang case in blue sapphire and in red sapphire —marking the first time these colors of sapphire have been used in watchmaking.
The Case, Dial & Straps
The case middle, bezel and back of the new Big Bang Unico Sapphire pieces, is cut from blocks of sapphire, a material which is almost as hard and scratch-resistant as diamond —9 on the Mohs scale as opposed to 10 for diamond. With a case size of 45 mm the new Hublot Sapphire pieces reinterpret the history of the Big Bang Sapphire released last year with a big bang.
Hublot has called on the expertise of a Swiss specialist as part of an exclusive partnership to develop the unique material. Only a few pieces forming the spine of the watch are made from titanium: the screws, the crown, which is over-molded with silicon, and the deployant buckle. Its skeleton dial, made from transparent resin, reveals all the gears of the proprietary Unico HUB1242 movement and its finishes.
Available in a 250-piece limited edition the Hublot Big Bang Unico Blue Sapphire, Big Bang Unico Red Sapphire and Big Bang Unico Sapphire Diamonds are water-resistant to 50 meters. A minimalist style, a very light timepiece, an inevitable new trend. Complementing its ethereal silhouette, the watches are fitted with transparent structured lined rubber straps matching the color of the sapphire crystal cases in the case of the blue sapphire and the clear sapphire. For the red sapphire, the strap is a smoked black strap like that on the Big Bang Unico Sapphire All Black.
The Movement
Powering the new Hublot Big Bang Unico Blue Sapphire, Big Bang Unico Red Sapphire and Big Bang Unico Sapphire Diamonds is the in-house Hublot automatic flyback chrono movement HUB 1242 UNICO. The movement with black PVD treatment features a column wheel and double clutch mechanism visible on the dial side. The movement provides a power reserve of 3 days —72 hours.
On the Wrist & Pricing
On the wrist, the watch wears true to its size and extremely light with a plastic like feel to it. In terms of wrist presence, the watches wear fashionably on the wrist, but somewhat kitschand reminiscent of those clear plastic watches from the 80s. The watches are available in a limited edition of 250 pieces each and to be quite frank, not sure we would buy any of them considering their steep price tag. For the money, we'd say look for a precious metal watch instead.
Sticker Price $74,000 USD Red Sapphire, $85,000 USD Blue Sapphire and $99,000 USD Sapphire Diamonds. For more info on Hublot click here.
