Released at the end of last year to celebrate Hublot’s largest flagship in the U.S. on Fifth Avenue in New York City, the Hublot Classic Fusion Concrete Jungle New York Limited Edition takes innovation one step further. After a few months, we finally got to peruse the watch in the ‘concrete’ —no pun intended— and we are quite impressed with it. Since Hublot has always remained at the forefront when it comes to the use of new materials for their watch cases, conceiving a watch case made out of concrete is a first in the watch industry and a first for the brand.
The Classic Fusion Concrete Jungle New York limited edition ref. 521.XC.3604.NR.NYC20 is reinforced in fine concrete with minute detailing that evokes the city’s edges and structures. Monochromatic tones juxtaposed against a black fabric strap convey the concrete jungle and the asphalt paradise that New York City represents. For this particular watch, Hublot has tapped into some famous New Yorkers like Victor Cruz, Daniel Boulud, and Mariano Rivera to pay tribute to the city through a powerful campaign, all three wearing this incredibly limited edition watch.
Things to Know About the Watch
The second iteration of Hublot’s Concrete Jungle is available in a limited edition of only 50 peices and is fortified with a more durable concrete material. The 45 mm case is made of a composite that is 65-75% fine cement, 25-30% epoxy resin replacing water in standard concrete, and 5- 10% fiberglass replacing steel to reinforce the concrete. Opposed to what most people would think, the watch is not heavy but quite light. When we think about concrete, the first thing that comes to mind is an ultra-heavy rock hard object, nevertheless, the watch is perfectly balanced in terms of weight.
In terms of finish, the case is ultra-smooth and very silky to the touch —with very minor pitting— thanks to the use of epoxy resin with an anti-UV additive to prevent color change over time. Additionally, Hublot also added an anti-graffiti treatment to the finished components to prevent the concrete from becoming impregnated with dirt, grease, or colors bleeding from fabrics.
As far as the bezel, it shows a little bit more pitting than the rest of the case which is a typical issue when pouring cement as bubbles form on the outmost layer as the material dries out. While some would consider these imperfections, we think that it gives the watch more character and it makes each watch very unique in this limited edition.
The Classic Fusion Concrete Jungle New York Limited Edition features black ceramic pushers and crown. These components are matte finished and very smooth to the touch. The ceramic crown is of the screw-down type to guarantee proper hermeticity when exposed to water. This watch is water-resistant to 50 meters, perfectly suited for showering with it or surface swimming.
As far as the dial goes, it is also made out of concrete with sandwich construction exposing a darker grey plate underneath the dial and visible through the cut-out hour-markers and counters. At 9 o’clock there is a recessed 30-minute Chrono counter, a running seconds subdial at 3 o’clock, and a very discreet date aperture at 6 o’clock. The date aperture is very small and makes the reading of the date slightly difficult. The monochromatic look of the watch is further enhanced by the hands in the same color hue as the dial and case.
The Movement
Turning over the Classic Fusion Concrete Jungle New York reveals the in-house automatic calibre HUB1143 chronograph movement powering this watch. The movement features a skeletonized oscillating weight with ‘Hublot’ in black and the movement provides a power reserve of 42 hours when fully wound.
On the Wrist & Pricing
On the wrist, the Hublot Classic Fusion Concrete Jungle New York wears true to its size and very comfortable. The case is very light and the monochromatic look of the watch makes it a perfect watch to wear with any type of outfit. A very sexy watch that features one of the most unique cases in the watch world. Available in a very exclusive limited edition of 50 pieces.
Sticker $18,800 USD. For more info on Hublot click here.
