As a tribute to the eponymous square in Paris, the 'Place Vendôme' comes the Hublot Classic Fusion Vendôme Collection. Exclusively sold at the Hublot Boutique in Paris situated right across the famous Vendôme column, this Classic Fusion Vendôme features a special Hublot logo at 12 o'clock where the stylized H has been tweaked to feature the Vendôme column on the right part of the letter 'H'. Fitted with a 45 mm case in titanium the watch is somewhat vintage looking and very interesting.
Located to the north of the Jardins des Tuileries and east of the Église de la Madeleine, the 'Place Vendôme' was laid out in 1702 honoring the armies of Louis XIV the 'Sun King' —Roi Soleil— and its column was erected by Napoleon I in 1810 to celebrate the victory at the Battle of Austerlitz. The 44 meter tall column was modeled after the Trajan's column located in Rome and covered in a bronze veneer, which was cast from cannons taken from the enemies defeated at Austerlitz.
The Dial
Evoking the bronze veneer on the column at 'Place Vendôme', the dial of the Hublot Classic Fusion Vendôme Collection is made of bronze with areas containing 'verdigris'. This green pigment obtained through the application of acetic acid to copper plates or the natural patina formed when copper, brass or bronze is weathered and exposed to air or seawater over a period of time is the striking visual element adorning this dial. In order to avoid subsequent corrosion and oxidation, the watchmakers at Hublot have enclosed the dial in a sapphire capsule to restrict its contact with air and thereby stabilize the alloy.
As mentioned earlier, the icing on the cake is not only the 'verdigris' but the tweaked Hublot logo with the 'H' integrating the column at the 'Place Vendôme'. The dial features applied faceted markers and solid hands without superluminova. Additionally, each piece within this 100-piece limited edition is completely unique as when the material is oxidized, it evolves in an unpredictable way delivering a final product that is unique every time and totally different from one another.
The Strap
To make things even more interesting and matching the somewhat 'aged' vintage look of the dial, the Hublot Classic Fusion Vendôme Collection is equipped with a distressed vintage brown calfskin strap with black rubber lining.
The Movement
The Hublot Classic Fusion Vendôme Collection in titanium is powered by the automatic Hublot calibre HUB1100 composed of 63 parts and 21 jewels —not an in-house movement but a Sellita SW300—, which provides a power reserve of 42 hours when fully wound. The movement is fully visible via the display case back and features a skeletonized oscillating weight with the word 'Hublot' in black.
On the Wrist & Pricing
On the wrist, the Hublot Classic Fusion Place Vendôme wears slightly smaller than its actual size and more like a 42 mm watch. Its appearance and uniqueness make this special edition watch one that we absolutely love.
If you are in love with all things Parisian, the drama TV series Versailles or you simply want to own the only watch out there with a bronze dial with 'verdigris', this 100-piece Hublot Classic Fusion is definitely for you. One thing one should be aware of, is the fact that the price is quite steep considering the movement is not an in-house one.
Sticker Price $10,400 USD. For more info on Hublot click here.
