Jump to the Hublot Big Bang 20th Anniversary Collection ➤
It’s hard to admit for some of us, but we’ve been enjoying the Big Bang watch for 20 years (feeling old yet?). Hublot couldn’t just let that milestone pass without marking it in some way, and like the Big Bang itself, the Nyon-based watchmaker has gone all out. The 20th Anniversary Big Bang watches, launched at Watches & Wonders back in April, are a celebration of everything the rebellious, cutting-edge sports watch stands for.
The Big Bang watch collection has been in existence since Jean-Claude Biver released the inaugural design in 2005. To create the avant-garde design, he explored ergonomics, melted materials and researched cutting-edge technologies. On paper, it looked completely absurd, but in reality, Hublot’s design was an example of pioneering excellence, and it occupied a niche segment that many other companies had never dared to explore. Ironically, many of those brands would eventually borrow inspirational cues from its disruptive design.
A Brief History of the Big Bang
The Big Bang watch was the design that single-handedly catapulted Hublot from a niche brand to a global powerhouse overnight. And the fact that Hublot was only 25 years old when it launched the luxury watch serves as a reminder of just how young the brand is. It remained a relatively small player until the porthole-inspired watch reached the wrists of connoisseurs.
The design features a round bezel adorned with H-shaped screws atop a dramatically layered case construction. The sandwich-effect case became a playground for experimental materials, including carbon fibre, rubber, titanium and gold.
The idea behind these new celebratory 20th-anniversary releases is to bring back some of the Big Bang collection’s signature designs and concepts. Amongst the latest releases are a King Gold model, a titanium iteration, and an all-black ceramic variation.
The Hublot Big Bang Titanium 20th Anniversary Edition
The 20th Anniversary Titanium Big Bang is much lighter in weight compared to its steel counterparts, especially the initial 2005 models. It weighs just under 100 grams compared to the steel’s 140g weight. Even better, Hublot utilises the Unico II generation movement, which was first introduced inside the Big Bang collection in 2017. It hails from the initial UNICO movement, which revolutionised Hublot’s approach to watchmaking when it first launched, enabling it to down-size some of its bestselling watches. The movement is significantly smaller in size compared to some of the brand’s earlier ETA-powered models, thereby reducing the overall weight of the watch.
The Hublot Big Bang King Gold 20th Anniversary Watch
The King Gold Big Bang was introduced in 2009 and has been a mainstay throughout the brand’s catalogue ever since. In this new design, the combination of the blushing pink King Gold with the black ceramic elements is a match made in heaven. The painting of colour and raw material takes us right back to the beginning of the Big Bang journey.
The proprietary King Gold material is an 18ct gold alloy containing 75% pure gold and a remaining 25% composition of other metals, which gives it a warmer and more intense rose gold hue. One important part of the unique King Gold blend is the inclusion of platinum, which prevents the copper from oxidising over time.
Invisible Visibility – the Hublot Big Bang All-Black 20th Anniversary Watch
When Hublot released the all-black Big Bang watch, the concept behind its design centred around the idea of “invisible visibility”. Confusing, right? Well, not really. It made perfect sense. In creating a completely alien concept and one that went against all timekeeping logic, it stood out all the more.
When Jean-Claude Biver first revealed the watch to journalists, he was met with the question, “Well, how do you read the time on it?” to which Biver replied, “You don’t need to read the time; you can check your smartphone for that!”.
It’s true. The Big Bang was all about wearing a piece of art. Its muscular, stealth-like aesthetic no longer needed to prove its practical value to a collector. Moreover, it diverted away from practicality. Before long, many companies were copying the all-black look. Although not all attempts were successful, many were able to achieve the look.
Black ceramic was relatively new at this point, and the combination of the black case and an equally dark dial made tracking the time rather fun. That’s still the case with this new 20th-anniversary release. You have to play around with the dial a little. Catch it in the right light, and once you get some reflection on your hands, the fundamentals of timekeeping are still there; rest assured.
The Specs
The new Hublot watches all measure 43mm in diameter, have a thickness of 13.2mm, and are water-resistant to 100 meters. They feature the familiar Big Bang chronograph three-counter arrangement across a stamped dial and a red-accented chronograph seconds hand (except for the all-black one). These watches have no lugs (rather a sloping, tapering profile that flows from the case) since they feature an integrated bracelet system that allows you to exchange the strap with one single click.
However, what will appeal to small-wristed collectors the most is that, from top to bottom, the case measures 45mm in length. For a 43mm watch, this smaller top-to-bottom length helps draw the watch in, allowing it to feel more compact.
The original Big Bang didn’t have the removable strap system. Twenty years ago, if you wanted to swap the strap, you could either risk scratching the watch using tools at home or take it to a watchmaker. One of Hublot’s primary objectives with these celebratory watches is to showcase the versatility of the modern-day Big Bang. Hublot’s strap range is varied, giving you plenty of opportunity to experiment with these models on different textures and colours, thanks to its removable strap system.
The straps on these new releases have also been redesigned and feature a pretty neat surface pattern with a stamped effect. But with so many textures to play around with, including smooth, lined, structure, and ribbed designs, not to mention alligator patterns, you’re certainly not going to be stuck for choice. The gradual move towards strap versatility is a stark contrast to the earlier days of the Big Bang. Now, manufacturers call the shots a lot less. They listen to their audience and give them the freedom to decide how they want to wear their watch, as is the case with these new anniversary pieces. If you want leather, blue rubber, red rubber, or a metal bracelet – they’re all possibilities now.
The Unico II Movement
The in-house Unico II movement that lies within these new watches is capable of producing a 72-hour power reserve once fully wound. This is a noteworthy feature to mention, as many chronographs on the market today still only have power reserves of around 40 hours.
Interestingly, for the first time, Hublot adorns this movement with a 22ct gold oscillating weight alongside the “20 years” anniversary lettering. This is an entirely exclusive feature and the only non-black component in the All-Black model. Of course, the movement has bi-directional winding, differing from the original Big Bang movements, which only wound in one direction.
The Others
As a brief sidenote, two other iterations of the Big Bang 20th Anniversary watch have been released alongside these three models. One is the “unscratchable” Magic gold, forged from special cylinders of boron carbide – an ultra-hard ceramic – that is then compressed into the shape of a case before being impregnated with 24ct gold under incredibly high pressure and high temperatures. The gold fills the voids within the porous composition of the boron carbide, resulting in a material that has a hardness rating of 1000 Vickers (compared to the 150 Vickers hardness rating of standard 18ct gold). This is an incredibly hard material, even more scratch-resistant than ceramic. When you think about it, it’s a very valuable quality to have in such a large watch, as it’s likely to come into contact with the occasional bump or accidental knock. It’s a unique shade of gold, to say the least. Hublot’s Magic Gold is different to King Gold and standard gold, exuding an attractive dull golden hue that looks incredibly smart against its black ceramic accents.
Hublot has also released a Red Ceramic version. The implementation of the red ceramic material in Hublot’s watches marked a key moment of innovation for the company. It was the brand’s first vividly coloured ceramic moment. And for those who understand the complexity behind the ceramic-colouring process, this was no easy feat for the brand. It was only logical that Hublot would incorporate a watch so important to the 20th Anniversary collection
Final Thoughts
The new Hublot Big Bang 20th Anniversary watches revisit some of the most emblematic milestones in the brand’s history. The titanium, all-black ceramic and Magic Gold iterations bridge the past with the present, sharing some exclusive features that Hublot collectors are certain to appreciate. They all provide a very enjoyable glimpse into the history of the Big Bang. Despite nodding to some blasts from the past, they will all undoubtedly find their place in the modern world without issue.
The Hublot Big Bang Titanium and All-Black Ceramic 20th Anniversary watches are limited to 500 pieces, while the King Gold is exclusive to just 250 pieces. All three are available to order now from Banks Lyon. For more information, contact us today