News: Presenting the Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Magic Gold and Blue Sapphire
Two new cutting-edge cases for a unique engine-inspired movement. Hublot reasserts its unrivaled expertise in cutting-edge materials by housing its MP-11 manufacture calibre in two new exclusive cases, showcasing its scratch-resistant Magic Gold alloy and the transparency of its high-tech synthesis technology Blue Sapphire. Characterized by its atypical and highly visual construction, the unorthodox concept of the MP-11 calibre, developed and manufactured entirely in Hublot’s workshops, must therefore forge an alliance with brand new cases distinguished by their unique design and innovative materials.
This challenge has already been brilliantly met in the Big Bang MP-11 in ultra-light 3D carbon, using King Gold alloy paired with a 3D carbon bezel, in transparent sapphire, in high-tech Red Magic ceramic and most recently in green SAXEM, which is a new composite rivaling the most beautiful emeralds in color and matching diamonds in its hardness.
The new Hublot Big Bang MP-11 14-day power reserve Magic Gold is available as a limited edition of just 50 pieces. Reinterpreting the ultra-technical and contemporary design of the Big Bang 45 mm case in the world's first ever version of scratch-resistant 18K gold called Magic Gold —an alloy invented and patented by Hublot. Additionally it is important to mention that the middle case is made of clear sapphire to allow for unobstructed views of the Hublot Calibre HUB9011.
To achieve this unprecedented resistance in the traditional world of precious metals, the brand's engineers have combined pure gold with boron carbide, an extremely hard high-tech ceramic. The exclusive color of the Magic Gold case is enhanced on the bezel of the watch, by the contrast with the six H-shaped black-coated titanium screws. The marriage of an 18K gold case and a black rubber strap serves as a reminder that Hublot was the first brand, in 1980, to boldly combine these two materials on the same watch, at a time when these two materials were considered to be incompatible.
Playing on transparency, the Big Bang MP-11 14-day power reserve Blue Sapphire, also released as a limited edition of 50 pieces, takes its radiance and inimitable color from one of the manufactured sapphires that Hublot has developed in house. With unique knowledge and complete mastery of the industrialization process, Hublot is able to offer sapphire in a range of innovative colors —transparent, black, blue, red, yellow and orange. The extreme hardness of the sapphire requires specific machining methods —a further challenge on this watch due to the profile of the middle and the bezel to accommodate the shape of the cylindrical barrels. The lined and structured blue rubber strap echoes the innovative color of the sapphire case.
Magic Gold and Blue Sapphire; the two new Big Bang MP-11 models offer exclusive staging of the calibre HUB9011 manual wound skeletonized movement, one of the jewels of the 100% Hublot collection. To achieve an exceptional power reserve of two weeks, the brand has developed an original movement architecture integrating seven series-coupled barrels. The power reserve appears directly on a cylinder located to the left of the seven barrels, opposite the ‘DAY POWER RESERVE’ indication in blue or gold on the anti-reflective sapphire crystal. By adopting the shape of barrels, the sapphire crystal creates a magnifying effect on this important indication.
To enable energy to be transmitted between the horizontal barrel arbor and the vertical gears controlling the hour and minute display at 12 o'clock, the engineers made use of a system rarely employed in watchmaking: a 90-degree helical worm gear. To create an aesthetic balance with this helical gear, which is visible at 10 o'clock, the balance was moved on the dial side in a symmetrical position at two o'clock. Composed of 270 pieces, giving a very reasonable thickness of 10.92 mm, the HUB9011 calibre also stands out due to its patented index-assembly system, its black platinum bridges and its silicon escapement combining traditional and innovative elements.
The two new Big Bang MP-11 Magic Gold and Blue Sapphire movements are wound manually using the large fluted crown with worm screw type relief that echoes the helical gear, or an electric Torx stylus inspired by the world of motor racing.
Sticker Price $89,500 USD for Magic Gold and $132,000 USD for Blue sapphire. For more info on Hublot click here.